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# Information: PCMCIA Slot Specifications and Types

Article ID: 122054

Article Last Modified on 12/5/2003

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Windows 3.1 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows 3.11 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11

This article was previously published under Q122054

## SUMMARY

This article contains a list of PCMCIA card sizes and types.

## MORE INFORMATION

### Physical Specifications

PCMCIA cards have one of the following standard physical dimensions:

    Type I Card         54 mm by 85.6 mm by 3.3 mm
    Type II Card        54 mm by 85.6 mm by 5 mm
    Type III Card       54 mm by 85.6 mm by 10.5 mm

The PCMCIA card size is the same as a standard credit card except for thickness and corner rounding. Sometimes PCMCIA cards are referred to as credit-card memory or adapters.
Certain Toshiba notebook computers and other machines have a non-standard, oversized slot for which there are non-standard, oversized cards ranging from 14.5 millimeter (mm) to 16 mm (or more) thick. These cards and slots are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Type IV." This size card will probably not become part of the PCMCIA standard.
A Type II card has the same thickness as a Type I card along the long sides and connector end; this provides mechanical compatibility. A bubble 0.85 mm thick on the top and bottom surfaces increases the card's total thickness to 5 mm. A Type III card has a additional 5.5 mm on the top surface bubble for a total thickness of 10.5 mm.
The standard allows a maximum card length of 135.6 mm, which means the card can extend outside the host. This accommodates bulky devices such as batteries, oversized connectors, removable media, transceivers, and the antenna required by some devices.

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Keywords: KB122054