Old laptop with USB 3.0?

[quest221]

My laptop is Dell D630, came with USB 2.0, and the speed of the USB 2.0 almost drive me crazy especially copying some HD movies. I think most of us who use the old USB 2.0 will have the same feeling.

So now USB 3.0 is coming! I would like to know what will you do to add USB 3.0 ports to your old laptops(don't tell me to buy a new laptop with the USB 3.0 ports, I will use it for another one or two years).

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Ever thought of eSATA ?!? [:grahamlv:3]

USB3.0 is faster than PCMCIA and XpressCard, so adding it as a card will not give you full support.

 

[quest221]

Ever thought of eSATA ?!? [:grahamlv:3]

USB3.0 is faster than PCMCIA and XpressCard, so adding it as a card will not give you full support.

Base on the description of D630 from Dell documentation, the PCMCIA is via USB interface, that means if you use a PCMCIA card to eSATA/USB3.0, the maximum speed is limited to 480Mb/s.

BTW, if there is USB3.0, I will abandon eSATA, because new power from eSATA interface.

OK, D630 has a dismountable DVD Rom, I think we may use that interface, however, I don't know what's the maximum speed of that interface.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Reread the description, it says ExpressCard is via USB interface through PCMCIA adapater, the PCMCIA is likely still full speed, so 1,100Mb/s so still faster than USB 2.0.

 

[quest221]

Hi,

I searched some info on Google, a guy said the PCMCIA card to eSATA has the speed at least 60MB/s, however, in another forum, the guy said he only get 35MB/s, that's strange.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=59504

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19265222.aspx

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well, you can wait or try now, I won't advise you further. Don't have time to look at those links either, going on Vacay.

I use both PCMCIA and Xpresscard (Bytecc RAID and Vantec) and get full speed, much faster than Firewire800 and especially USB.

BTW, you know most HDDs are limited to 60MB/s, look at the interface speeds to see max, but magnetic disks usually top out @ 60-80MB/s you need an SSD (and a GOOD one) for max speeds. Those links are likely drive limited.

BTW 50+MB/s is higher than USB already (which is theoretical 480Mb/s but practical 400 and less).

 

[quest221]

Thanks for your help! I will go to buy a PCMCIA to eSATA card and try it when I am at office next Monday. I will update the result here.

BTW, my 3.5'' hard drive has a speed at 66MB/s when I connnect it to the motherboad of the desktop. If I can get a speed aroud 50MB/s through eSATA, that will be acceptable.

 

[quest221]

Hi,

I am back. I got a PCMCIA card to eSATA and test with a 3.5'' hard disk, the speed is only around 35MB/s.

 

[quest221]

Best answer selected by quest221.

 

[jepeuxlavoir]

When you ran that test, did you use an external drive or enclosure that supports USB 3? Otherwise it would limit the speed to USB2 speed, which seems to end up being 30-some MB/s.

 

[buwish]

This topic has been closed by Buwish