The ECUSB3S254F 2-Port Flush Mount USB 3.0 ExpressCard Adapter uses a unique form factor design that allows it to sit fully in a standard 54mm laptop ExpressCard slot without sticking out. When inserted, the USB 3.0 ports provided by the ExpressCard adapter sit flush with the sides of the laptop, creating a seamless add-on that can be left installed even while on the move, without having to worry about impact damage to either the card or the ExpressCard slot. The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card supports data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, and is backward compatible with USB 2.0 (at up to 480Mbps), or USB 1.1/1.0 at up to 12/1.5 Mbps respectively – the perfect laptop accessory for users to connect USB devices, both new and old.
$ 34.00
Don’t bother with those cheap $13 versions. This one rocks.,
We users of slender laptops are jealous of the 2012 versions that have USB 3.0 support. So we mess with these skinny adapters to convert that nearly useless 54/34 ExpressCard slot into a functional USB 3.0 connection. I’ve personally tested several of these. So far this Star Tech #ECUSB35254F CARD looks like all the rest, BUT IT IS PACKAGED WELL IN A CARDBOARD CARTON, SO THAT IT DOES NOT GET DAMAGED BY ROUGH SHIPPER HANDLING; and, even more importantly, the BUILD QUALITY of the device itself seems better. The metal is stiffer and the ports stay in better alignment. The differences are very subtle. I did not use the included mini CD for drivers, but the device runs on the same Renasas 3.0 drivers as used by the other similar “AKE” models that seem to suffer a 50{b81fbfd19e1fca5890798868c0714c408bbd5ec471654b6f9630c0fffa6e7eb3} defective rate. If you need two ports and have a 54 type slot, this is a good card to own. In general use you may not need the included extra-power cable; it connects to one of your USB 2.0 ports to add an additional half-amp max power to the Expresscard power, particularly if you use just one of the two ports. Also realize that the current spec of the Expresscard port can’t handle the full 5.0 Gbps theoretical transfer rate of USB 3.0. You’ll probably get on average about a third of that! Buy this model of the 54 size card. Save the headaches of testing and returning those cheap cards. Thanks to Amazon for making these great values possible. Fantastic shipping speed too!
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|Excellent! Slightly expensive.,
It is beautiful and sturdy, it performs, it doesn’t stick out. It works out of the box with Ubuntu (x64, 10.04). I needed to install a driver for Windows 7 (x64). The only downside is the price, which is a bit high.
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|Just installed one on Dell E6410,
I have to say that I had a real merry-go-round this last two days. I have another eSata external disk controller with dual drives for mirroring that has died.
I also have an Iomega 500gb USB-3 drive so I thought now is the time to add USB-3 to my laptop, so I bought the StarTech ECUSB3S254F because I wanted flush mounted ports. What I found out after much trouble shooting. As mention this card CAN NOT provide USB-3 spec power on it’s port(s), USB-2 level power only. There is enough power for ONE low power external disk drive.
The supplied power adapter cable does not work for USB 3 because there is not enough power from a USB 2 socket.
I have two ext usb-3 drives now one the Iomega and the second is a Seagate 750GB pulled from the now defunct eSata ext drive box and mounted in a single USB-3 drive carrier. Both the Iomega and the SIIG carrier have a power Y-cable both need to be plugged in an external power source, Lenmar has a travel unit 110-240 to 4-usb power brick, this works.
With BOTH drives plugged into external power both USB-3 ports work fine. In my case only ONE drive will operate using a second usb-2 port for power.
To operate BOTH USB-3 drives requires an external power supply.
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