# How can I tell how many PCI slots does a laptop have?



## ummm (Jan 6, 2007)

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...ku_id=0665000FS10109679&catid=&test_cookie=1#

^^ the laptop

I can't tell how many PCI expansion slots the laptop has and what type. Does it only have ExpressCard/34 as a PCI expansion slot?

Since it is a current laptop, it doesn't use AGP, right? But, is it possible to have both AGP and PCI ports in one system?


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## Techmonkeys (Feb 10, 2005)

It has none!

You cant put PCI cards in a laptop, you only have the express card expansion


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## ummm (Jan 6, 2007)

What is express card expansion? Why don't laptops have PCIe slots!?!? Is it an external PCI expansion slot???

Do laptops only have one express card exp. slot?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Laptops don't have PCI, AGP , or PCI-Express slots because they simply would take up too much space. What laptops do have are PCMCIA slot or ExpressCard slots for adding in certain items. Those can be used for sound cards, network cards, modem, additional USB or Firewire cards, or several other types of cards. And of course they also have USB for other devices. And most laptops also have a mini-PCI slot but its generally just restricted to network cards or modems. Laptops aren't made with high expandability in mind, portability and low power consumption are the main design concepts so what you buy should be what you want in the first place.

More info on ExpressCard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExpressCard

And yes, it is possible to have AGP and PCI in the same system. Actually its very common since AGP is only for video cards and PCI can support many different types of cards. Same goes for PCI-Express,it can co-exist with PCI and in some cases even with AGP even though its an replacement for AGP.


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## Techmonkeys (Feb 10, 2005)

This is an express card:










generally laptops only have 1 slot.

Normal PCI cards are too big to go in laptops


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## ummm (Jan 6, 2007)

Thanks! So, all the video cards, sound cards, usb cards, etc. can be inserted in express expansion cards, right? I didn't know that before...

Since you said there is only one express slot, all the device cards are shared with that one express slot? I'm confused.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

It means you can only have ONE ExpressCard device installed at a time. And as far as I know there are no ExpressCard slot graphics cards.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

Laptops are not desktops, they make many sacrifices for the sake of portability. The express slot would be use for special purpose activity that doesn't already come with the laptop. Laptops already have video and sound and USB ports.


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## ummm (Jan 6, 2007)

where are cards like video and sound inserted then?


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

Knock knock,
who's there?
Hickory
Hickory who?
Hmmm, I forgot the joke, maybe it was Oak.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Few laptops allow for the video card to be upgraded, in most cases what you buy is what you have - no upgrading. The few laptops that do allow the video card to be upgraded, you have to remove the internal video card and replace it with a compatible model - and its not as easy as with a desktop, nor as cheap, and laptops video cards are not standard. These laptops usually are higher end models - the Sony you are looking at isn't one of those - its jsut a an overpriced Sony product.

Sounds cards can never be replaced in a laptop, they are built-in to the mainboard. You can add a better sound card bu using a PCMCIA card, ExpressCard, or USB.


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## ummm (Jan 6, 2007)

thanks again, I'm sorry for being computer illiterate...


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