PCIe 1x Cards

[Synomenon]

Ok so I have a new motherboard. PCIe 16x and the standard PCI slot are filled. What can I put in my PCIe 1x slots? I have one on each side of the 16x slot.

I've looked around and all I can find for these slots are lots of controller cards:

USB
firewire
SATA
USB / firewire combos.
USB / firewire / SATA combos.
SATA RAID
ethernet
IDE
parallel
serial
parallel / serial combos.
express port adapters (For some reason, these cards don't really use the PCI-express bus for data. Instead they transfer data through USB.)
wifi
TV tuners
video cards

What else is out there for these slots? Do you actually use your PCIe 1x slot(s)? If so, what do you have in it / them?

 

[ViRGE]

I don't have anything in my 1x slots at the moment since all of my cards are carryovers from older systems, but any future cards I buy will likely be 1x since PCI is going to be slowly phased out. Though looking at your list, it seems like you've described just about every common type of peripheral card out there. Is there something you're specifically looking for that isn't available as a PCIe card?

 

[Synomenon]

I'm not really looking for anything specific. Just wanted to know if anyone had seen anything "neat" / "cool" / unique for these 1x slots.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
I'm not really looking for anything specific. Just wanted to know if anyone had seen anything "neat" / "cool" / unique for these 1x slots.

Like all those "neat" / "cool" / unique USB gizmos and gadgets? Junk, more like.

 

[Synomenon]

No not like those USB junk things. I'm looking for something like an externally enclosed PCIe 1x slot. I've seen them for PCI slots. They let you use the slot even if it's blocked by a double slot cooler sitting over the slot. Maybe a true PCIe to express card adapter so I could use my EVDO express card modem and not use so many CPU cycles because of it going through USB. Things kind of like those.

I just want to find some use for these slots.

 

[JWade]

i use my 1x slot for my wireless adapter

 

[Ares202]

PCI-E x1 is actually slower than pci so i really dont see why theyve put them on motherboards at all, i mean just put more pci slots on the mobo instead

 

[Davegod]

Originally posted by: Ares202
PCI-E x1 is actually slower than pci so i really dont see why theyve put them on motherboards at all, i mean just put more pci slots on the mobo instead

I think the idea was to require only the pci-e bus and free up the resources used by PCI. However there was a "switchover" period.

Since they haven't had to, people haven't given up their PCI cards.

For card manufacturers, changing to PCI-E means costs for redesign and retooling, not to mention some customers still dont have PCI-E. So they haven't been inclined to change either, unless there is particular reason e.g. performance for graphics cards. So even when buying new stuff people are still buying PCI.

At some point the balance will tip and it'll all switch over. Mobo makers are hedging their bets and giving just a couple of each.

 

[Throckmorton]

I hate these damn standards. They introduce something and it takes 5 years for it to come into wide use. By then we've moved on to a new standard. Games are FINALLY coming out on DVD, now that HDDVD and BR have been introduced.

 

[palladium]

Hmm is PCIex1 faster than PCI? I thought PCIex1 can hit 250MB/s while PCI can only reach 133MB/s bandwidth...

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: palladium
Hmm is PCIex1 faster than PCI? I thought PCIex1 can hit 250MB/s while PCI can only reach 133MB/s bandwidth...

That's correct, PCIe 1x is faster and runs at those speeds. And that's 250MB/sec full duplex too, while PCI was half duplex.

 

[Arcanedeath]

I actualy have 2 PCI-e 1x cards, an Intel Pro 1000PT gigbit NIC & the SupremeFX II audio card that comes w/ the Asus Maximus Formula, the sound card is kinda neat in that you can get back its slot for use and its not a custom slot if you opt to not use your onboard sound.

 

[RebateMonger]

I use them a lot for Hot-Swap-compliant SATA controllers for running backups to removable SATA drives.

 

[Sheninat0r]

My TV tuner is PCI-e x1... I'm sure you could find RAID cards, wireless adapters, and maybe sound cards [There's a PCI-e x1 X-Fi, but it;s a software model and OEM] and other random stuff that used to be on PCI mostly.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
I hate these damn standards. They introduce something and it takes 5 years for it to come into wide use. By then we've moved on to a new standard. Games are FINALLY coming out on DVD, now that HDDVD and BR have been introduced.

Yup. If I had my choice, we'd still be using VESA-VL video cards and hard drive controllers. There was little need for PCI, AGP and ATX power supplies. Blame it on Intel.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
I hate these damn standards. They introduce something and it takes 5 years for it to come into wide use. By then we've moved on to a new standard. Games are FINALLY coming out on DVD, now that HDDVD and BR have been introduced.

Yup. If I had my choice, we'd still be using VESA-VL video cards and hard drive controllers. There was little need for PCI, AGP and ATX power supplies. Blame it on Intel.

OK, I don't hate the standards. I hate how long it takes for them to be adopted widely.