Are you in the United States?
Visit our U.S.A. & International site for relevant pricing, distribution and product availability information.
Go to StarTech.com2 Port PCI Express (PCIe) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter with UASP - LP4 Power (PEXUSB3S25)
2 Port PCI Express SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter with UASP Support
Add 2 USB 3.0 ports to your desktop computer through a PCI Express expansion slot
Product ID: PEXUSB3S2
- Provides two external USB 3.0 connections
- Fully compliant with USB 3.0 revision 1.0 specifications and Intel xHCI rev0.96 specifications, with transfer rates up to 5 Gbps
- UASP support for more efficient data transfer
- Built-in optional LP4 Molex power connector for bus-powered USB devices
- Backward compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.0/1.1 devices
- Optionally provides up to 900mA per USB port
- Compliant with PCI Express 2.0 specifications
- Supports up to 127 USB devices per port (requires additional USB hubs)
- Plug-and-Play and Hot-Swap compatible
- Supports Control/Bulk/Interrupt/Isochronous USB Transfer modes
- Includes a Low Profile installation bracket
Not Available
May be in stock with partners
Support
Overview
The PEXUSB3S2 PCI Express USB 3.0 card lets you add two USB 3.0 ports to your PC through a PCI Express slot.
Featuring a native NEC PCI Express host controller chipset, the USB 3.0 standard supports transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, while still providing backward compatibility for older USB 2.0 (480Mbps) and 1.1 (12Mbps) devices.
Enhanced with UASP support (USB Attached SCSI Protocol), this USB 3.0 controller performs up to 70% faster than conventional USB 3.0 when paired with a UASP supported enclosure (Note: UASP requires a compatible operating system). Using a more efficient protocol than the traditional USB BOT (Bulk-Only Transport), UASP technology optimizes transfers by allowing multiple commands to be processed simultaneously, significantly increasing transfer speeds for less wait time on data transfers. See our UASP test results below for further details.
In addition to providing a much faster transfer rate the PEXUSB3S2 USB 3.0 card also supplies 900mA of power per USB port, allowing more and more external devices to operate without the need of an additional power source.
Backed by a StarTech.com lifetime warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Improved Performance with UASP
UASP is supported in Windows® 8 and Server 2012. In testing UASP performed with up to a 70% faster read / 40% faster write speed over traditional USB 3.0 at peak performance.
At the same peak in testing, UASP also showed up to an 80% reduction in required processor resources.
Test results were obtained using an Intel® Ivy Bridge system, StarTech.com add-on USB 3.0 cards, a UASP-enabled StarTech.com enclosure, and a SATA III solid state drive.
The StarTech.com Advantage
- SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connectivity at up to 5 Gbps, while still backwards compatible with USB 2.0/1.x
- Time-saving file transfers, up to 70% faster than traditional USB 3.0 when used with a UASP-supported enclosure
- Fit into standard or low profile systems, with a dual profile design
Applications
Upgrade an older PCIe-based system with USB 3.0 connectivity to fully utilize USB 3.0 devices
Expand a system's USB capabilities with two additional external USB ports
Connect additional external hard drives, CD/DVD drives, MP3 players, printers, scanners, webcams, game controllers, digital cameras, etc. to a computer system
Technical Specifications
Warranty Information | ||
---|---|---|
Warranty | Lifetime | |
Hardware | ||
Bus Type | PCI Express | |
Card Type | Standard Profile (LP bracket incl.) | |
Chipset ID | Renesas/NEC - µPD720200 | |
Interface | USB 3.0 | |
Ports | 2 | |
Performance | ||
MTBF | 11,914 Hours | |
Type and Rate | USB 3.0 - 5 Gbit/s | |
UASP Support | Yes | |
Connector(s) | ||
Connector Type(s) | 1 - PCI Express x1 Male | |
External Ports | 2 - USB Type-A (9 pin) USB 3.0 Female | |
Internal Ports | 1 - LP4 (4 pin, Molex Large Drive Power) Male | |
Software | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows XP(32/64-bit)/ Server 2003(32/64-bit)/ Server 2008 R2/ Vista(32/64-bit)/ 7(32/64-bit)/ 8(32/64-bit) | |
Special Notes / Requirements | ||
Note | The maximum throughput of this card is limited by the bus interface. If used with PCI Express Gen 1.0 enabled computers, the max throughput is 2.5 Gbps. If used with PCI Express Gen 2.0 enabled computers, the max throughput is 5 Gbps. | |
Environmental | ||
Humidity | 0~85% RH | |
Operating Temperature | -0°C to 50°C (32°F to 122°F) | |
Storage Temperature | -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F) | |
Physical Characteristics | ||
Product Height | 19 mm [0.7 in] | |
Product Length | 121 mm [4.8 in] | |
Product Weight | 60 g [2.1 oz] | |
Product Width | 76 mm [3 in] | |
Packaging Information | ||
Shipping (Package) Weight | 0.1 kg [0.3 lb] | |
What's in the Box | ||
Included in Package | 1 - PCI Express USB 3.0 Card | |
1 - LP4 Molex to SATA Adapter | ||
1 - Low Profile bracket | ||
1 - Installation CD | ||
1 - Instruction Manual |
Compatibility


Related Products
4 Port PCI Express Low Profile High Speed USB Card
Add 4 USB 2.0 ports to your low profile/small form factor computer through a PCI Express expansion slot
1038+ In stock
195+ In stock
2 Port ExpressCard Laptop USB 2.0 Adapter Card
Add two USB 2.0 ports to a computer through an ExpressCard slot
57+ In stock
Accessories
6 ft SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Cable A to A - M/M
Connect USB 3.0 A devices to a USB hub or to your computer
104+ In stock
10 ft SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Cable A to B - M/M
Connect to your external devices and transfer data at 10x the speed of USB 2.0
6 ft SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Cable A to B - M/M
Connect to your external solutions and transfer data at 10x the speed of USB 2.0
1338+ In stock
Product Support
Drivers & Downloads
Driver(s):
-
[Renesas uPD720200] USB 3.0 Controller.zip
Windows Version: 2.1.39.0 - Windows_Release_Notes.txt
Manual(s):
-
PEXUSB3S2.pdf
English
Compliance Letter(s):
Data Sheet(s)
- PEXUSB3S2_Datasheet.pdf
English
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
The USB expansion cards derive power from the PCI or PCI Express slot on the motherboard. When high-powered USB devices are connected to the USB expansion card, the power provided by the slot may not be enough to power all of the devices and you should connect additional sources of power. When you troubleshoot issues, you should connect an additional source of power.
Symptoms that you are experiencing power-related issues include certain devices not working correctly, not all of the devices working at the same time, and certain devices not working at all.
Examples of low-powered USB devices include USB mice, keyboards, and flash drives. An example of a high-powered USB device is an external hard drive that does not have an external source of power.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
Installation
Prior to installing this device, ensure that your operating system is up to date (for example, you have installed the most recent service pack).
To install the driver:
- Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website (http://www.startech.com/Support). You can find the part number and product ID on the product’s packaging.
Note: Windows will typically save the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Users\your_name\Downloads).
- Once the download is complete, right-click the zip folder that you downloaded, select Extract All, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- In the list of extracted files, right-click the Setup.exe file and select Run as Administrator.
Note: If the Run as Administrator option is not available, you might be attempting to run the installer from within the zipped file. Extract the files using the instructions in Step 2.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to install the device drivers and restart the computer when prompted.
- Your computer will automatically complete the driver installation and your device should be ready to use.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
Prior to installing this device, ensure that your operating system is up to date (for example, you have installed the most recent service pack).
To install the driver:
- Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website (http://www.startech.com/Support). You can find the part number and product ID on the product’s packaging.
Note: Windows will typically save the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, C:\Documents and Settings\your_name\My Documents\Downloads).
- Once the download is complete, right-click the zip folder that you downloaded, select Extract All, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- In the list of extracted files, double-click the Setup.exe file.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to install the device drivers and restart the computer when prompted.
- Your computer will automatically complete the driver installation and your device should be ready to use.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
How to
To confirm that Windows detects your expansion card, complete the following:
- Press the Windows key+R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
- In Device Manager, under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an exclamation mark next to it. For example, a USB controller card would be under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
Your expansion card is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your expansion card, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
Troubleshooting
If the USB device does not work after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power.
The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening.
Windows 10 / 8
- On your keyboard, press the Windows key + X and select Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
- Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
- Click Change advanced power settings.
- Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows 7 / Vista
- Click the Start button and select Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.
- Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.
- Click Change advanced power settings.
- Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Windows XP
- On your desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties.
- Click the Device Manager tab.
- Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers by clicking the arrow to the left of it.
- Right-click the first USB Root Hub device and select Properties.
- Click the Power Management tab.
- Clear the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Click OK to apply the setting.
- Repeat steps 4-7 for any remaining devices in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section with “Root Hub” in the name.
Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB device after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
When you troubleshoot issues with a USB controller card, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
-
USB cables
-
USB devices
-
USB controller card
To test your setup components, try the following:
-
Use the USB cable, device, and controller card in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
-
Use a different USB cable, device, and controller card in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
Test each cable individually.
-
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the USB device and controller card, it is recommended that you do the following:
-
Press the Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Device Manager. Check to see if your device is listed under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
-
If you do not see the USB controller card listed in Device Manager please see this FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=expansion-cards#pci-pcie-cannot-boot-os-or-detect-windows.
-
If the device is listed with an error, follow the instructions on the website to reinstall the drivers.
Copy Link
Was this information helpful? Yes No
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Follow us on Twitter | Find us on Google+