Best USB 3.0 Expansion Cards
Are you looking to add more USB ports to your computer, but aren’t sure where to start. In this case, the Best USB 3.0 Expansion Card is a simple way to increase flexibility and functionality.
We all know that having a lot of USB ports on our computers can come in handy, especially if you have a lot of devices like external hard drives and flash drives. It’s frustrating when we try to use them and find out that they are too slow because the ones on our computers are outdated or broken.
The problem with most expansion cards is that they are difficult to install because of their size or require a lot of power from your computer. The 3.0 USB expansion card solves these problems by being small enough to fit into almost any laptop and it uses less power than other devices so there’s no risk of damaging your system while using this product.
It’s hard to find the best USB expansion card on the market because there are so many different ones available. That is why we tried out some of the most popular models and picked the following top items that are superior to other expansion cards in the market.
Best USB 3.0 Expansion Card – Our Top 7 picks!
Most people spend hours trying to figure out how to install their new hardware or they give up because it’s too much work. Upgrading to a USB 3.0 card is an important way to increase the speed of your computer, but how would you choose which one is suitable for your computer and which one is the best. Well, our recommended products given below will solve this problem.
1. FebSmart USB 3.0 Expansion Card (Best in the low budget)
This USB expansion card for pc is made by FebSmart which is a leading brand in computer hardware accessories.
It has a PCIe slot (PCI Express) that allows you to add 4 USB ports and get data transfer speeds of 5 Gbps. This means that you can use USB ports that are much faster than other models. It has a consistent signal and the card is built for stability so you don’t need to worry about the signal dropping.
When you expand your computer’s USB ports with a USB card, you need to use self-powered USB hubs. So you have to plug your USB hubs into an electrical outlet, which can be inconvenient. But this product has self-powered technology so you don’t need to plug your hubs into an outlet.
Each port of this product has a maximum of 2A current and with all four ports, the device has an 8A current which solves the problem of overloading of power supply.
Also, the FebSmart uses a RENESAS chip so you know that it has high performance since that is a well-known and respected brand. This chip decreases the number of errors and improves the stability of data transfer.
Electric circuit protector ensures that it won’t short-circuit when you plug in your USB devices. There is also a voltage stable capacitance which makes the signals from the ports more stable and reduces the number of errors.
You will like that it is compatible with a lot of different versions of the Windows operating system including Windows 10,8.1,8 (32/64bit) and Windows Server 2012,2012R2,2016,2019, which is convenient since a lot of people use Windows.
Check Price on Amazon2. YEELIYA USB 3.0 Expansion Card
Yuliya USB 3.0 Expansion Card is a solution to USB expansion problems faced by many mini PCs manufacturers.
One of the most impressive features of this card is that it offers 7 ports (2 of which are Type-C and 5 are Type-A), making it great for connecting external hard drives. Also, this is great for connecting USB VR headsets (which only have Type-A connectors). Now you can connect USB printers, scanners, game controllers, keyboard, mouse, external hard drives, CD/DVD drives, webcams, USB VR, digital cameras, etc. with it.
Having a speed of up to 5Gbps can be a great advantage for you. So the user can easily transfer HD videos, huge pictures, and other data-heavy files with this card within seconds. This USB card supports all kinds of USB 2.0 and 1.1 devices, even the older ones. Also, they comply with PCI-e 3.0 PCIe 2.0 and PCIe 1.0 motherboards.
Moreover, they are compatible with operating systems like Windows XP/Vista/2008 Server/7/8/10, and Mac 0s (10.8.2 above) which makes them easier for you to use. They can easily fit with PCI Express x1, x4, x8, or x16 sockets.
The installation process is very simple for this device as you just have to put it into your motherboard and install the driver if you are using Windows XP, /Vista/7, Server. You can install them by yourself, without any professional help.
Overall, the company is providing a 180 days warranty for this USB C expansion card to give you the best customer service.
Check Price on Amazon3. Tiergrade USB 3.0 Expansion Card
Most people are buying this device because its USB 3.0 is a new standard that offers a blazing-fast data transfer speed over a USB connection, up to 5 Gbps. This means it can transfer images, music, and HD movies up to 5x faster than USB 2.0.
We loved that this USB 3.0 expansion card for laptop uses a 15-Pin SATA power connector, which is supplying a maximum of 2.4A current at a voltage of 5V. Each PCI Express card’s port provides a maximum of 5W (5V/1A) so that all 7 ports together provide a maximum of 35W, which should be enough to power connected devices.
Another great feature is that it is compatible with Windows 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP (32/64-bit), so it doesn’t matter if you are using any of these operating systems, you are getting the maximum benefits from it.
The whole package comes with a 1x USB 3.0 PCI-E expansion card, 1x 15-Pin to 2×15-pin SATA power cable, 1x CD driver, 1x installation screws, and 1x user manual.
With the help of the user manual, you can easily install this expansion card, the only thing you need is to have an available PCI-E slot on your computer. Also, it is lightweight and portable so you can easily take it with you if required.
Check Price on Amazon4. StarTech USB 3.0 Expansion Card (Best overall)
StarTech ‘s 4-Port PCI Express USB 3.0 card has all of the features that we expect from a high-quality, modern product. It’s small and compact and comes with a full refund within 30 days if there is any problem with the product or the user doesn’t like it.
The card itself is remarkable in appearance, that’s a good thing. It doesn’t look cheap or flimsy, but rather solid and appropriate for any computer build. With the stacked port layout design, the USB expansion card for PC places all four USB 3.0 ports together, turning them external-facing while still fitting into a low-profile PC system.
Due to the built-in SATA power connector, each USB 3.0 port can provide up to 900mA of power to connected devices (500mAh for USB 2.0). And also the card can provide up to 2.5W power when in charging mode, providing a solution for rapidly recharging your mobile devices.
In addition to all the above, with data rates up to 5 Gbps, it delivers blazing speeds that are up to 8x faster than USB 2.0, which means that transferring a movie with a USB drive takes less than 3 minutes.
We recommend this card to you because it uses UASP technology which can process multiple commands simultaneously allowing for more efficient transfers.
Also, the user manual is clear and concise, there were no difficult installation procedures. We give this card a solid five out of five stars.
Check Price on Amazon5. ELUTENG USB 3.0 Expansion Card
Eluteng expansion card having 4 PCI Express ports, is ranked higher in all the best USB port Cards available online or offline. Each port has a current rating of 2A. The maximum peak current consumption when all ports are used is 8A.
You will like that the card provides enough power supply for high-speed data transfer. Supporting 5Gbps transmission, this is truly an item that future-proofs your PC and it takes only 10 seconds for the transmission of a 1-gigabyte movie.
Short circuits or overcurrent can easily damage your motherboard, but its built-in overcurrent protection protects your motherboard by preventing such damage.
We loved that it employs 4 conductive polymer material capacitors for better stability, time-definite signals, and also it can handle high temperatures and humidity.
Because of PCI Express, it supports X1, X4, X8, and X16 slots. Allowing connection to any available PCI Express slot. It is compatible with Windows 7/8/XP/Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux. Additionally, the user will need to install drivers for Windows 7/8/XP/Vista but for Windows 10 there is no such requirement.
Another special feature is that it is a plug-and-play USB port, so the installation process is very simple. This external USB port card is very reliable, with 10-year operation stability.
The main control chip of this gadget is a Texas Instruments controller chip, handling signals with high precision and efficiency. The almost lossless transmission speed will bring you a wonderful user experience. The gold-plated interface can avoid signal loss effectively to enhance the user experience and also it uses a high-quality baffle to protect its motherboard from shocks and hits.
Last but not least, the package contains a USB3.0 expansion board, one Screw, and one CD.
Check Price on Amazon6. FebSmart USB 3.0 Expansion Card
It is 2 Ports PCI Express (PCIe) Expansion Card that satisfies all your computer needs for data transmission.
Due to built-in self-powered technology, no external power supply is needed, so that you can transfer, download, and backup data without any worry and without depending on any outer power source. . As both ports support UASP Mode, it increases the transfer speed up to 70%. It also supports PCIe Full-speed of 1.0 and 2.0.
Additionally, the card features the industry’s latest 5Gbps Dual-lane architecture that provides the bandwidth of 5Gbps for transferring and backing up files, music, videos, etc. Each port has an independent power supply, which means it can provide sufficient power up to 2A/4A in total for external devices.
One of the best things about this card is the RENESAS high-performance chipset that can optimize and support high-speed transfer speed without compromising quality.
Furthermore, because of the two electric circuit protectors and voltage stable capacitors, your system should be protected against sudden power failure and irregular signals that might cause damage to your system.
FebSmart expansion card offers Plug and Play on Windows 10,8.1,8(32/64bit) and Windows Server 2012,2012R2,2016,2019.2, but you will need to install the drivers on Windows XP, Vista,7(32/64bit), and Windows Server 2003,2003R2,2008,2008R2(32/64bit). The card is pretty straightforward to install, just plug it into your PCI port, connect the USB cable from it to your motherboard, and you’re ready to go.
Weighing just 3 ounces, it is very light, but with high durability. The card does not generate any noise during operation, so you do not have to worry about any noise or disturbance.
Check Price on Amazon7. MZHOU USB 3.0 Expansion Card
We have extensively tested the Mzhou 7 Ports USB3.0 PCI-E Expansion Card on a variety of machines, including Windows XP/7/8 and Windows 10. The card is suitable for both desktop and laptop PCs, using a standard PCI-E interface. There comes a power supply cable for Window 7/8/10/XP/Vista.
The 19-Pin SATA Power Connector is used to provide a power supply for this product so there is no need for an additional power supply unit. We have also tested this card with SSD and HDD drives, as well as a variety of other devices, such as. Scanners, speakers, etc., and found that it works completely as expected.
As the card has a transmission speed of 5 Gbps (its speed is 10 times faster than USB 2.0), so you can easily transfer high-definition video, music, and photos across to other devices for example an external HDD or a USB pen drive. You could also use this card to transfer data to and from an external SSD or HDD.
Besides that, the Front Panel Bay is used to install additional front panel USB 3.0 ports. The card has easy installation, so you don’t have to go through long and difficult processes.
Check Price on AmazonHow to choose the Best USB 3.0 Expansion Card – Buying Guide
If you are looking for the best USB 3.0 expansion card, you should consider these important factors:
Maximum number of ports
One of the most important factors when choosing a USB 3.0 expansion card is the maximum number of ports it has. Generally, you need to determine what devices you are going to connect to your computer using USB, and then see if the card has the appropriate number of ports. For example, if you are going to attach a mouse and a keyboard to the card, you only need two USB 3.0 ports. In addition, if you have a USB 3.0 port on your computer, you can save a PCI slot by using it as an additional one.
Connection method
Another important factor is the connection method. There are three different types of card connections: PCI-E, PCI and USB. These methods exist because the PCI-E interface is much faster than that of a traditional PCI card. USB cards provide ports via, as you probably guessed it, USB. While USB cards are more affordable than PCI-E, they are slower and not ideal for transferring large files.
Chipset compatibility
Ideally, you want your USB card to be compatible with all of the components in your computer. You especially need to pay attention to compatibility with your motherboard chipset. If you are using a PCI-E card, it needs to be compatible with your motherboard’s PCI-E version.
Price
Price is an important factor when it comes to choosing any product. The best USB 3.0 expansion cards are in the $40-70 range, with the most basic models being available for half that. Currently, it is cheaper to buy a card than upgrade your motherboard with a new USB 3.0 chipset, so be sure to find out which brand of expansion card your motherboard supports before you buy the product.
FAQS
Q. Does a USB 3.0 PCI card need power?
A. Yes, Two types of USB 3.0 cards require power: 1) Those that plug into a USB 3.0 header on the motherboard and 2): Those that need to plug into an open PCIe slot. The latter type of card should come with a pass-through power cable to attach to an available power supply connector. If it doesn’t, you can use an open Molex connector from your PSU instead.
Q. What speed does USB 3.0 support?
A. USB 3.0 ports transfer data at up to 5 Gbps, which is around 10 times faster than the USB 2.0 standard.
Q. How many USB 3.0 ports do the card support?
A. Some of these expansion cards offer five or more ports, and others support a couple. You can get a quick look at the number of ports one offers by checking out the product specifications of each card.
Q. Why is the PCI Express USB 3.0 expansion card better than a laptop’s internal USB 3.0 connector?
A. A PCI Express expansion card is a more versatile option as there are a variety of uses for it, and you could even install multiple expansion cards on one PC. It also gives greater performance and stability to USB devices compared with the single port internal connection found in many laptops.
Q. How can I add more USB 3.0 ports?
A. You can use a USB 3.0 PCI Express card to expand the number of available ports on your laptop or desktop computer.
Conclusion
The USB 3.0 expansion card is a fantastic product. Although it is slightly expensive, the convenience of being able to just plug in a USB drive and have access to files on it is great. It is very simple to use, just plug in USB drives and you are ready to go. If you are looking for something that works better than the old typical USB expansion cards, then this product is for you.
We hope that now you have all the information you need to decide to choose the best USB 3.0 expansion card. If you like this article, please leave a comment and share it on social media.
Also Read: