Can I put a pci-e 1x sound card in a pci-e 16x slot

[an51r]

I have a pci-e1x sound card with the very short connector for my old asus mobo and was wondering if I could use this card in a normal sized pci-e slot to eliminate the use of my onboard sound.

If I did in fact use this sound card would it then make my video card set to 8x?

Sorry if the wording is confusing I just was curious as I have no pci-e 1x slot

 

[Andrew1990]

I believe a PCIex16 slot is reverse compatible so you should be fine with a x1 card in it. It also shouldnt lower your video card to X8.

 

[an51r]

Ooh thanks, I guess I will go for it, hopefully this will not do any damage, I just know onboard realtek uses alot of the CPU.!

 

[ihyagp]

Should work. However some motherboards w/ only two x16 slots support only 1x16 + 1x0 or 2x8 configurations. Watch out for it putting your video card into x8 mode. If your board has 3 x16 slots, use the one not meant for SLI.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Yes the large PCI-e slots are compatible with the smaller ones.

No sound uses allot of CPU. Be it onboard or on a card. Unless your running an old Pentium.

 

[an51r]

I am using a pentium 2 is that bad, jk jk, well the card fits without the retention bracket but it sits an inch inside the case so all in all a no go.

I read an article were it compared onboard with a soundcard and showed the cpu usage for each, though the usuage was minor al around it did show onboard to use a decent amount more.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: an51r
I am using a pentium 2 is that bad, jk jk, well the card fits without the retention bracket but it sits an inch inside the case so all in all a no go.

I read an article were it compared onboard with a soundcard and showed the cpu usage for each, though the usuage was minor al around it did show onboard to use a decent amount more.

Of course it would but you won't notice it at all. Powerful multicore chips have pretty much eliminated this but if you already have a soundcard mine as well use it.

 

[TLW]

interesting...

does the backwards compatability extend to the original PCI slot type?

ie: i have a PCI wireless card than i had to move when i installed a new GPU cooler taking up 3 slots, disregarding the x16/x8 issues can it be installed in one of the three PCI-E x16 slots the motherboard has?

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: TLW
interesting...

does the backwards compatability extend to the original PCI slot type?

no