14 DAY TRIAL // When Intel said it would be pushing USB 3.0 hardware as far away as 2011, ASUS had already finished working on a motherboard with USB 3.0 support. Still, to alleviate the suffering of those PC enthusiasts who wouldn't have a perfect Christmas without USB 3.0, Sharkoon introduced today its solution: a USB 3.0 addon PCIe x1 card and compatible QuickPort HDD docks.
USB 3.0 is ten times faster than its 2.0 incarnation, allowing for data-transfer rates of up to 5GB/s, with enhanced reliability and energy efficiency. To remove the need to wait for USB 3.0 motherboards, the company launched this solution for a quick and efficient upgrade. The product uses a NEC µPD720200 chip and the two USB 3.0 Ports are combined with the PCIe 2.0 so that it can conform to the Intel xHCI-rev0.96 specifications.
The card directly connects to the PCIe 1x and can operate on a larger PCIe slot, providing a connection speed twice as fast. The device supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 (32 Bit / 64 Bit).
This adapter is not the only news from Sharkoon. It seems that, very soon, peripherals meant to operate in conjunction with this product will be released, namely the docking station Sharkoon SATA QuickPort series. All of these table adapters allow direct access to SATA hard drives.
All it takes is to plug the HDD into it and the computer will instantly recognize it, and the removal of the drive is easily done through a press of the eject button. A folding mechanism also offers a secure grip for the plugging of smaller, notebook drives. The table adapters weigh approximately 575 grams and are pretty much accident-proof, while the operation and data access are shown by two LED indicators.
The latest model of the Sharkoon QuickPort USB 3.0 comes with an instruction manual, universal AC adapter (EU, UK, U.S.) and a USB 3.0 cable.
Authorized retailers have already started marketing this product. Customers will find the retail price set at 39.99 EUR. The Sharkoon SATA QuickPort USB 3.0 will also become available beginning with calendar week 48. The suggested retail price is of 49.99 EUR.
More information may be found on the Sharkoon website.