PCI-E refers to a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express slot on the computer's motherboard.
Video cards process data for graphics for a computer to take stress away from the Central Processing Unit. There are many types of video cards, and different ones connect to the computer's motherboard via different types of slots. PCI-E is a PCI-Express slot, a popular type of motherboard slot for components to be added to the system.
PCI-E
PCI-E is the second generation of Peripheral Component Interconnect technology. The "E" stands for Express, referring to the PCI-E's superior speed. The motherboard can communicate with a device in a PCI-E slot faster than its traditional PCI counterparts.
Default Slot
As of 2010, PCI-Express is the default slot for computer systems. It replaced the previous standard, AGP, which stands for Accelerated Graphics Port. PCI-Express is faster than AGP. This is the main reason for its domination of the market.
Compatibility
PCI-Express slots do not support older PCI cards. A PCI-Express video card will not fit into a conventional PCI slot. They are physically different and cannot be connected. PCI-Express is more like a replacement of the original PCI technology than an upgrade. It is very important to use only PCI-Express video cards if your computer has PCI-Express slots.
Tags: Component Interconnect, computer motherboard, faster than, PCI-Express slots, PCI-Express video, Peripheral Component, Peripheral Component Interconnect