Since the mainboard used also offered PCIe, the same card was run in a PCIe x4 slot, as well as in an x1 configuration, both with noticeably higher performance and putting the ‘why’ in ‘try’.

You might have seen x16 to four NVMe slot cards online – invariably ... If you’re looking to pull PCIe through a cable and you’re okay with an x1 link, you could do worse than an USB3 ...

PCIe x4 and x8 cards can draw up to 25W from the motherboard's slot, while x1 cards are limited to 10W unless configured as a 'full-height' or 'high-power card' to pull the aforementioned 25W.