The connectors of PCI cards are called “ Edge connectors” which are used to connect them to the expansion slots after inserted. PCI slots come with notches, that differentiate between the versions of cards it can support. The slot has a lot of holes with a connector inside, and a long tiny slotted hole in the middle.

It’s a long slot that looks much like a rail line. PCI expansion slots come in different sizes, but the basic looks are almost the same. PCI expansion slots can be used in many applications such as the sound card, ethernet systems, and network cards, video cards or GPUs, modems, SCSI, RAM, SSD, and many more. We also have upgraded and more powerful expansion methods like PCIe (PCI Express) and PCI-X (PCI Extended) who are the direct descendants of PCI expansion slots. It can be used to install almost any type of hardware as long as the versions are correct.ĭue to the high level of compatibility and data transfer rate, PCI expansion slots have been at the peak. PCI means “Peripheral Component Interconnect”. These are convenient slots situated into the motherboard for hardware connectivity. The PCI expansion slot is one of the most widely used methods of expansion slot. To determine the quality of the bus, we measure their clock speed, bandwidth (data transfer rate), and the “width” which is defined as 32-bits and 64-bits in general. The better the bus system is, the higher the bandwidth between devices. A set of low resistance connectors are used for this purpose. Expansion BusesĪre the bridge through which data transfer occurs between the hardware and the motherboard. PCI slots differ for various motherboards, and you can check the motherboard to learn about its slot info, and if needed, upgrade the motherboard itself. Expansion cards are installed into the expansion slot, and they transfer data between them through expansion buses. It is found with the external hardware components. Is basically a PCB (Printed circuit board) that goes into the expansion slot. It is a widely used technology that has been used for many years since its inception in 1973. It is generally fitted on the motherboard or riser card. The expansion slot is a type of connector used as a point where hardware components can be installed. Expansion slots are commonly found in computer devices, and it has a counterpart named “expansion card” or board. Expansion Slot, Expansion Card, and Expansion Busīefore going into the world of a PCI expansion slot, we first need to know some basic terminologies.

What is the meaning of pci slot