Two USB-C connectors and a USB power delivery, it's perfect

Aug 24, 2015 06:42 GMT  ·  By

Asustek made available its most advanced USB 3.1 type-C upgrade to date. It has two USB type-C ports and can support a USB type-C power adapter, by transferring up to 100W via one connector.

The new upgrade kit from ASUS comes compatible with any Intel Z170-based mainboard that features a SATA Express. The Asus USB 3.1 UPD Panel features an Asmedia ASM1142 controller and many power and signal management integrated circuits, a 5.25” front panel to host the IC card and a SATA Express cable.

The card can be installed into the adapter and a spare SATAe port is needed to connect the kit to your mainboard, that's in case you need the USB 3.1 ports in the front. In case you need the USB-C in the back, the card can be connected into a PCI Express slot. This way users have lots of flexibility, and choose ease of access if needed, on where to place their card.

USB 3.1 done right

Two 12V Molex power connectors are needed to power the card, and it may take some time to install the USB type-C power delivery capability. It's quite important to do so since one single port can supply a device with up to 100W of power for charging or doing any operation.

Although upgrade kits do exist, delivered by other manufacturers like ASRock's Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6+ where it offers one USB 3.1 front panel, it does not, however, provide any charging ability, making ASUS' upgrade kit the only one in its class with such a feature.

Obviously ASUS' upgrade kit USB 3.1 panel is designed for Intel Z170-based platforms. Although it can work without any problems on any platform previous to the Z170 that is equipped with a PCI Express 3.0 slot and uses a SATA Express connector, it is highly advisable not to connect it to PCI Express 2.0 slots since it will suffer from much lower transfer speeds. PCI Express 3.0 slots provide 10Gb/s while 2.0 slots barely 1.25/s, so the difference is jarring.

Prices for the new UPD Panel are unknown while the card will be made available in the near future.

Asus USB 3.1 UPD Panel (6 Images)

ASUS UPD Kit is the first step to future standard
PCB viewA neat flexible package
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