Non-Graphics PCI-e Cards in Graphics PCI-e Slots?

[Beep_Beep_Yeah]

I'm considering buying the ASRock Z87 Extreme6/ac motherboard.

I'm going to be using the on-board video and audio, so no audio or video cards will be installed on this board if I buy it.

The user's manual describes the expansion slots for this board exactly like this:

There are 2 PCI slots, 4 PCI Express slots, and 1 mini-PCI express slot on the motherboard.

PCI slot:
The PCI1 and PCI2 slots are used to install expansion cards that have 32-bit PCI interface.

PCIe slots:
PCIE1 (PCIe 2.0 x1 slot) is used for PCI Express x1 lane width cards.
PCIE2 (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width graphics cards.
PCIE3 (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x8 lane width graphics cards.
PCIE4 (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x4 lane width graphics cards.

Mini-PCIe slots:
MINI_PCIE1 (mini-PCIe slot) is used for the wi-fi module.

So... are PCIe slots 2,3 and 4 for graphics cards only? The wording makes it sound like those slots are only for graphics cards, and slot 1 can be used for non-graphics cards.

I may want to install 4x width PCIe cards in the future (RAID cards, High-end capture cards, possible thunderbolt card.)

I'd like to know for sure if non-graphics PCIe x4 cards can be installed in the graphics slots for this board before buying it.

 

[spooky2th]

You can install any size in a 16x PCIe slot. I would not use the 2 graphics card slots for anything other than garphics cards.

A 4x width PCIe card will fit and work in any of the larger 16x slots.

 

[Beep_Beep_Yeah]

All 3 of the x16 slots are listed as graphics card slots.

The only remaining PCIe slot is only x1 width.

So if I have a x4 width PCIe card, are you saying I shouldn't try to install it in any of the 3 available x16 slots, since they are graphics slots?

 

[spooky2th]

I looked at the info in your post wrong. I thought it said the first 2 were exclusive to graphics cards. The PCIe x16 slot will handle a 4x width PCIe card nicely. As any of the others. That's the good thing about 16x PCIe slots, they will handle any of the smaller sizes of PCIe cards. Including a 1x PCIe card.

 

[Beep_Beep_Yeah]

Thanks for your answers so far.

What I really need to know is this:

Can I install a non-graphics card into a slot that is labeled as a graphics card slot?

The user's manual says that those three x16 width slots are for graphics cards, but it doesn't say if they will also work with other types of cards.

For instance, I'll be using the on-board video on this motherboard, so no video cards will be installed... Can I use the video card slots for other types of expansion cards then?

 

[spooky2th]

Your devices will work. The slots designated for graphics all share one 16x bandwidth. When two GPUs are installed, the slots typically throttle down to both at 8x, depending on the board. When you install a device in any of the slots, it will share the 16x band width with other devices if any. You should be OK.

 

[Beep_Beep_Yeah]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Problem solved!