Long Flexible M.2 to PCI Adapter?

[jtabc2]

I have an MSI X670-P Wi-Fi motherboard with the following layout:




Currently I have the OS boot drive in M2_1, and two 2-slot GPUs in PCI_E1 and PCI_E3. I would like to add a PCIe 3.0 X8 networking card, and I'm OK with it running at X4 speeds, but X2 speeds are a little too slow. Given there are extra M2 slots on the board, I think it should be possible to convert one of them to a X4 PCIe slot. The only problem is M2_2 and M2_4 are completely covered up by the GPUs, and M2_3 is partially obscured by the top GPU. Even if I moved the boot drive to one of the lower M2 slots, the CPU cooler (Noctua NHD15) covers up M2_1, so I couldn't use an adapter there either.

I have seen some adapters, like this one (https://www.amazon.com/ADT-Link-Extender-Graphics-Adapter-PCI-Express/dp/B07YDGK7K7), with a long cable, but it doesn't look like it would be very flexible. If it is long enough, I feel like maybe it could go in M2_3, twist out around the GPUs, and then fit in the case's slots that are beneath the motherboard; but maybe that is wishful thinking. Here's a picture:



Do you have any suggestions for how I could get this to work? Are there M2 to PCI converters with long, thin, and flexible cables (so I can easily route them around the GPU)? Or do those not exist?

 

[UhClem]

...
I have seen some adapters, like this one (https://www.amazon.com/ADT-Link-Extender-Graphics-Adapter-PCI-Express/dp/B07YDGK7K7), with a long cable, but it doesn't look like it would be very flexible. If it is long enough, I feel like maybe it could go in M2_3, twist out around the GPUs, and then fit in the case's slots that are beneath the motherboard; but maybe that is wishful thinking.

I don't yet have any experience with high-quality PCIe "ribbon" cables, so your guess is as good (or better) as mine regarding (viable) flexibility. But, M2_2 looks a better location, since the egress direction eliminates a 180 degree bend.

Do you have any suggestions for how I could get this to work? Are there M2 to PCI converters with long, thin, and flexible cables (so I can easily route them around the GPU)? Or do those not exist?

Maybe::
M.2 adapter: https://www.amazon.com/NFHK-SFF-8639-SFF-8654-Slimline-Mainboard/dp/B09DCYF8VW
Cable: https://www.amazon.com/Cablecc-PCI-Express-SFF-8611-SFF-8654-Slimline/dp/B0BLHHXK2K
PCIe card adapter: [Link] Cablecc Oculink SFF-8612 SFF-8611 to PCIE PCI-Express 16x 4X Adapter

 

[juma]

Those riser cables are semi-flexible, but can be bent into place pretty easily. You just can't bend them over and over (cyclic loading).

It's hard to see from the picture, but if the slot you want to place the new card in overlaps the motherboard, then a normal PCIE-terminated riser wont work as the PCB will hit the motherboard.

 

[jtabc2]

I don't yet have any experience with high-quality PCIe "ribbon" cables, so your guess is as good (or better) as mine regarding (viable) flexibility. But, M2_2 looks a better location, since the egress direction eliminates a 180 degree bend.

Maybe::
M.2 adapter: https://www.amazon.com/NFHK-SFF-8639-SFF-8654-Slimline-Mainboard/dp/B09DCYF8VW
Cable: https://www.amazon.com/Cablecc-PCI-Express-SFF-8611-SFF-8654-Slimline/dp/B0BLHHXK2K
PCIe card adapter: [Link] Cablecc Oculink SFF-8612 SFF-8611 to PCIE PCI-Express 16x 4X Adapter

Thanks for your suggestion. I just purchased these items and should receive them sometime next week. We'll see if they work.

Edit:

I tried these out and they work great! There's barely enough room between the bottom of the motherboard and the PSU for the PCIe card adapter (the top does overlap on the motherboard a tiny bit, but doesn't hit any pins), but I got it screwed in and working.