Can You Put A PCIe x4 in a x16 Slot (Let’s Find Out the Fact)

When you are willing to upgrade your rig with an M.2 SSD card or high-bandwidth network card that requires a PCIe x4 slot but there is no PCIe x4 slot available. You only have PCIe x16 left there. Now you are wondering whether you can use the PCIe x4 card in an x16 slot or not.

To simply put the answer to your question, Yes, you can put a PCIe x4 in an x16 slot. The PCIe slots and cards are cross-compatible as well as have backward compatibility. The cross-compatibility feature allows the user to use a PCIe x4 card in a PCIe x16 slot.

Here, in this article, we have discussed in depth on this topic. To find out the facts, be with us till the end.

You Can Put a PCIe x4 in an x16 Slot without Any Trouble

While customizing a rig or making a new rig, you may sometimes face a problem of shortage of PCIe slots. But generally, this thing is not a big issue because the PCIe has cross-compatibility. Both the PCIe card and slot has this feature in them.

This cross-compatibility feature of PCIe allows you to use different PCIe cards in different PCIe slots. Like your rig, you are willing to use an x4 card but you only have x16 slots available. You can simply put that in the x16 slot and it will fit.

Though the PCIe x4 card won’t cover up the whole x16 slot and the rest of the PCIe lanes of the PCIe x16 slot will be left unused as the PCIe x4 card will only use 4 PCIe lanes.

So, Is It Ideal to Use PCIe x4 in PCIe x16?

The exception can’t be ideal all the time and you should avoid using or doing the exception opportunities or work. The same thing goes for when you are willing to use PCIe x4 in x16. If the PCIe x4 card is not a crying need then it’s better not to use it in the x16 slot.

Now you may ask, why it’s not ideal to do. Well, you will find limited true PCIe x16 on your motherboard and if you use that for a PCIe x4 card, in the future you won’t be able to upgrade your build. So basically, you are wasting the potentiality of a true PCIe x16 slot.

Another reason is, you may think that if you use a PCIe x4 in a PCIe x16 slot, you will get a performance boost as the PCIe x16 version 4.0 has a speed of 15.754 GB/s. But the truth is, it’s not possible. You won’t get any performance boost. The device will only get the limited speed of the PCIe x4 card.

So, you can see, in every way, you will waste the true potential of a PCIe x16 slot. That’s why it is suggested to not use it.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the difference between PCIe x4 and PCIe x16?

The difference between PCIe x4 and x16 is, the lanes both of them have. The PCIe x4 has 4 data lanes whereas the PCIe x16 has 16 data lanes.

Is PCIe x4 backward compatible?

Yes, the PCIe x4 has both backward and cross-compatibility.

Can I put a 16x graphics card in a 4x slot?

Yes, you can put 16x graphics in a 4x slot due to the cross-compatibility but you won’t get the actual performance from the graphics card.

Can PCIe x4 fit in PCIe x8?

Yes, PCIe x4 will fit in PCIe x8.

Conclusion

Lastly, if you are not in a need of using x4 in x16 then you should avoid it. The potentiality of PCIe x16 shouldn’t be wasted. Using the x4 in x16 means, no performance boost, and a waste of bandwidth. So, in nowhere you will be benefited.

Use the PCIe slots the right way. This thing goes for the other components and slots of your rigs too. Gracias!