What Are PCIe Slots & Their Uses?

PCIe x16 slots are generally intended for use with Graphics Cards PCIe 1x slots are generally for smaller add-in cards like Wifi Adapters, USB Adapters, or

The smallest of the PCI Express slots, your standard PCI Express x1 slot is essentially your starting point for most expansion cards, especially port expansions

pciex16 slot configuration However, there is usually a cost increase incurred with higher lane counts PCIe Slot Differences Photo from 20050531pci-express-cards

pciex1_1 slot Yes A larger PCI express slot fits all smaller PCI express cards That means you can plug an x1, x2, x4 or x8 card into an x16 slot