PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect If you have a Pentium system, it's extremely likely that it runs a self-configuring PC local bus called PCI. Designed by Intel, PCI has gained wide acceptance (even by Apple, in its PowerPC series). It beats out the VESA Local Bus spec from a technical standpoint and will presumably win out in the long run. The bottom line: if you have a Pentium, make sure any add-in board you buy is a PCI device.