electromagnetic, as you say, the card will not be as secure as using a full bracket card in the x1 slot, but it wouldn't be so loose that it would fall out. The bent metal tab of the card would still be secured to the case, and the bottom of the card is held in place by the adapter in the slot. Modding the slot by cutting the back out and using an x16 card would be more secure, but is a permanent mod that if done wrong could damage the motherboard.

I don't have a picture with the card installed, and I'm sure that you saw the picture of the slot already since you mention it. I do have a picture of an x16 card of mine installed in a x4 slot if that is helpful.



How I modded the slot was to first use a hot soldering iron on it. I melted the end of the slot roughly how I wanted it. I then "cleaned it up" by using a small file and an xacto razor to remove the melted material. I read of one guy supposedly heating up the tip of a flat screwdriver until it was super hot, and then pressing it down on the plastic to melt a notch in the end of the slot.

If I can find an e310 (or just the mobo) sometime for free/cheap then I could mod the slot and report back, it'd be a fun project

That would void your warranty.

But why bother with modding. Do you make maps in games like hammer editor off topic there.
Just using a normal pci express x1 graphics card is all you need. Even if you use a pci express x16 to x1 slot adapter, the performance would be lowered.

Yes, modding the slot definitely voids any warranty, if the system is under warranty. Your "why bother modding" comment makes me smile a bit...almost everything I own I've modified in some way to better suit me, so it's in my nature. Nope, I don't really do maps, I've done a few very simple ones just to see how it works, but nothing that anyone would ever play on.

Correct, it's lowered to maximum speed that pci-e x1 will support.