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    Express Card Slot

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by Red Dragon3, Aug 3, 2011.

  1. Red Dragon3

    Red Dragon3 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Red Dragon3, Aug 3, 2011
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  2. ASCI_Blue

    ASCI_Blue Notebook Consultant

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    54mm, so yes just checked my manual.
     
    ASCI_Blue, Aug 3, 2011
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  3. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The Revelator, Aug 3, 2011
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  4. Red Dragon3

    Red Dragon3 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Its the Express Card slot a PCI Express Card 2.0 or 1.0?
     
    Red Dragon3, Aug 4, 2011
    #4
  5. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    afaik 1.0
    but it definately runs faster than usb2 speeds (maybe crippled).
    i don't think my usb3 external drive is reaching the limit in any case. would needa 3.5" drive to test that.
     
    xeroxide, Aug 4, 2011
    #5
  6. logan801

    logan801 Notebook Consultant

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    there's only one express card slot as far as i know and it transfers 2.5gbps in both directions btw i got the $12 one that the rev put up and it works just fine :)
     
    logan801, Aug 4, 2011
    #6
  7. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    I don't recall. Neither this item, nor any similiar to it, are going to provide anything close to true USB 3.0 speeds in an M15x. They essentially provide 2 additional USB ports with increased throughput from a USB 3.0 device but limited by the speed of the card bus. Still, for $13, it's hard to go wrong.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 4, 2011
    #7
  8. svl7

    svl7 T|I

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    Well, not USB 3.0 speeds, but distinctly faster than USB 2.0. I get up to 80 Mb/s, and as The Rev says, for $13 you can't complain.
     
    svl7, Aug 4, 2011
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  9. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    plus the extra 2 usb ports is awesome!
    doesn't stick out the side of the laptop like a sore thumb either.
     
    xeroxide, Aug 4, 2011
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  10. ASCI_Blue

    ASCI_Blue Notebook Consultant

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    since it seems this is a 1.0 slot would esata be any faster than usb3?
     
    ASCI_Blue, Aug 4, 2011
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  11. Mexic00ls

    Mexic00ls Notebook Deity

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    From my experience the esata is faster
     
    Mexic00ls, Aug 5, 2011
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  12. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    i've only ever used esata on 3.5" drives and usb3 on 2.5" drives lol so i couldn't really say. the esata port is quite impressive however basically the performance of an internal hdd... only REAL advantage of usb3 that i can tell is the inbuilt power support.
     
    xeroxide, Aug 5, 2011
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  13. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Plus, USB cables are sure more convenient than those stiff eSata cables. :)
     
    The Revelator, Aug 5, 2011
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  14. ASCI_Blue

    ASCI_Blue Notebook Consultant

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    in theory if both drives are comparable shouldn't performance also be comparable between a 3.5 and 2.5 drive? I've got a 300 gig media drive in my desktop and only 320 in this computer. I've been debating between enclosure or some kind of multidrive dock for the drive(s) I may have.
     
    ASCI_Blue, Aug 6, 2011
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  15. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    nah 3.5" drives are faster
    it's one of the main reasons why desktop pc's feel so much faster than laptops.
    the performance gap is essentially closed however with SSD's and faster platter drives.

    but if you look at it as a comparison of 3.5" vs 2.5" with the same spindle speeds and data density, the 3.5" will win every time.
     
    xeroxide, Aug 7, 2011
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  16. ASCI_Blue

    ASCI_Blue Notebook Consultant

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    So you're telling me if I take two WD Black drives of the same size say 500 gig one desktop one laptop the desktop drive will just be faster?? How the crap does that work?
     
    ASCI_Blue, Aug 7, 2011
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  17. James D

    James D Notebook Prophet

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    well 3.5" is bigger so...
    oh wait, another one! well 3.5 can get more power from AC powered desktop...
    should I continue?

    You are lucky you have 54mm expresscard. I have 34 so all I have is 1 USB 3.0 ExpressCard.
     
    James D, Aug 7, 2011
    #17
  18. ASCI_Blue

    ASCI_Blue Notebook Consultant

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    bigger isn't always faster though. I can put my 600cc sportbike up against damn near anything short of a Veyron and win in a line. If I didn't suck at riding I could probably win on twisties too. Thing is if I have less mass to move in theory it should be faster which would apply to hdds too.

    more power makes sense but again that's just to move parts. having more power doesn't really effect how 1's and 0's move through copper/silver/fiber optic cable.
     
    ASCI_Blue, Aug 7, 2011
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  19. James D

    James D Notebook Prophet

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    bigger size not bigger weight. It has better and faster spinning head. Which gets enough power
     
    James D, Aug 7, 2011
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  20. EleJota

    EleJota Notebook Guru

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    EleJota, Aug 8, 2011
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