Are PCI and Expansion Slots the Same?

Different types of computer expansion slots are used for different purposes. They are physical connectors on the motherboard that allow you to connect or expand upon various components in your computer.

The most common type of expansion slot used is the PCI slot.

The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus is the local bus standard for attaching peripheral devices to a computer. PCI is found on all recent PCs. All PCI cards are 32 bits wide, but they come in two different versions: 3.3 volt and 5 volt.

The 3.3 volt cards are about half the size of the 5 volt cards and will only fit in 3.3 volt expansion slots. Not all computers have both types of slots; some have only one type or the other.

The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a video card to a computer system, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics. It was originally designed as an alternative to PCI, and became quite popular among desktop PC users who wanted better graphics performance without having to buy a whole new system.

Expansion slots are not all created equal; some are older than others and some can do more than others. The two most common types you’ll find on PCs today are PCI and AGP, but there are many others out there as well.