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Laptop expansion card slot connector standard/compatiblity
Is there some sort of standard for expansion slots in laptops? I know in PCs there is the PCIe standard used for pretty much all expansion cards. But in a laptop, if I took out my 802.11ac NIC, would I be able to use the same slot for a Bluetooth module, for example?
tl;dr is there a standard for laptop expansion card slots?
DELL-Cares
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April 18th, 2022 03:00
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ejn63
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April 18th, 2022 04:00
You need to supply the system model number -- Alienware M17x, 17, x15, etc.
There are multiple standards and formats.
There are also combo bluetooth-wifi cards so you don't necessarily needs to lose Wifi to install bluetooth -- and on some models, there is a separate slot for a bluetooth card.
There are also nano-size USB bluetooth adapters that plug into USB and don't require disassembly of the system to install.
crimsom
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April 18th, 2022 10:00
Hi @NoorCansie welcome to this free user to user Alienware laptop discussion forum. This is not Dell Support.
PCIe sockets may look the same, but these have different connections to the System Board. Never try to install anything that the PCIe socket is not designed to accept.
Wireless standards change, and different ISP hubs, etc. may instigate update of laptop WiFi card, but not all WiFi cards are designed to be installed in your laptop.