What To Do With Extra PCIe Slots?

[ninjanafi]

Here's my build:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/fn2QfH

My MoBo has 2 PCIe x16 slots and 4 PCIe x1 slots. I'm going to be plugging my GPU into one of the x16 slots, but I have no idea what to do with the other slots. I'm pretty sure my case has 9 PCI slots in the back and I have no clue what to do with the.

I know I don't actually need to DO anything with them and can just leave them alone, but if I were to put something in those slots, what would i install? Besides expansion slots for more USB's, since I already planned on that haha.

 

[kanewolf]

A WIFI card is probably most common. Next would be a sound card. Your motherboard has fairly basic sound hardware, so a sound card upgrade might be beneficial. A video capture card or TV tuner card would also be possibilities.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Generally speaking, if you don't need the extra expansion slots, people tend to lean more towards the Micro-ATX form-factor motherboards. However, if you like the motherboard you've selected, you don't HAVE to do anything with the expansion slots not in use.

Kanewolf offers some good ideas. Others would be SATA/RAID controllers, USB hubs, extra cooling, etc...

-Wolf sends

 

[ninjanafi]

A WIFI card is probably most common. Next would be a sound card. Your motherboard has fairly basic sound hardware, so a sound card upgrade might be beneficial. A video capture card or TV tuner card would also be possibilities.

So i'm assuming a wifi card lets me use wifi instead of ethernet, but I actually do have an ethernet cable to use so I'm good in that department.

A sound card would do what exactly? Enhance my speaker audio? Because I tend to use headphones 95% of the time so I don't know if it would help.

And what do video capture cards and TV tuners do?

 

[kanewolf]

A WIFI card is probably most common. Next would be a sound card. Your motherboard has fairly basic sound hardware, so a sound card upgrade might be beneficial. A video capture card or TV tuner card would also be possibilities.

So i'm assuming a wifi card lets me use wifi instead of ethernet, but I actually do have an ethernet cable to use so I'm good in that department.

A sound card would do what exactly? Enhance my speaker audio? Because I tend to use headphones 95% of the time so I don't know if it would help.

And what do video capture cards and TV tuners do?

Yes a WIFI card would allow you to use WIFI rather than wired ethernet.

A sound card could provide better surround sound options, better audio capture options, or better amplifiers to handle high impedance headphones.

A video capture card allows you to input video and capture it to disk.

A TV tuner card allows you to watch TV on your PC. It might support a cablecard to allow you to watch encrypted cable TV programs.

You may not need or benefit from any of these options. I am just providing the most common uses for PCIe x1 slots.

 

[ninjanafi]

A WIFI card is probably most common. Next would be a sound card. Your motherboard has fairly basic sound hardware, so a sound card upgrade might be beneficial. A video capture card or TV tuner card would also be possibilities.

So i'm assuming a wifi card lets me use wifi instead of ethernet, but I actually do have an ethernet cable to use so I'm good in that department.

A sound card would do what exactly? Enhance my speaker audio? Because I tend to use headphones 95% of the time so I don't know if it would help.

And what do video capture cards and TV tuners do?

Yes a WIFI card would allow you to use WIFI rather than wired ethernet.

A sound card could provide better surround sound options, better audio capture options, or better amplifiers to handle high impedance headphones.

A video capture card allows you to input video and capture it to disk.

A TV tuner card allows you to watch TV on your PC. It might support a cablecard to allow you to watch encrypted cable TV programs.

You may not need or benefit from any of these options. I am just providing the most common uses for PCIe x1 slots.

Yea, I feel like I may not use them, but thanks for your advice. Any idea what to do with the extra x16 slot? I've been told I could put in another GPU, but I have no idea why I would do that if I already have a great one.

 

[kanewolf]

If you have a good graphics card, you should ignore the x16 slot just like the x1 slots, IMO.

 

[ninjanafi]

If you have a good graphics card, you should ignore the x16 slot just like the x1 slots, IMO.

great thank you!