X4, x8, x16 PCI Express Cards (not Video Cards)

patrickdietrich

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Dec 23, 2009
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Hi There,

I recently designed a PCI Express adapter product that adapts a standard PCI Express slot to an embedded form factor PCI express slot.

I am currently looking for PCI express cards to test with that are x4, x8 or x16 lanes that are not video cards.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a relatively inexpensive product that I can buy to test with?

The problem is that most x4 - x16 type cards (non-video) start around the $2k range.

Ie. Does anyone know of any RAID controllers, or Gigabit Ethernet cards that are x4, x8, x16 that can be found at a good price?
Or any other type of device thats x4, x8 or x16?

Any type of suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks...

Patrick
 
Solution
x1:
can get a cheap gigabit network card for around $20.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166019
SATA/PATA controller, $13.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815280009

x4:
dual gigabit NIC for $80.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166040
SATA/SAS controller, $80.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816152105

x8:
RAID controller, $155.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000410+1193547230&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&Subcategory=410&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

x16:
video card would be cheapest, haven't seen any other devices in x16 that are affordable.
I dont know of anything but video cards that can saturate an 8x slot. What are you trying to check with this setup because PCI-E cards auto negotiate the fastest connection so any PCI-E card will work in any slot. A SAS RAID controller card is probably your best option if you want to try to saturate the connection without a GPU.
 

Devastator_uk

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x1:
can get a cheap gigabit network card for around $20.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166019
SATA/PATA controller, $13.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815280009

x4:
dual gigabit NIC for $80.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166040
SATA/SAS controller, $80.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816152105

x8:
RAID controller, $155.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000410+1193547230&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&Subcategory=410&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

x16:
video card would be cheapest, haven't seen any other devices in x16 that are affordable.
 
Solution

patrickdietrich

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Dec 23, 2009
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Thank you Devastator_uk!!!

I had no idea I could find a x4 solution for under $100!!!

I think I'll buy the dual gigabit NIC card for the x4 and the RAID controller for the x8. I havn't seen prices that good on my searches... thanks a lot!

Also I agree and I cannot find a x16 card that's not a video card that is affordable.