The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Lenovo T420/T520 ExpressCard -> USB 3.0?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by chx1975, Nov 23, 2011.

  1. chx1975

    chx1975 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    207
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    31
    StarTech in their PDF makes a note "If used with ExpressCard 2.0 enabled computer systems, the max throughput is 5 Gbps".

    My understanding is that the Tx20 laptops are, indeed, 2.0. However, ExpressCard 2.0 supposedly has USB 3.0 already and a passive adapter should work then. Is there such a beast?

    I am aware of PE3A( PCI-Express or USB 3.0 to ExpressCard Adapter ), but that's really kludgy and expensive -- I would love just a USB 3.0 passive adapter with a slim slot, like this. Just... passive.
     
    chx1975, Nov 23, 2011
    #1
  2. zephir

    zephir Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    495
    Messages:
    1,144
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Amazon.com: Expresscard Express To USB 3.0 34mm with Power Cable: Electronics

     
    zephir, Nov 23, 2011
    #2
  3. chx1975

    chx1975 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    207
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yes. That's the active card. I am looking for a passive.
     
    chx1975, Jan 3, 2012
    #3
  4. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    982
    Messages:
    5,162
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Thors.Hammer, Jan 3, 2012
    #4
  5. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,127
    Messages:
    7,860
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    The Series-6 I/O controller in a T420/T520 does not have USB 3.0, so the passive wiring of the USB component of the expresscard 2.0 slot will give you USB 2.0 only speed.

    The Startech adapter will attach a NEC USB 3.0 controller via the pci-e 2.0 pins to give full USB 3.0 5GT/s speed.
     
    User Retired 2, Jan 3, 2012
    #5
  6. chx1975

    chx1975 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    207
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    31
    How can you claim then ExpressCard 2.0? This is really confusing :(
     
    chx1975, Jan 6, 2012
    #6