Can I plug a PCI Express 1x or 4x card into a PCI Express 16x slot?

Cromulent · 29 Jan 2014 at 08:32

I'm thinking about getting a sound card for my compurer but I'm pretty sure I only have a PCI-Express x16 slot free. Can I just plug a x1, x4 or x8 PCI-Express card into a x16 slot or do I need some sort of converter for it?

stulid · 29 Jan 2014 at 08:33

It goes straight in.

Steveocee · 29 Jan 2014 at 08:36

Yes. No problems

Cromulent · 29 Jan 2014 at 08:36

stulid said:
It goes straight in.

Cool, thanks.

Uncle Petey · 29 Jan 2014 at 13:03

You may need to adjust a setting in the bios to get it running properly so that it doesn't disable another slot or slow it down.

My Asus Z77V for example has options to disable a sata port if using the third x16 lane in this way or it'll reduce the second x16 (x8) slot to x4 (I think... Been a while since I looked at it).