1645 - Does it Work with USB 3.0 and/or eSATAp Cables/Devices?

Can it work with any of the above out of the box, would I need any type of port/card upgrade, or are these options simply not compatible with 1645s?

I'm looking for a faster way to transfer data to a backup drive, which supports these options.

Thanks in advance!

 

Yes it supports eSATA and power-over eSATA out of the box. No, it does not support USB3.0, but it does have an expresscard slot, so an USB3.0 expansion card would also be possible. Not that you really need USB3.0, when eSATA is native, faster (for HDDs at least), and has more compatible external drives.

 

Cool, thanks! I'd rather not buy any additional cards, so I'll go with the eSATA port then.

I just read the reviews again for the cable, and it said that the laptop should be able to specifically support eSATAp, not just eSATA. I'm assuming 1645 supports both?

Also, is the eSATA port the one on the right side, next to the power cord?

 

go with esata. pci express on the 1645 can not fully utilize esata/usb 3.0 speeds.

 

Yes, it supports eSATAp (or power-over eSATA, or USB/eSATA combo port, or whatever else they want to call it), so you only have to worry about one cable. Yes, it is on the right hand side, right next to the power jack.

 

Awesome, thank you. Transferring HD videos over 2.0 is a drag!

 

I know, when backing up my last laptop it took an hour to copy everything to the external with USB. When using eSATA to move the same stuff onto my new XPS16 it only took 10 minutes.

 

The 2.5" HDD enclosure I use with my 1645 requires eSATA PLUS a USB cable for the HDD to run. Is my enclosure the culprit here or what? It had good reviews on Newegg.

 

That doesnt sound right..Are you sure you're required to use both? Does it specifically say to? Just because the enclosure has more than one type of port doesn't mean you use them simultaneously..

 

I get no green light / drive power if I don't use both connections.

 

eSATA by itself doesn't provide power, so it makes perfect sense. On the 1645 it has a special dual port containing USB (with power) and eSATA, both function completely independently from one another. In order to get power from the port, the cable must be designed to connect to both and will usually end up splitting into separate eSATA and USB connectors, and the device will require both to get power and use eSATA. Some devices also use external power adapters (maybe batteries), those are the only ones that don't simultaneously require USB for power.