In my previous review for the USB Twister Hub from Brando WorkShop, I was lamenting about how the MacBook Pro was limited to two USB ports, unless there was a USB hub of some sort attached. Well todays review item helps solve that conundrum. Dracos was kind enough to send me the Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter for review.
Apiotek EC-0011 SPEED Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter
Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas
Edited by: Kristofer Brozio
Sponsor: Apiotek
When the MacBook Pro was released, they replaced the PCMCIA slot with the Express Card Slot. There are two sizes of ExpressCards. The smaller one is 34mm wide (ExpressCard/34) and the other is 54mm (ExpressCard/54). The MacBook Pro features an ExpressCard/34 slot.
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Uses for that ExpressCar/34 slot include such solutons as: TV tuners, hot pluggable FireWire 800 adapters, extra FireWire 400 port(s), Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity products, CompactFlash adapters, Flash memory cards, Gigabit Ethernet networking cards, External SATA (eSATA), which claims peak interface speeds up to 3 times faster than FireWire 800, and more.
Today I will put the Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter though its paces. Lets get started.
Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
Apiotek EC-0011 SPEED Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter
– Compliant with new Express Card 34/54 interface
– Supports Quad USB2.0 with 480 Mbps
– Supports XP, VISTA & Mac
– Supports Plug & Play
No driver required
Model Name :
APIOTEK Speed Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter
Description:
Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter
Operation Voltage
+3.3V ~+3.0V
(+/-5% wide range power supply)
Interface:
Express Card 34 / USB 2.0
System Environment:
Operating Temperature: 0C ~50C
Operating Humidity: 10% ~90%RH
System Requirements:
Supports Windows 2000, ME, XP & VISTA
Mac 8.6, 9.x, 10.1.2, and above
A Better Look at Things
:
The package features the Express Card on a blue card within a plastic blister card. Once out of the blister package, the contents consist of the USB Express Card and the instruction booklet.
The card is black and silver and once installed, only the black USB HUB portion is seen. There are two rows of two USB 2.0 ports and a side jack for a power adapter, which was not included.
Installation, Testing and Comparison
For testing, I will use my trusty MacBook Pro. Installation involves plugging in the Express Card into the interface. As long as the operating system is Vista, XP or OS X, then drivers are not necessary. Simply plug and play. No muss, no fuss.
Various USB devices including USB External Hard drives, iPod, PSP, Thumb Drives and USB Dongle for Wireless Mouse were used to test the Express USB Card.
There was no discernible difference between the native USB ports and the Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter. It worked seamlessly with the MacBook Pro.
The only problem I have with the card or probably more specifically, my MacBook Pros express card slot, is that the card does not lock into the express slot and can easily pop out while in use. I have not used other devices in the express card slot, so I do not know if there should be a locking clip on the card itself to keep it from detaching so easily.
Summary:
The Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter is an excellent option to add USB ports to an express card port. Used with a MacBook, it provides a 200% increase in available USB ports. Most people do not need six USB ports on a laptop. However, having the option to easily add more USB ports is a great ability. This is especially true for folks who have replaced their desktop PCs with a laptop and need to hook up multiple USB peripherals.
DragonSteelMods gives the Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter a 4.5 out of 5 score.
Pros:
-Simple Plug and Play
-Multiple USB ports
Cons:
-Does not seem to lock into Express Card Port.
I would like to thank Apiotek for the chance to review the Apiotek EC-0011 Quad USB 2.0 Express Card Adapter and for their support of DSM.