An apparatus for performing fractionally spaced adaptive equalization with non-integer sub-symbol sampling has an adaptive equalizer that receives a continuous stream of input data having a non-integer, fractional delay between consecutive samples at a non-integer, sub-symbol rate and outputs a stream of equalized data based on tap weights of taps of the adaptive equalizer that are spaced at an interval corresponding to the non-integer, sub-symbol rate. The tap weights are updated independently of the fractional delay between consecutive samples of the input data using an error signal. An equalizer output alignment component downstream of the adaptive equalizer aligns the stream of equalized data with a corresponding transmitted symbol.