“Future-Proofing” is a word that gives the notion of an extended life cycle for a product, but it should be taken figuratively. There is no possible way to actually future-proof technology, considering that the whole purpose of it is to constantly evolve into something better and faster. However, it strikes a chord with customers when you can let them know they won’t have the feeling of “buyer’s remorse” within a short period of time.

Everyone wants their PC to last a very long time. As hardware enthusiasts, we know the reality is that your average PC has a lifespan of three to four years at most. But ask any mainstream buyer how long they’d like to keep their current system and they are looking at closer to six or seven years. It is with this mentality that the messaging behind PCI-E 3 hoped to resonate with consumers. What is important to know are the methods being used to market the current generation of motherboards as “PCI-E 3 Ready” and if you are getting the real deal.