Can My Motherboard Support a USB-C Card Upgrade?

How to Know If You Can Add USB-C to Your Motherboard

Let’s say you want USB-C but don’t want to replace your desktop, workstation, or PC, or want additional USB-C ports to your system. The good news is you can add USB-C to your computer with any open PCIe slot, and it's quite simple.

Your regular Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) slot is often occupied by your GPU/graphics card, and often, there are additional PCIe expansion slots for adding a new card to your motherboard with fresh new connections.

By adding a USB-C expansion card, you can upgrade your system without having to overhaul your motherboard, or even add Thunderbolt capability.

Motherboard Form Factors & Number of PCIe Slots

The majority of contemporary motherboards will feature two or three PCIe slots. If your workstation only has enough for two PCIe slots, you've already narrowed down your possibilities. The more PCIe slots your motherboard has, the more flexibility you have to figure things out. Normally, a USB-C expansion card will require 4x lanes. There are common motherboard sizes and common PCIe slots available on each: ATX, mATX, ITX, and EATX

• ATX is the standard-size motherboard that usually has two or three x16 slots for expansion depending on the motherboard vendor and model.
• >mATX is the standard mini-size motherboard that usually has one or two x16 slots.
• ITX is the smallest motherboard form factor that only has one x16 slot and thats it, prioritizing space reduction over peripherals. If you’re using an ITX build, it's likely the small form factor aesthetics and choice trump the need for additional ports.
• EATX is the extended and enlarged ATX size that has two or three or even more x16 slots
• Workstation motherboards have even more x16 PCIe slots, up to 6, due to their processors supporting additional PCIe lanes.

When you add USB-C to a desktop, it all comes down to the type of motherboard you are using, how many PCIe slots are available, and if everything will fit nicely in your case. To narrow our discussion down even further, we are going to discuss exactly what you need to know about whether or not your motherboard can add USB-C ports to your desktop.