Way to use ExpressCard slot in your notebook. (noob-must-read:))

OK. I personally NEVER liked this useless ports in any of my laptops like PCMCIA slot, monitor port, parallel port and in new laptops this ExpressCard slot. You ask why? Because you can get almost every device with USB interface! Not mentioning they are usually cheaper!

My laptop has only 1 USB port on the left and it is even USB/eSATA combo! While other 2 are there where my hand with mouse got to be.

EXPRESSCARD TO USB 3.0
Available configuration:
- 34mm ExpressCard with 1 USB port Buy it Now 10.95$ or even less with Best Offer
- 34mm ExpressCard with 1 USB port and DC-in (for external HDDs 1TB size and over) Buy it Now for 13.85$
- 54mm ExpressCard with 2 USB ports and DC-in Buy it Now for 13.90$.

So last week or later I got my expresscard to USB 3.0 with DC for up to 2TB devices. Here are my photos.
Length of this card is 75 mm. as it should be while I knew that this card may not hide fully and almost 1 mm is out. But mine somewhy couldn't high up to almost 2 millimeters which really annoys. Maybe its because it's with DC but I think that I'm just unlucky.

If anyone wants such device it costs now 13.85$.

But if someone doesn't need that additional DC port then you can buy it for only 10.95$ or even less with Best Offer. Guy's eBay name is chrisling2009.

DIY ViDock

This is opportunity to connect desktop's GPU to your laptop which will increase performance in Games and other graphics dependable software.
Minor: it may not use all power from GPU as desktop would. Because it may use not all bandwidth of PCIx16.

More info:
- Who sells
- How to make NBR Thread;
- DIY ViDock Experience NBR Thread;
- FOR RUSSIAN LANGUAGE USERS ONLY! Make it yourself on overclockers.ru and DIY ViDock review

ExpressCard SSD
Anyone still remembers that expensive and slow as turtle Transcend ExpressCard SSDs?
Since they were released much time passed so new other branded SSD came out however their main disadvantage is HIGH COST and theit speed is better then hard drives but slower then normal SSD.
If you are thinking about upgrading to suchh SSD then you better think about 2nd HDD caddies in optical bay for 13$ or so.
But still You can buy cheap Expresscard SSD for swap files, Temp folder or for XP OS

Anyways don't thank me much for this post

 

I've been considering this for some time.

I wish there was a SSD that wasn't absolutely terrible for express cards.

 

Or get an externally powered USB hub? I don't even know if PCMCIA has enough bandwidth for USB 3.0..

 

Who said about PCMCIA? It was just in the list of as I think useless ports or slots.

It is about ExpressCard Card.

Of course if you don't use it for external desktop GPU (DIY ViDock) or TV-tuner

They are just too pricey while much slower.

 

tsunade it works

 

The newest revision 48GB filemate is decent. The 4k numbers destroy traditional drives, they're great as an app drive.

 

Could I get a link to that product?

I haven't looked up drives in a long time.

 

I actually just ordered the 24GB FileMate Go for $58 shipped from eBay. It's rated at ~110MB/s read and ~65MB/s write, which really is a decent speed. Once it arrives and I get it set up the way I like, I'll post my thoughts.

BTW, for those who have a laptop which doesn't have a docking option, I beleive that Targus makes an ExpressCard dock which is pretty quick.

 

Here's an ebay link. The red ones are the newest, the yellow are older revisions and far less stable. That being said, stay away from the 96GB model, it's not reliable at all.

 

I'm not sure wht I have in my Dell Studio 1535. I have some sort of slot according to the manual is an ExpessCard Slot, however it doesn't elaborate. Also, it has a weird thick L shape for the plastic insert so I don't even know if it would fit. I want USB 3.0 for my laptop. Does anyone know if they would work in my laptop and which I'd need?

 

Yes, it will fit. Your slot takes both the 34mm and the bigger 54mm cards. The card linked above is 34mm. There are cards out there that are two ports and 54mm in size.

 

How do I know if I need powered or not? I'd want to be able to use it anywhere without some cable sticking out.

 

Does anybody have independent benchmarks for those FileMate ExpressCard SSDs?

If the expresscard itself or some external device attached to it needs more than 5V and 0.5A you'll need an external power source. Otherwise Your internal USB controller will handle that.

 

This is exactly what I'd like.

I want to see random reads.

 

You can use it anywhere.

this is auction which ends in 10 hours and this is Buy it Now.
All 54 versions of ExpressCards have DC option which is good. I doesn't mean that you must connect it somehow. But in case you use 2 power-eaters external HDDs or USB hubs with multiple devices then you need to connect this ExpressCard using that little DC port to other native USB on your laptop as power source.
I will add pictures soon

 

Well, the only device I'm looking to use is a 32GB Patriot Superspeed USB 3.0 flashdrive, I should be good then without using the extra USB DC cable (even if I buy the 54mm one)? I don't plan on plugging anything else into it.

 

Sure, USB flash shouldn't use much power. Even more! 1 external HDD enclosure will work good. It just should be less then 1 TB size that's it. I believe you will be able to use 2 flash drives or else

 

Last bit before I buy, since I don't actually have a USB 3.0 drive yet, although the exact flashdrive I want is $10 cheaper on Newegg right now and has a $20 mail in rebate (however you don't get the rebate till 8-10 weeks later). Does it actually work? I see on Newegg ExpressCard USB 3.0 slots go for no less than $40, these things ship for free from Hong Kong going for just over $10, how reliable are these and the seller?

 

1. Seller MUST be reliable on eBay otherwise everyone will ask same question looking at his feedback score as you have just asked. Either seller gets good reputation receiving positive feedback or...
2. I sometimes buy watches on eBay for 8 backs while sell in my country for 32 backs average prise (from 20$ which is SO RARELY to 37.5$ rarely too). I guess buyers asks the same question about the 8$ price if someone tells them about eBay
3. Can't guarantee that all sellers are trusted there but this exact one (chrisling) is. I really have reasons for such words.
4. Of course this ExpressCard will not show fully potential of USB 3.0 but I am sure that flash drive (besides what is it's speed?) will show its maximum. This is the same as sata enclosures for HDD or SSD. some of them show about 180 MB/s while not cheapo will give you 215 Mb/s Is it worth paying extra? Besides how can you know that 30$ ExpressCards are not from the same factory

I did not test mine with any USB 3.0 device. I bought it for "tomorrow" but it increased a little speed of my USB 2.0 flash drive.

BTW. Really what speeds are from your Patriot? Name SuperSpeed doesn't mean it is really the fastest one.

 

I just want to see benchmarks so I can know what to buy =p

 

The Patriot Supersonic USB 3.0 flashdrive is quoted by Patriot to have 100MB/s read and 70MB/s write, however, according to reviews and benchmarks I've read, Patriot undersold its specs and it is actually faster. 32GB of storage and $75, to me it sounds like a deal. It basically should and easily will provide all the quick access and transport storage I could ever need (in a USB 2.0 port, it runs at max USB 2.0 speeds which is still faster than most of today's USB 2.0 flashdrives). I have a 250GB 5400rpm Seagate Expansion for backing up data. I really don't need something fast for backing up data, I just plug, choose, and walk away. As for quick access and transport storage, my 1GB Kingston stick that gets 2.5MB/s writes and 12MB/s reads is annoying.
Patriot Memory

And that's why I want it

 

Here's what I'm thinking of getting:
Amazon.com: Patriot Supersonic 32 GB USB 3.0 High Performance Shock Resistant Flash Drive PEF32GSUSB: Electronics
Amazon.com: Express card 54mm To 2 Port USB 3.0 expresscard: Electronics
I'll get free shipping and it will cost me $47 total since I have $29 gift cards with Amazon.

Only 2 problems, one review claims the Card isn't recognized by Windows on boot up, you have to remove it then boot. The second issue is the driver disc is a mini disc, I have a slot load drive, I assume I can put it in on another disc tray on a different computer and copy the files to get them... I think.

 

AHAHAHAHAAAAAHAAHHAAAA)))))))))))))
Amazon sells the same card as on eBay and it even sells cheaper )))))))))))))))))))

mini CD has ALL possible driver files for ANY device of such kind, at least mine has. I even can send you via e-mai. But you can ask the same any other guy who you give your CD

 

So, I bought the items I linked to above. Formatted my Patriot USB 3.0 drive to NTFS file format and ran it in USB 2.0 slot (15MB/s write). Ran the same as my 5400rpm external HDD. However, I ran the ExpressCard USB 3.0 (I need to the power cable attachment for the stick to work, in the 3.0 slot though, it gets crazy hot). The write speed according to Windows was about 25MB/s for a 8.5GB folder of podcasts. Then I copied it to my desktop and I got a read according to windows of 130MB/s and had to pick my jaw up.

 

Congratulations) I also have just bought USB 3.0 Flash drive with 70MB/20MB read/write official stated speeds. It has 70.53/19.78 on FAT32 so I am a little bit disappointed.

 

I'm more than excited about the read since it claimed 100MB/s Read, 70MB/s write, however the 25MB/s write is greatly dissapointing. Either it is the flashdrive or the ExpressCard, I'm inclined to believe it is the ExpressCard.

 

Writes don't matter at all to me, just reads.

What are the random 4k reads? What about the access times?

 

What are podcasts? And what is their size? can't you just use crystaldiskmark to check all speeds you need?

 

I don't know what those are Hungry Man. I don't use any benchmarks, I just use what Windows displays during a transfer. Podcasts are audio files. Like radio shows but recorded. It was an 8.5GB folder with some 200 audio files in it.

 

Would you mind running crystal mark? If not Its fine

 

I don't think it is worth it to run any benchmarks either. The thumbdrive gets really in 3.0 but not 2.0, also using an expresscard, I don't think I'm getting the full performanced from the drive. Sorry, I'd run a benchmark if it was an embedded 3.0 port. For $10 though, I'm seeing a huge improvement in performance. At time 2-10x faster than my older devices.

 

it will just write little file starting from 50 MB and show you read/write speeds. Also it is portable.

 

Benchmarking is very quick and painless but ok =p

anyways, I can't buy something without knowing more about it. Sequential reads don't matter too much for me but 100/s is nice. I'd like to see some decent random 4k's as well.

 

--------------------------------------------------
CrystalDiskMark 2.2 (C) 2007-2008 hiyohiyo
Crystal Dew World : Crystal Dew World
--------------------------------------------------

Sequential Read : 70.511 MB/s
Sequential Write : 20.747 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 66.145 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 9.626 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 8.709 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 0.471 MB/s

Test Size : 50 MB
Date : 2011/08/12 22:46:18
official transfer rates for my flash are 70/20

 

Well, in the end, I don't think I'm going to keep the expresscard. It works perfectly and all. But I don't think I truly need it right now. Plus my thumbstick gets kind of hot from it. In order to use it, I need the USB 2.0 power which is inconvenient. I'm just going to return it.

 

I am going to return... my USB flash drive Besides I can easily use it without additional power in. It depends on flash drive, not on expresscard.
Also anyway you get 2 additional USB ports for 12$. It is very important if you need them.
My flash drive also got very hot but I prefer to think that was because it used higher speeds. I think it will be the same hot as in another USB 3.0 slot.

I send my 16GB Transcend (which I got only for 23.8$) because it had some strange problems with writes speeds. It could be fine but then accidentally lower to 7 from 20. Also I got only 24 mb/sec little blocks reads. But truly saing my USB 2.0 transcend has 16 Mb of same blocks reads. I think I better buy RAM.

 

Thanks for the benches.

 

On a side note, I'm now running Fedora 15 off my Wintec SolidGo Ultra 24GB ExpressCard SSD. All I had to do was create the \boot partition on the HDD and put root on the SSD.