USB3.0R-P4-PCIe 4-port USB 3.0 Add-on Card Goes on Sale

[btarunr]

Japanese store Kuroutoshikou listed USB3.0R-P4-PCIe, a reference design USB 3.0 host add-on card. Driven by Renesas μPD720201 chipset, the card gives out four USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports. Three of these ports are wired out on the rear expansion bracket, while the fourth one is an internal port (type-A plug, not header). The card draws auxiliary power from a SATA power connector, it talks to the rest of the system over PCI-Express 2.0 x1. A part of the reason why not all four ports are located on the bracket, is that the card is just about capable of being low-profile, due to its half-height PCB. USB3.0R-P4-PCIe could be re-branded and sold through various major brands. Slated for late-March, it is priced at 3,000 JPY (US $36).



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[Sasqui]

I'll be looking out for this one. Wish they had a front panel option, but... the internal port is better than none.

 

[Filiprino]

Shouldn't the card be 4x PCIe 2.0 to be able to offer 5 Gbps per port? 1 lane of PCIe bandwidth only offers enough bandwidth for one USB 3.0 port.

 

[Disparia]

^ The controller being used is probably only x1 and not x2 or x4.

If you require a higher-performing multiport USB 3.0 solution, Highpoint has the RocketU with quad controllers, here.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Silverstone has a card with front connector and two rear ports http://vr-zone.com/articles/silverstone-shows-off-range-of-usb-3.0-accessories-at-cebit/15177.html
The only downside is that it uses a TI chip which is comparably slow...