A Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Motherboard Expansion Slots
Building a high-performance industrial PC is a complex task that requires careful consideration of many different factors. One of the most important considerations is the type of expansion slots available on the motherboard. These slots allow you to add additional hardware, such as graphics cards, networking cards and storage devices to your system, greatly expanding its capabilities.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the different types of expansion slots available on industrial motherboards, including PCI, PCIe, M.2 and Mini PCIe. We will explain the differences between them and the types of hardware that can be used with each, helping you to make an informed decision when building your industrial PC.
Motherboard Expansion Slots: PCI Express / PCIe
A PCI Express (PCIe) slot is a type of expansion slot on a motherboard that allows you to add additional hardware to your computer. PCI Express is the current standard for expansion slots, replacing the older PCI and PCI-X standards.
PCI Express slots come in different versions, such as PCIe x1, x4, x8, x16 and x32, with x16 being the most common for graphics cards. Each number represents the number of lanes that the slot has, and the more lanes a slot has, the faster it can transfer data. A x16 slot can transfer data at a rate of around 8 GB/s, while a x1 slot can transfer data at a rate of around 250 MB/s.
PCIe slots are typically used for high-performance devices such as graphics cards, solid-state drives (SSDs) and other types of expansion cards that require high-speed data transfer. They are found on newer motherboards, typically near the CPU socket. They are typically coloured in black, and have a different shape than other slots, they also have a small notch on one side of the slot to ensure that the card is inserted in the correct orientation.
The physical size of a PCIe slot can vary depending on the number of lanes it has. A x16 slot is typically around 164mm in length and around 12.2mm in width. A x1 slot is typically around 70mm in length and around 4.4mm in width.
PCIe slot is a high-speed expansion slot that allows for faster data transfer between the motherboard and expansion cards. It is a serial bus, meaning that data is sent one bit at a time, resulting in a higher data transfer rate than parallel buses. It is the current standard for expansion slots, and are commonly used for high-performance devices such as graphics cards and SSDs.
Motherboard Expansion Slots: Mini PCI Express / mPCIe
A Mini PCI Express (Mini PCIe) slot is a smaller version of the standard PCI Express (PCIe) slot, designed for use in smaller devices such as laptops, netbooks and small form factor PCs. Mini PCIe slots are typically used to add wireless cards, solid-state drives (SSDs), and other types of expansion cards that require a smaller form factor.
Mini PCIe slots have the same number of lanes as standard PCIe slots, but they are physically smaller in size. Mini PCIe slots are typically 30mm in length and around 18mm in width. They have a different shape than standard PCIe slots, and have a small notch on one side of the slot to ensure that the card is inserted in the correct orientation. Mini PCIe slots are typically used for wireless cards, SSDs and other types of expansion cards that require a smaller form factor.
Mini PCIe slots are typically slower than standard PCIe slots. A Mini PCIe x1 slot can transfer data at a rate of around 250 MB/s, while a standard PCIe x1 slot can transfer data at a rate of around 500 MB/s.
Mini PCIe slot is a smaller version of the standard PCIe slot, designed for use in smaller devices such as laptops, netbooks and small form factor PCs. It is typically used for wireless cards, SSDs and other types of expansion cards that require a smaller form factor. Due to its smaller size, it has a slower data transfer rate than standard PCIe.
Motherboard Expansion Slots: M.2
A M.2 slot is a type of expansion slot on a motherboard that allows you to add additional hardware to your computer, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) or wireless cards. M.2 is a form factor that is designed to be smaller and more flexible than traditional expansion slots. It’s designed to save space and to allow for a faster data transfer rate than traditional SATA-based solid-state drives.
M.2 slots come in different lengths and widths to accommodate different sizes of M.2 cards. The most common lengths are 42mm, 60mm, 80mm and 110mm, and the most common widths are 22mm and 30mm. M.2 slots are typically located on the motherboard, but some newer laptops also have them.
M.2 slots can support different types of data interfaces, such as SATA, PCIe and NVMe. These interfaces have different capabilities and speeds, and they are designed for different types of devices.
- SATA-based M.2 SSDs use the same interface as traditional SATA-based SSDs, and they have a maximum data transfer rate of around 600 MB/s.
- PCIe-based M.2 SSDs use the same interface as traditional PCIe-based SSDs, and they have a maximum data transfer rate of around 4 GB/s.
- NVMe-based M.2 SSDs are the fastest type of M.2 SSDs and use the NVMe interface. NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a high-performance, optimized protocol for SSDs that provides faster data transfer and low latency. They can have a maximum data transfer rate of around 3.5 GB/s.
The M.2 slot is a newer form factor for storage devices and expansion cards, designed to be smaller and more flexible than traditional expansion slots. It’s mainly used for solid-state drives and wireless cards. It supports different types of data interfaces, such as SATA, PCIe and NVMe, each with their own capabilities and speeds, and they are designed for different types of devices. The most common lengths are 42mm, 60mm, 80mm and 110mm and the most common widths are 22mm and 30mm.
The Different Types of M.2
The different types of M.2 keys refer to the different types of interfaces that M.2 slots support. The key refers to the physical notch on the M.2 connector. The following are the different types of M.2 keys:
- B Key: M.2 slots with a B key are designed to support storage devices that use the SATA interface, such as solid-state drives (SSDs). They are typically used for storage devices with a lower data transfer rate of around 600 MB/s.
- M Key: M.2 slots with an M key are designed to support storage devices that use the PCIe interface, such as solid-state drives (SSDs). They are typically used for high-performance storage devices with a data transfer rate of around 4 GB/s. Some M key M.2 slots also support the SATA interface, but they have a lower data transfer rate of around 600 MB/s. M key M.2 slots also support NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express), a high-performance, optimized protocol for SSDs that provides faster data transfer and low latency. NVMe-based M.2 SSDs have a maximum data transfer rate of around 3.5 GB/s.
- A key: A key M.2 slots are designed to support USB-based devices, such as wireless cards. They have a data transfer rate of around 5 Gbps for USB 3.0 and 10 Gbps for USB 3.1.
- E Key: M.2 slots with an E key are designed to support wireless cards that use the PCIe interface. These wireless cards typically use one lane of PCIe and can transfer data at a rate of around 1 GB/s.
- B and M Key: These M.2 slots support both B key and M key, meaning they support both SATA and PCIe interface, this is not a standard key but some motherboards use it to provide more flexibility.
- A and E Key: These M.2 slots support both A key and E key, meaning they support both USB and PCIe interface, this is not a standard key but some motherboards use it to provide more flexibility.
In summary, an E key M.2 slot is designed to support wireless cards using the PCIe interface, an M key M.2 slot is designed to support storage devices, such as SSDs, that use the PCIe or SATA interface and NVMe interface, with different data transfer rates and B key M.2 slot is designed to support storage devices that use the SATA interface with a lower data transfer rate.
Motherboard Expansion Slots: PCI
A PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) slot is a type of expansion slot on a motherboard that allows you to add additional hardware to your computer. PCI slots are typically used to add peripherals such as network cards, sound cards and other types of expansion cards.
PCI slots are 32-bit or 64-bit slots that transfer data at a rate of 133MB/s or 533MB/s respectively. They are typically white in colour and are located on the motherboard. They are usually found in older computers, but some newer systems may still have them. PCI slots are typically used for devices that do not require high-speed data transfer, such as network cards or sound cards. PCI slots are also used for older hardware or legacy devices that are no longer in production, such as older printers or scanners.
The physical size of a PCI slot is around 120mm in length and around 4.2mm in width. It uses a connector with 124 pins to connect to the card. There are three versions of the PCI standard: PCI, PCI-X and PCI Express (PCIe). The first version of PCI is 5V, the second version is 3.3V and the third version is universal.
PCI slot is a standard expansion slot used in PCs for connecting peripherals. It is a parallel bus, meaning that data is sent on several lines at the same time, resulting in a faster data transfer rate than serial buses. While it is an older standard, it is still used today in some older systems, or for legacy devices that are no longer in production.
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Obsolete Expansion Slots
Some examples of older, now obsolete expansion slots include:
- ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) – This was one of the first expansion slots used in PCs, and it was commonly used for sound cards, network cards and other types of expansion cards. ISA slots are typically 8 or 16-bits, and they have a data transfer rate of around 8MB/s.
- AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) – This was a dedicated expansion slot designed specifically for graphics cards, and it was commonly used in PCs during the late 1990s and early 2000s. AGP slots are typically 32-bit, and they have a data transfer rate of around 2.1GB/s.
- VESA Local Bus (VLB) – This was an expansion slot that was similar to the ISA slot, but it was designed to provide a faster data transfer rate for high-performance devices such as graphics cards. VESA Local Bus slots are typically 32-bit and have a data transfer rate of around 20MB/s.
- EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) – This was an expansion slot that was similar to the ISA slot, but it was designed to provide a faster data transfer rate for high-performance devices such as graphics cards and network cards. EISA slots are typically 32-bit and have a data transfer rate of around 20MB/s.
- AMR (Audio Modem Riser) – This was an expansion slot that was designed specifically for audio and modem cards. AMR slots were typically used in PCs during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
These are some examples of older expansion slots, but there are many others that are no longer in use. As technology advances, newer expansion slots are developed to support newer devices and faster data transfer rates and older expansion slots become obsolete.
Industrial Motherboards and Embedded SBCs
Industrial embedded motherboards and SBC’s are available in a range of factor sizes; from Mini-ITX, 3.5″ SBC’s, NUC to Pico-ITX modules. They’re are on long term availability programs (typically 3-5 years) and can operate in ambient conditions (0°C to 50°C) and harsh environments (-40°C to +85°C) to make them more appealable than their commercially based equivalents.
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We hope that this article has provided you with a comprehensive understanding of the different types of expansion slots and how they can be used. If you have any further questions, or if you are looking for help selecting the right motherboard for your next project, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01489780144 or email us at sales@bvmltd.co.uk.
Our team of experts will be more than happy to assist you in finding the perfect solution for your needs.