What expansion bus interface will you find on a laptop?

Laptops provide very limited access to the internal expansion bus on the motherboard, so the industry has created specialized expansion bus interfaces that can be accessed from the outside. Which of these interface descriptions would NOT be found on the outside of a portable device?

A) PCMCIA

B) CardBus

C) PCI Express

D) ExpressCard

The answer: C) PCI Express

Although ExpressCard uses a PCI Express x1 lane as communication, the ExpressCard interface is specifically designed to have a small form-factor (as small as 34mm wide) instead of the larger desktop-based expansion bus interfaces.

Want to know more? Watch “Laptop and Portable Technologies.” Although laptop and portable devices often provide similar functionality to desktop PCs, there are some important differences to consider for the CompTIA A+ exam requirements. In this video we’ll discuss some of these differences such as form factors, expansion slots, input devices, and power.