Will PCIe x1 Sound card work in PCIe x16 (at x4) slot?

[gx_saurav]

I have a Gigabyte B150M-D3H Motherboard.

Right now I have a 5 year old Asus Xonar DG sound card connected to 2nd PCI Slot (3rd slot from the top) as this is the only available PCI slot because the 2nd slot from the top is blocked due to GPU.

I want to upgrade to a Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3D sound card which is PCIe x1 but I don't have any PCIe X1 slots in my motherboard. However, the 2nd PCIe x16 slot works at PCIe x4 if two GPU are connected means the primary PCIe x16 slot gets 16 lanes and I still have 4 lanes left for other uses.

My question is whether installing a PCIe x1 Sound card in the PCIe x4 (physically x16) slot work?

 

[UsandThem]

Yes. I assume you meant PCIe instead of PCI in your first paragraph.

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/will-a-pci-express-x1-work-in-a-pci-e-x4-slot.2215108/

 

[gx_saurav]

See, the configuration is like this.

1. Slot 1 = PCIe x16 3.0 slot at x16 speed. I have my GPU connected to it.

2. Slot 2 = Regular PCI Slot. Blocked due to duel slot fan of my GPU.

3. Slot 3 = Regular PCI Slot. My Asus Xonar DG is installed in this slot.

4. Slot 4 = PCIe x16 (physical) slot with only PCIe x4 speed. This is empty where I am asking if I can install a Sound card.

 

[UsandThem]

See, the configuration is like this.

1. Slot 1 = PCIe x16 3.0 slot at x16 speed. I have my GPU connected to it.

2. Slot 2 = Regular PCI Slot. Blocked due to duel slot fan of my GPU.

3. Slot 3 = Regular PCI Slot. My Asus Xonar DG is installed in this slot.

4. Slot 4 = PCIe x16 (physical) slot with only PCIe x4 speed. This is empty where I am asking if I can install a Sound card.

If your card is PCI, then no.

If your card is PCIe, then yes.

 

[gx_saurav]

If your card is PCI, then no.

If your card is PCIe, then yes.

Yes. The Sound Blaster sound card which I am looking to buy is a PCIe x1 card. It is Sound Blaster Recon3D or SoundBlaster ZX

 

[UsandThem]

Yes. The Sound Blaster sound card which I am looking to buy is a PCIe x1 card. It is Sound Blaster Recon3D or SoundBlaster ZX

Then the first thing I linked to applies to your situation.

"Will a PCI Express x1 work in a PCI-E x4 slot?" - Yes.

Just a FYI for future posts:. A PCIe x1 slot or card is not a "regular PCI". A PCI and PCIe slot are totally different things. PCI is largely dead on most current boards.

 

[gx_saurav]

Then the first thing I linked to applies to your situation.

"Will a PCI Express x1 work in a PCI-E x4 slot?" - Yes.

Just a FYI for future posts:. A PCIe x1 slot or card is not a "regular PCI". A PCI and PCIe slot are totally different things. PCI is largely dead on most current boards.

I am aware. My current Asus Xonar DG is PCI.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

No problemo. I'm running the X-Fi in my sig in a PCI-E x16 slot.

 

[UsandThem]

I am aware. My current Asus Xonar DG is PCI.

I read it on my phone and I just misread the post when you mentioned PCI sound card, and then asked about PCIe x4.

That's why initially asked the question in my first post. But yes, a PCIe x1 card will work in x1, x4, or even a x16 slot.

 

[Rifter]

Yes any pcie xanything card will work in a x16 slot, i have a pcie x1 asus xonar stx in a 16x slot right now.

x4 and x8 cards will also work in a x16 slot.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The trick is to plan and choose your components so as to use the full potential of all slots, or all slots that are actually used as you wish or want. But I don't ever remember seeing an x2 slot, and either x2 or x1 devices work fine in an x4 slot.

I'm just surprised to see a socket 1151 board with PCI slots! I don't get any PCI slots on my Z170 board. Doesn't really matter, unless I was all desperate to put my SB Audigy 2 board in the system. I'm not even sure there are Audigy 2 drivers for Win 10.

 

[PingSpike]

Asus seems to stick a lot of PCI slots on their boards even still. I think they own asmedia who makes bridge chips so they just go out back and get some off the shelf. Asmedia doesn't make a good PCI to PCIe bridge though.

I really wish they had named PCI express something else. Such a pain to search, especially since half of people still confuse pci-e with pci-x. Its only gotten worse with the naming with what has happened to USB3.

 

[Timur Born]

Current revision Asmedia PCI bridge chipsets on Asus boards should perform properly. Gigabyte boards come with something like the IT8892E, which works, too.

For external/add-in card solutions I recommend Pericom based solutions, like the Startech or Sintech ones.

And just to mention it: Populating the second x16 PCIe slot will turn your first x16 PCIe slot (GPU) to x8, which still is plenty enough for your graphic-card. I'm using a PCIe Creative X-Fi in the second x16 slot myself. Before that I successfully used a PCI X-Fi via the IT8892E bridged onboard PCI slot(s).

 

[T.Stefanidis]

i have allready installed a pcie x1 sound card to second pcie x16 (PCIEX4) slot and works properly.