StarTech.com 2 Port Flush Mount ExpressCard 54mm SuperSpeed (5Gbps) USB 3.0 Card Adapter with UASP - Dual Port Laptop ExpressCard USB 3 Controller, TAA (ECUSB3S254F)

This product works exactly as intended on my 2011 Dell Latitude E5420. It provides full USB 3.0 bandwidth on a laptop that was not originally configured with USB 3.0. I have read a number of the reviews here, both positive and negative. The negative reviewers note, among other things, that: 1) The card is a tight fit in some laptops; 2) The card ejects easily; 3) The card is temperamental and frequently shuts down or disengages without notice; 4) Drivers were difficult to install or did not work correctly; 5) The card provided only USB 2.0 bandwidth and not USB 3.0 bandwidth.With respect to each of these comments I will say this: The item I am reviewing is my second copy of this product. The first one I received had all of the issues listed above and more. After attempting to get it working correctly for about an hour, I requested an RMA from Amazon, received a return label, and sent it back that afternoon.This second one that I am reviewing, works flawlessly. I have none of the issues listed above with this copy and I have full USB 3.0 bandwidth. I have updated my laptop to Windows 10 64-bit. With this OS, and a properly working device, the install was seamless. I shut down the computer before installing the device, then booted it up. Within seconds, the OS recognized the device and installed the appropriate driver from the MS database. No disk or download from the StartTech website was required. If you do use the driver from the included disk or from the StarTech website, Windows 10 will still download and install the more current driver from the MS database, so there really is no point in taking the extra step of manually installing a driver if you are running Windows 10.I tested the device using a portable spinning hard drive, an external SSD, and a USB 3.0 thumb drive. Using a disk speed testing tool, I was able to achieve full USB 3.0 bandwidth for each device: 1) 106+ MB/s for the hard drive; 2) 500+ MB/s for the SSD; and 3) 75+ MB/s for the thumb drive. The spinning hard drive was the only storage device that required the use of the included USB power supply cable. Without it, an active spinning drive draws more current than the StarTech card is capable of delivering on its own, so the card will shut down in the middle of a data transfer if the supplemental power cord is not used.So my experience with this card, so far, has been absolutely excellent. Having built and maintained both desktop and laptop computers for more than 30 years, I know that sometimes when you purchase computer electronics, you end up with a dud. That appears to be what happened to me with the first card I received and perhaps to all of the reviewers who provided negative feedback. While getting a device that's DOA is always disappointing, and never particularly pleasant, Amazon goes out its way to make returning the dud as painless as possible. That's why, whenever possible, I order stuff like this from Amazon. StarTech is also a well-known company and generally produces quality products. I have purchased a number of StarTech products over the years, always with great results. That's why I picked the StarTech branded option over some of the lower cost alternatives that are offered here.Anyway, hopefully you find this feedback helpful. Enjoy!!!

If you have a 54mm Express Card slot and want USB 3.0 connectivity, this is what you need. It is perfectly flush mounted to my Dell D830 Laptop, and the ports are fairly sturdy. That said, as with most express card applications, you probably want to hold the card when removing a cable connection so as to not pull out the card. I actually don't have any USB 3.0 devices other than a hub yet, but I have noticed a slight increase in speed when using multiple devices via the USB 3.0 connection. I also have a USB flash drive connected to this card for utilizing 16MB+ of Windows 7 ReadyBoost.I did a LOT of research before buying this item and it seems like the best option by far if you want the 3.0 capability/need more USB ports for a laptop. The downside is due to the 54mm Express Card only providing only 3.3volts, you will need to use the included USB power cable, which goes from the center power input on the card to another USB 2.0 port or a USB wall adapter. The primary complaint I've seen is people saying the card doesn't provide enough power to run an self-powered external HDD, sometimes even with the included power adapter in place. My suspicion is the USB 2.0 port they are getting the power from for this card doesn't have the standard 5.0 volts or sufficient wattage. You can't expect a 3.3v device to power a hungry external hard drive without the power cable or an adequate auxiliary source. If you do want an external hard drive to work with this, buy one that is, or at least can be, externally powered.The other chief complaint is the power plug doesn't fit the power hole in the card correctly. Luckily, I have not had this problem, and mine fits perfectly. I know this is a problem with the AKE version of this card, and among other reasons that's why I didn't go with that (cheaper) option. StarTech has drivers available for download from their website as well as on the included CD - which are the Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 drivers.Overall, this card has worked well for me since I started using it a month ago, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for the increased speed of USB 3.0 or an extra 1 or 2 USB ports.