I really depend on that slot for my laptop. I use a LaCie PC Card Firewire http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10482
to get Mac performance between the DAW and a LaCie external hard disk. This way you have fast enough (up to 82Mb/s)data transfer to handle big data libraries for softsynth plug-ins.
I find it strange thay build PC without the slot before the alternatives are ready.