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    Flush USB 3.0 Expresscard Adapter part2

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by smilem, Apr 13, 2016.

  1. smilem

    smilem Newbie

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    smilem, Apr 13, 2016
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  2. kosti

    kosti Notebook Virtuoso

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    That card you linked is an e-sata card, not USB 3.0. I have two generic Chinese cards, one with 3 USB 3.0 ports and one with 2 ports and a power adapter for delivering extra power to external hard drives. The 3 port card uses a Fresco Logic chip and the 2 port card uses an Asmedia chip. They both work great and are significantly faster than USB 2.0, although they don't achieve native USB 3.0 speeds. I recommend the 2 port card if you are going to be plugging in any external mechanical drives. Some of the name brand cards are more expensive but the cheap cards work fine. I doubt the more expensive cards with better known chips by Sil or NEC will be any faster. I paid around 18 Euro for both of mine.

    3 port card:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/351430492642?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

    2 port card:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Port-USB-...-For-laptop-/222057406278?hash=item33b3a71f46
     
    kosti, Apr 14, 2016
    #2
  3. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    I had four flush USB3.0 adapters - 3x with 2 ports and external power socket, and 1x with 3 ports, on different chipsets - namely ASMedia and FrescoLogic, but there was something else too IIRC. They all went uncomfortably hot even attaching a mouse dongle, on all machines I tried, and none of them was able to drive USB 3.0 HDD without external power. I believe I will DIY an expresscard/54 module with extra buttons for better control in tablet mode, because all existing flush cards just suck - in my opinion.
     
    Starlight5, Apr 14, 2016
    #3