14 DAY TRIAL // It has been months since USB 3.0 became a standard, but, even with all the newest chipsets that AMD and Intel have or plan to introduce, the interface is still not natively supported on any platforms. On the one hand, this means that platforms and storage units with support for the connection will be scarce for quite some time yet, much to the dismay of consumers. On the other hand, makers of peripherals will thrive because less native support means that their various adapters will sell in greater numbers. Knowing this, Patriot Memory has unveiled three products meant to bring SuperSpeed to current-generation computers.
One of the three devices is an aluminum-wrought, 2.5-inch USB 3.0 HDD enclosure, codenamed Gauntlet, which will let hard drives or solid state drives externally communicate with a host PC at maximum rates of 5Gbps. The more noteworthy pair of products, however, is a couple of adapter cards, which, instead of giving a single device USB 3.0 capabilities, will enable the communication between systems and products that already meet the standard.
The two adapters that Patriot has brought forth are known as the PCUSB3PCIE and PCUSB3EXP. The former, as its name implies, will use the bandwidth of the desktop PCI Express interface to provide two USB 3.0 ports. The device is meant to play a similar role, only for notebook computers outfitted with an ExpressCard slot. Both are backwards compatible with USB 2.0/11 and boast supplemental power input jacks, in case they must communicate with USB 3.0 products in need of additional power.
"Patriot's mission of providing a diverse line of products that satisfy end users’ needs for technology solutions has always been a driving force within our company," Les Henry, vice president of engineering at Patriot, said. "Adding a family of SuperSpeed USB 3.0 solutions to our peripheral product line is a testament to the commitment of the Patriot team to offer consumers incredible performance, solutions to upgrade and enhance their computing experience, and our dedication to providing the latest technology products."
According to the official press announcement, the PCUSB3PCIE and PCUSB3EXP adapter cards are already shipping, which means that speed-loving end-users would be able to find them in stores. As for the Gauntlet, the release merely states that it will be available soon, which means that it shouldn't be long before it also starts selling. Finally, all are backed by a two-year warranty and, while the Gauntlet's price is still unknown, the PCI Express and ExpressCard adapters can be found on Newegg, priced at $32.99 and at $34.99, respectively.