USB3 question

Sinbad

Sinbad

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So my PC only has USB2 ports, and I think my old usb2 hub has also seen better days. Want to think about moving to USB3.

So, I assume I can get a PCI USB3 host adapter, right? And USB3 hubs?
Will plugging a usb2 device into said hub cause any performance degradation on usb3 devices attached?

Thanks
 
Sinbad said:
So my PC only has USB2 ports, and I think my old usb2 hub has also seen better days. Want to think about moving to USB3.

So, I assume I can get a PCI USB3 host adapter, right? And USB3 hubs?
Will plugging a usb2 device into said hub cause any performance degradation on usb3 devices attached?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Firstly, both devices communicating with each other needs to be USB 3.0 in order to see the difference in speeds. If they are not both USB 3.0 compatible you will still have slow copying speeds. Plugging a USB 2 device into a USB 3.0 port will still give you only USB 2.0 speeds.

Secondly, you will need to see if your motherboard supports USB 3.0 and see if you have drivers for it. Else, you will still get USB 2 speeds.

Thirdly, as for USB 3.0 speeds, here is my findings:

Using USB 2.0 I get around 15-25Mbps when copying a movie from an external HDD to my PC and vice versa. With USB 3.0 the speed increases to 55 - 75Mbps.
 
House said:
Firstly, both devices communicating with each other needs to be USB 3.0 in order to see the difference in speeds. If they are not both USB 3.0 compatible you will still have slow copying speeds. Plugging a USB 2 device into a USB 3.0 port will still give you only USB 2.0 speeds.

Secondly, you will need to see if your motherboard supports USB 3.0 and see if you have drivers for it. Else, you will still get USB 2 speeds.

Thirdly, as for USB 3.0 speeds, here is my findings:

Using USB 2.0 I get around 15-25Mbps when copying a movie from an external HDD to my PC and vice versa. With USB 3.0 the speed increases to 55 - 75Mbps.
Click to expand...

I understand that a USB2 device will only get USB2 speeds. However, will a USB2 device in a USB3 hub affect performance of OTHER USB3 devices in the same hub?

My motherboard does not support it - hence the host adapter thing.
 
Sinbad said:
So my PC only has USB2 ports, and I think my old usb2 hub has also seen better days. Want to think about moving to USB3.

So, I assume I can get a PCI USB3 host adapter, right? And USB3 hubs?
Will plugging a usb2 device into said hub cause any performance degradation on usb3 devices attached?

Thanks
Click to expand...

PCI, doubtful. But a PCI Express card should work. And yes, new hub, new cables with the blue connectors.

No, a USB 2 device will just run at USB 2.0 speeds like before. Like a network switch the other ports won't be affected.

Why would you want to buy a new hub etc? The only devices that even remotely take advantage of USB 3.0 speeds are storage devices such as hard drives or phones (before Samsung downgraded back to USB2.0)

By the time you actually need it for anything, you'll probably need to upgrade your motherboard anyway.
 
TJ99 said:
PCI, doubtful. But a PCI Express card should work. And yes, new hub, new cables with the blue connectors.

No, a USB 2 device will just run at USB 2.0 speeds like before. Like a network switch the other ports won't be affected.

Why would you want to buy a new hub etc? The only devices that even remotely take advantage of USB 3.0 speeds are storage devices such as hard drives or phones (before Samsung downgraded back to USB2.0)

By the time you actually need it for anything, you'll probably need to upgrade your motherboard anyway.
Click to expand...

Because my PC hides under a desk, USB ports inaccessible, so I have a hub on my desk for plugging in whatever I feel the need to plug in without having to crawl around on the floor.

I have a USB3 hard drive, and a galaxy s5... so I do have usb3 devices already.
 
Last edited:
I was all up in this usb3 business.
Upgrade my MB and got myself 4 usb 3 ports; stopped using the usb3 hardrive because I don't even bother to store things anymore.

Value in USB3 - 0.
 
Sinbad said:
I understand that a USB2 device will only get USB2 speeds. However, will a USB2 device in a USB3 hub affect performance of OTHER USB3 devices in the same hub?

My motherboard does not support it - hence the host adapter thing.
Click to expand...

Nope, you will not get any USB 3.0 functionality at all. The adapter is useless if your motherboard does not support this functionality.

Practically, I suspect that plugging a USB 2.0 device into the USB 3.0 hub will affect the functionality of other USB 3.0 devices in the same hub, but I have not tested this to really comment on it.

If you want to go the USB 3.0 route, I would recommend that you upgrade your motherboard first.
 
Electric said:
I was all up in this usb3 business.
Upgrade my MB and got myself 4 usb 3 ports; stopped using the usb3 hardrive because I don't even bother to store things anymore.

Value in USB3 - 0.
Click to expand...

You are right when it comes to the majority of PC users, however, there are people like me that copies large files and USB 3.0 allows me to copy 3TB, 4TB HDD's in a matter of a few hours, as appose to almost a whole day with USB 2.0.
 
House said:
Nope, you will not get any USB 3.0 functionality at all. The adapter is useless if your motherboard does not support this functionality.

Practically, I suspect that plugging a USB 2.0 device into the USB 3.0 hub will affect the functionality of other USB 3.0 devices in the same hub, but I have not tested this to really comment on it.

If you want to go the USB 3.0 route, I would recommend that you upgrade your motherboard first.
Click to expand...

Please explain how the motherboard limits the functionality of a PCIX or PCI addin card?
 
TJ99 said:
I'm going to go out on a limb and say you won't get full speed out of that thing. PCI bandwidth is max 533MB/s and USB3.0 is 625.
Click to expand...

Yup, probably. I need to see if the PCIX port on my motherboard is free though. If not, it could be an acceptable compromise.
 
House said:
You are right when it comes to the majority of PC users, however, there are people like me that copies large files and USB 3.0 allows me to copy 3TB, 4TB HDD's in a matter of a few hours, as appose to almost a whole day with USB 2.0.
Click to expand...

Yes, I fully agree.
 
Sinbad said:
Please explain how the motherboard limits the functionality of a PCIX or PCI addin card?
Click to expand...

Your motherboard should have USB 3.0 headers. If it does not, you can add these cards, but you will still get USB 2.0 speeds.
 
House said:
Your motherboard should have USB 3.0 headers. If it does not, you can add these cards, but you will still get USB 2.0 speeds.
Click to expand...

Why?
These cards have USB controllers on board. They are not reliant on the motherboard USB controller.
 
Sinbad said:
Why?
These cards have USB controllers on board. They are not reliant on the motherboard USB controller.
Click to expand...

Dude, this is House you're talking to. He should have left the thread a while ago leaving everyone to speculate as to his ignorance. Now he's going to stay and prove it for all.

Edit: Already did.
 
TJ99 said:
Dude, this is House you're talking to. He should have left the thread a while ago leaving everyone to speculate as to his ignorance. Now he's going to stay and prove it for all.

Edit: Already did.
Click to expand...

Valid point :D
 
That cards costs almost as much as a decent motherboard, and you'd probably need to run it off of the PCI-e slot to really get the full bandwidth out of it.
 
Maverick Jester said:
That cards costs almost as much as a decent motherboard, and you'd probably need to run it off of the PCI-e slot to really get the full bandwidth out of it.
Click to expand...

But if I buy a new motherboard then I'm also in for new RAM and CPU...? And having to rebuild everything?
 
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