What Is the Difference Between Slots & Ports?

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This board contains a port and fits into a slot.

Slots and ports are physical connection points that allow the hardware of a computer to be expanded. A port is a socket. A slot is a dock for a printed circuit board.

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Slots are also called "expansion slots" because they allow the computer to be expanded. The circuit board that fits into the slot is also called a "card." At the back of a desktop computer, you will see a number of blocked letterbox-shaped openings. These show where the slots are on your computer. Cards that include ports need to protrude through the case of the computer so that users can connect peripherals.

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Function

A card may include ports, although it does not have to. A sound card might just enhance the existing functions of a computer, in which case it would not need ports. If it controls speakers and microphones, it will have ports and sockets that need to be accessed by the user.

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Advantages

Slots and ports enable owners to upgrade their computers. Ports are the easiest to use. You might have an external drive connected to a port on your computer. When you want to upgrade this device, you only need to unplug it and plug in the new external drive.

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