Mini PCIe slot, wtf?

[KLJ]

I just realized that my only expansion port is a mini PCIe slot. WTF can go here? It's not a normal PCI slot, its like 1/2 of the pins (or less). It's not even a normal PCIe slot, because it's only half the width as well as half the length.

Has anyone seen one of these before? I don't really know what to make of it.

Is there anything useful I can jam here?

[SamIAm]

It's a faster slot than PCI, but yeah, it doesn't work for any of your old hardware. I've personally only seen video cards that go PCI-E, but I'm sure soundcards and net cards will follow suit; video often leads the way with that sort of thing.

[pvn]

[ QUOTE ]
I just realized that my only expansion port is a mini PCIe slot. WTF can go here? It's not a normal PCI slot, its like 1/2 of the pins (or less). It's not even a normal PCIe slot, because it's only half the width as well as half the length.

Has anyone seen one of these before? I don't really know what to make of it.

Is there anything useful I can jam here?

[/ QUOTE ]

What kind of computer is this? A laptop?

MiniPCI is basically only used by wifi adapters (some graphics adapters) and is usually found on notebooks. There are some newer Mini-PCIe cards, but they're basically the same stuff - wifi and EVDO/UTMS network adapters.

There are PCI Express 1x and 4x slots that are smaller than the 16x slots used by desktop graphics adapters. You can find SATA adapters &c that will fit in these.

[nuclear500]

PCI-E is PCI Express and is significantly faster then PCI or PCI-X, and there are variants in size, but the smallest size card can fit into the largest size slot without issue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express