You can plug "this" into "this"?

[SlitWeaver]

So I guess this never occured to me, but you can plug this into this? This little tiny PCI Express plugs (less lanes?) can be plugged into those full length PCI Express 3.0 x 16 slots...it just uses less lanes then or something? I feel kind of stupid if I never realized this before...

 

[zyky]

Yes larger PCI-E physical slots are downwards compatible - some x16 slots aren't even electrically x16 anyways.

 

[ThomasJ93]

What zyky said. You can plug either a x1, x4, x8 or x16 card in a x16 slot. In some cases the back of a x8 slot is open, so you can plug an x16 card in there.

 

[amuffin]

Yup! Come on slitweaver! 😉

 

[wa1]

Just like everyone says above...

 

[SlitWeaver]

Alright cool guys, thanks! Still can't believe it never occurred to me...SMH