USB 2.0
The number of
USB 2.0 connectors on the external panel of the controller.
USB (all versions) is the most popular modern interface for connecting external peripherals. Specifically, the USB 2.0 standard is now considered obsolete: for example, the data transfer rate with such a connection does not exceed 480 Mbps, and the power supply is very low. And although such capabilities are quite sufficient at least for undemanding peripherals like keyboards, mice, etc., however, PCI controllers with this type of connector are becoming less common — manufacturers generally prefer more advanced interfaces, such as USB 3.2 gen1 and gen2 ( see below).
COM port
Number of
COM ports on the controller I/O panel.
The term "COM port" usually refers to the RS-232 interface. This is a service connector, nowadays mainly used to connect various specialized equipment — CNC machines, uninterruptible power supplies, programmable logic controllers, some models of routers, etc. In addition, this interface can be used for direct connection between two computers, and also to control the settings of TVs, projectors, audio receivers and other audio and video equipment. A COM port is rarely installed in modern computers during initial assembly, so a PCI controller is usually required to use this interface.
USB connectors
The number of
USB connectors provided in the controller design.
USB connectors are connectors to which USB ports located outside the board (for example, on the front panel of a computer) are connected using special wires. This function is useful if there are unused USB sockets in the case, but there are no connectors on the motherboard itself or there are not enough of them to use all the
USB ports installed on the case.
When assessing the number of connectors, it should be taken into account that one connector can be output to two USB ports; however, it is desirable to specify such details separately. Also note that this is a rather rare type of equipment for PCI controllers — modern motherboards, usually, are equipped with their own connectors with a good margin in terms of their number.
