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.

    USB 3 on USB 2 device?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by phattrance, Apr 14, 2011.

  1. phattrance

    phattrance Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    is it somehow possible to get USB 3 on my Vaio z with USB2 port?
     
    phattrance, Apr 14, 2011
    #1
  2. Achusaysblessyou

    Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D

    Reputations:
    334
    Messages:
    1,809
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    USB 3.0 Expresscard 34 adapter.

    like this:

    ake usb 3.0 | eBay

    supposedly fits flush. See the 3rd seller, the 1st two have like $8 shipping ><
     
    Achusaysblessyou, Apr 14, 2011
    #2
  3. phattrance

    phattrance Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    will i get the USB 3 speed then if i buy on of those expresscards with usb3?
     
    phattrance, Apr 14, 2011
    #3
  4. phattrance

    phattrance Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    i have a Vaio VGN-z21wn ( Sony Vaio VGN Z21WN/B Specs - DealTime.co.uk ). Will this one work with it?


    [​IMG]

    EXPRESSCARD 34MM USB 3.0

    ExpressCard 34mm, USB 3.0, 2xTyp A ports, power adapter
    Extra molex power connector to the card via an AC adapter.
    Supports Windows XP/Vista/7.
    Driver, power adapter and user manual included in the package.
     
    phattrance, Apr 14, 2011
    #4
  5. phattrance

    phattrance Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    phattrance, Apr 14, 2011
    #5
  6. ngvuanh

    ngvuanh Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    288
    Messages:
    1,168
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    66
    You may get USB 3.0 running on USB 2.0 but you only get USB 2.0 speed no matter what USB 3.0 speed is.
     
    ngvuanh, Apr 14, 2011
    #6
  7. Achusaysblessyou

    Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D

    Reputations:
    334
    Messages:
    1,809
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    They both should work... as for USB 3.0 speed... I'm not one to say as I don't have a USB 3.0 external drive(I'm sure you'll be limited by the speed of the drive as opposed to the connection). I think the interface speed is PCI-Express x1? (2.5Gbps = ~312MBps) so i guess it'll work?
     
    Achusaysblessyou, Apr 14, 2011
    #7
  8. taggart

    taggart Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I've read somewhere that although usb3.0 expresscards are faster than usb 2.0, they still aren't as fast as the dedicated usb 3.0 port.
     
    taggart, Apr 15, 2011
    #8
  9. pyr0

    pyr0 100% laptop dynamite

    Reputations:
    829
    Messages:
    1,272
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    56
    True, but unless you have a sandy bridge laptop, there is no native usb3.0 support by the chipset. Those expresscards work exactly the same way as 3rd party usb3.0 chips on desktop motherboards (NEC/Fresco Logic etc.).
     
    pyr0, Apr 15, 2011
    #9
  10. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

    Reputations:
    2,365
    Messages:
    9,422
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    231
    fixed for you
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    Karamazovmm, Apr 15, 2011
    #10
  11. taggart

    taggart Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Is this why even on the Vaio SB there's only 1 USB 3.0 port instead of 3?

    Btw, tested with a WD My Passport Essential ES USB 3.0 drive and got transfer speeds of 65mb/s which slowly went down to 33 on stamina mode. Around 1 hour for a 90gb file transfer.
     
    taggart, Apr 15, 2011
    #11
  12. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

    Reputations:
    2,365
    Messages:
    9,422
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    231
    yep you use a third party chip as per pyro post.

    Never understood the hype for USB3, thunderbolt IS MUCH BETTER.

    More power through the port

    More speed while transfering

    Daisy chain for other peripherals

    Vidock possible and better than the normal fare (using express card)

    For USB3 you've got a good speed (2x than USB2 that is)

    A little bit more power through the port (a little more compared to USB2)
    and thats it.
     
    Karamazovmm, Apr 15, 2011
    #12
  13. phattrance

    phattrance Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    thx for the reply guys, ill test and buy on and see what happens :)
    already have USB3 harddrives etc so it would be nice to get a faster speed without buying a new vaio ;)
     
    phattrance, Apr 15, 2011
    #13
  14. taggart

    taggart Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Sounds like thunderbolt is a complex standard compared to usb 3.0. If MBP has it though, it's only a matter of time before the rest adapt to it. :)

    Op, have fun with the faster speed and let us know how it goes.
     
    taggart, Apr 15, 2011
    #14