What is a slot?

Each device on your computer connects tosystem board through a special slot - a slot. But what does the computer slot mean? The main purpose - the installation of additional internal cards, which include network and sound cards, video cards, modems, TV tuners, USB-controllers, etc. Let's consider in more detail what a slot is and its purpose.

A slot is ...

Slot (English slot - slot) extensions - slot slot system or, as they say, the motherboard.

As a rule, slots occupy on motherboardsquite a lot of space. Depending on the manufacturer and the functional features, the number of slots on different motherboards may vary. For example, in modern boards, individual expansion elements such as video cards, network cards and IEEE-1394-controllers have already been integrated into motherboards. This allows to reduce their size to a standard called mATX.

Types of slots on the motherboard

1. Accelerated Graphics Port (abbreviated - AGP). This slot is used to connect video adapters and is located close to the processor of the machine. These elements are directly connected to each other with a high-speed bus.
2. PCI Express x16. A fairly modern slot is also designed for connecting video cards (alternative devices do not fit it). The developers assumed that this standard, having a faster bus, will quickly replace AGP, but now both slots, as well as extensions to them, are still equally popular.
3. PCI Express x1. Visually, this slot is much shorter than the rest. These slots are on most motherboards, but are mostly empty, since this interface is designed for special controllers, sound cards and video cards.
4. PCI. The most popular standard used by most expansion cards. The list of devices compatible with this port is very large: from various controllers to Wi-Fi adapters, tuners and receivers. On motherboards, the number of such slots can be from 2 to 6.

The number of slots on the motherboard may be different. What choice our article will tell us Which motherboard is better.