StarTech.com PEXUSB311AC3: 2-Port USB 3.2 Gen 2 PCIe Expansion Card
Product ID: PEXUSB311AC3
Product Overview
This USB 3.2 Gen 2 card allows you to add a USB-C™ port and a USB-A port to your computer via a PCI Express slot. It enables you to expand your current system by adding two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, providing access to data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps per port. This USB 3.1 Gen 2 (also known as USB 3.2 Gen 2) PCIe add-on card supports multiple inputs and delivers optimal bandwidth even when connected to devices with different speeds.
Image: A photograph of the StarTech.com PEXUSB311AC3 PCIe expansion card, showcasing its internal components and ports.
By adding a USB-C and a USB-A port to your PC, you can easily connect older, modern, and future USB devices, regardless of the USB connector type. By expanding your computer with 10 Gbps USB ports, you can utilize the speed of USB 3.2 Gen 2. This ensures you are prepared for both current and future devices with USB-A and USB-C that require high bandwidth.
With support for higher data throughput, this USB 3.2 Gen 2 PCI Express card is essential for external hard drives, drive enclosures, and many other USB 3.1 peripheral devices. Additionally, the expansion card features a SATA power connector to provide supplementary power to the USB ports (when the motherboard's power supply is insufficient), delivering up to 5V 3A/15W via the USB-C connector and 5V 0.9A/4.5W via the USB-A connector. The card is ideal for use with high-performance external storage solutions.
Connecting older peripherals is not an issue. This versatile USB 3.2 Gen 2 card with two ports is backward compatible with older USB 3.2 Gen 1/2.0 devices that utilize the common USB Type-A port, helping you avoid additional costs and effort by purchasing new devices. You can also connect older devices to the USB Type-C™ port using a variety of USB-C cables and adapters.
Compatibility and Performance
The USB 3.1 card is compatible with numerous Windows®, macOS, and Linux® operating systems. The package includes both standard-profile and low-profile brackets, facilitating installation in full-size or smaller PCs and servers.
The card supports USB data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Furthermore, you can achieve up to 70% faster transfer speeds than with conventional USB 3.0 devices when connecting devices to a computer that additionally supports UASP. UASP allows you to unlock the full potential of a SATA III SSD or HDD. UASP is supported by Windows® 8, macOS (10.8 or higher), and Linux®.
In tests, UASP provides 70% faster read speeds and up to 40% faster write speeds compared to conventional USB 3.2 Gen 2, especially at maximum system load. In the same peak performance tests, UASP also demonstrated an 80% lower processor resource utilization.
Certifications and Compatibility:
- RoHS Compliant
- TAA Compliant
- FCC Certified
- CE Certified
- WEEE Certified
Operating System Support:
- Windows: 11, 10, 8, 8.1, 7
- Windows Server: 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008 R2
- Linux: 3.5 and higher (LTS versions only)
- macOS: 14.0 (Sonoma), 13.0 (Ventura), 12.0 (Monterey), 11.0 (Big Sur), 10.15 (Catalina), 10.14 (Mojave), 10.13 (High Sierra)
Applications
- Upgrade an older PCIe-enabled desktop computer from USB 3.2 Gen 1/2.0 to USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps).
- Expand your system's USB functionality by adding a USB-C port and a USB-A port, or install the card as a key hardware component when building a new PC.
- Ideal for file backup, video editing, and data recovery using high-bandwidth external USB 3.2 Gen 2 storage solutions.
Features
- HIGH PERFORMANCE: The USB 3.2 Gen 2 PCIe Add-on Card supports multiple inputs and delivers maximum bandwidth, even when devices with different speeds are connected; 10 Gbps per port; 1x USB-A and 1x USB-C.
- POWER SUPPLY: Expansion card with SATA power supply provides additional power to the USB ports (when the motherboard's power supply is insufficient), up to 5V 3A/15W via the USB-C connector and 5V 0.9A/4.5W via the USB-A connector.
- MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE WITH USB DEVICES: 2-Port USB-A and USB-C PCIe Card Adapter supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) and optimizes USB performance with external storage devices like SSDs, HDDs, and NVMe drives.
- COMPATIBILITY: Installation in PCIe 3.0 x4 desktop/server slots with full-height or low-profile (reduced performance with PCIe 2.0); automatic driver installation under Windows/Linux/macOS (Windows 8 and higher); functions with USB 3.2/3.1/3.0/2.0.
- THE STARTECH.COM ADVANTAGE: StarTech.com offers a 2-year warranty and free 24-hour support for this Dual-Port USB-A and USB-C PCI Express Host Controller Card with brackets for full-height or low-profile installation.
Specifications
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Ports | 2 |
| Interface | PCI Express x4 |
| Bus Type | PCI Express |
| Card Type | Standard Profile (LP-Slot bracket included) |
| Industry Standards | USB 3.2 Specifications, PCI-Express-Base-3.0-Specifications, Intel-xHCI Specification Rev. 1.1 |
| Chipset ID | ASMedia - ASM3142 |
| Max. Data Transfer Rate | 10 Gbit/s |
| Type and Rate | USB 3.2 Gen 2 - 10 Gbit/s |
| UASP Support | Yes |
| MTBF | 2,684,396 Hours |
| Connectors | 1 - PCI Express x4, 1 - SATA Power (15-pin), 1 - USB 3.2 Type-C (24-pin, Gen 2, 10Gbps), 1 - USB 3.2 Type-A (9-pin, Gen 2, 10Gbit/s) |
| Software Compatibility | Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11; Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022; Linux 3.5 and higher (LTS versions); macOS 14.0, 13.0, 12.0, 11.0, 10.15, 10.14, 10.13 |
| Microsoft WHQL Certified | Yes |
| System Requirements | PCI Express-enabled computer or server with PCIe x4 slot or higher (x8, x16). Optional SATA Power Connection. |
| Note | The USB-C port on the card is a standard data throughput port. It does not support DP Alt Mode or USB Power Delivery. The maximum throughput of this card is limited by the bus interface. |
| Operating Temperature | 5°C to 50°C (41°F to 122°F) |
| Storage Temperature | -20°C to 85°C (-4°F to 185°F) |
| Humidity | 20 to 80% Relative Humidity |
| Physical Characteristics | Color: Red, Enclosure Type: Steel, Product Length: 4.7 in [12.0 cm], Product Width: 3.2 in [8.1 cm], Product Height: 0.8 in [2.1 cm], Product Weight: 1.7 oz [48.0 g] |
| Packaging Information | Package Quantity: 1, Package Length: 6.9 in [17.4 cm], Package Width: 5.6 in [14.3 cm], Package Height: 1.3 in [3.3 cm], Shipping Weight (Package): 4.3 oz [122.0 g] |
| Package Contents | 1 - USB 3.1 Card, 1 - Full-profile bracket (installed), 1 - Low-profile slot bracket, 1 - Quick Installation Guide |
