QOTW: Do you use any PCIe slot other than primary x16?

[HEXUS]

Chances are your motherboard has a few spare expansion slots. Do they get used?

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[neepheid]

mini-ITX here so, no

[Norseman]

mini-ITX here so, no

I got a mini-ITX and use a PCI-Express x1 SATA controller with 2 extra SATA connectors.

On my main PC, I use PCIe for M.2 NVMe, and same on my laptop. NVMe SSDs are designed for a PCIe 3.0/4.0 x4 PCIe.

[Core2Extreme]

I'm currently using two PCI Express slots. GPU of course, and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 card, providing one Type A and one Type C at 10 Gbps. They're more reliable than the build-in Etron USB 3.0 slots on my Sandy Bridge motherboard for things like VR and multiple-hundreds-of-gigabytes file backups.

I've considered adding a PCIe to NVME adapter as well, and for awhile I had a secondary PCI (Non-Express) gigabit Ethernet card. But I didn't really need two Ethernet cards.

My conclusion is that in the first few years of a build, there usually isn't much need for more than just a GPU slot as what you're likely to need is probably built in, but if you're going to keep a system in use the better part of a decade, it'll become increasingly useful to have some expansion slots to help keep it relevant.

[Menty]

Yep. 3-slot x16 GPU + x1 WiFi/BT + x4 10GbE. Plus one blanking plate for 2x USB3 and another for 1xRS232.

[Friesiansam]

Since I stopped using an internal sound card, no.

[jnutt]

Yes. I use the x16 for my GPU, 1 x1 for my Soundblaster Z, and 1 x1 for my Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card.

[pa1nkiller]

Sound card and used to have a TV card before Microsoft did away with windows media center.

[LeSWiS]

I went from a sound card to an external DAC/AMP so I don't use any other PCI-e slot other than the x16 for the GPU.

[Iota]

No. I went from having two graphics cards and a sound card, to having a graphics card that is fast enough, and a CPU that can cope with software based sound (which is just as good for my needs).

Did think about having a card for extra NVMe drives, but, PCIe lanes and Intel....

[nar53]

I've got a 4xUSB card in one of mine as my MB doesn't provide me with what I need.

[Eggburt69]

One has a Sound Blaster AE-5 Plus in.

[Norkay]

Not a single one.

If only someone would make a micro-ATX or an ATX motherboard with only one PCI x16 slot, like an ITX, and used the rest of the estate for NVMe slots, thermally superior layout, etc. - I'd buy it.

[QuorTek]

A Pro Soundcard, the onboard ones has too much noise and too few options.

[ik9000]

yes. Next.

[blokeinkent]

Yes. I use one of these little SilverStone things so I can turn on or reset PC from a fob