Specialised Cards

Specialised cards are cards that have a specific task within a computer and aren't needed for the computer to function. For example a graphics card isn't needed as most computers have very basic integrated graphics, a graphics card would be added if you wanted to display higher quality graphics on a screen or if you wanted to run more graphic intensive programs.

There are also Network Cards/Wireless Cards that allow you to connect to a network, a network card has an Ethernet port on it, whereas a wireless card allows you to connect straight to the network without the use of cables. Modem cards are useful for anyone using a dial up connection (probably no one these days). These convert signals to sound so they can be sent down a phone line plugged into the computer.

Sound cards allow for higher quality audio to be processed. Different cards allow for different levels of audio quality and surround sound, some cards might only be stereo sound, some might be Dolby 7.1 surround. An extension sound card could allow for more audio inputs to be plugged in if you were to run out on the motherboards standard sound board.

Old computers dating back to 2004 and before might have an Accelerated Graphics Port on, these allowed graphics cards to be plugged into the computer. They were designed as a successor to the PCI technology but since have been successed by the PCI-E slots instead. The AGP was a bus designed to be specifically used by graphics cards and to be faster than PCI that had to use dedicated buses that were used elsewhere.