USB 3.0 Internal Port Expansion Card for Mini PCI Express
If your computer doesn’t have any or enough 3.0 USB ports, you can add more with a Mini PCI Express card. These 2-port, 4-port, and larger cards connect internally but provide access by adding external USB ports. You’ll find variations on this expansion card that are suitable for almost every laptop and desktop computer made, including custom-built PCs.
What’s a Mini PCIe USB 3.0 internal port expansion card?PCI Express is a high-speed bus available on many motherboards that lets you add capabilities to your computer. The Mini version is a smaller configuration designed for the Mini-ITX form factor, which is used for compact desktop computers, such as home theater PCs. A USB 3.0 expansion card, such as the RC-508 or RC-509, adds to a computer one or more USB 3.0 ports that are internally mounted but externally accessible.
Will a Mini PCIe card fit in standard PCIe slots?It depends. If a mainboard employs the mSATA standard, then the smaller card can mount directly to the larger PCI Express slot. If a mainboard employs the M.2 specification, then the connector is different, so the card will not fit directly. You can, however, use a PCI Express slot adapter or converter to make it fit.
Which PCI Express adapters are available?The typical converter is itself a PCI Express card. It attaches to the motherboard port and exposes its own Mini PCIe slot. You are then able to attach your Mini PCIe USB 3.0 card to that extension, which facilitates communication between the card and the mainboard. These converters have a pass-through design, which means that there should be no loss of performance or potential.
What features do Mini PCIe USB 3.0 cards have?These easy-to-install cards are backward-compatible with previous USB iterations. They’re also forward-compatible in that they’ll support future iterations up to the 3.0 capabilities. These USB ports are SuperSpeed, which means that they can transfer data at up to 625 megabytes per second. They may also support a Type-C connection, which is more convenient to use since the orientation of the plug doesn’t matter.
How do you install an expansion card?PCI Express is designed to be user-friendly. Most cards are plug-and-play, which means that they’re automatically configured by the operating system. To install your card, you should power down the computer and open the case. PCI Express connections generally have a tab on each side that must be relaxed prior to installation. Insert an adapter if applicable. Insert the card. Apply gentle but firm pressure evenly on each side until the card pops into place. Restore the tabs in order to lock the card. Turn on your PC. Windows should recognize the new component and configure it.