Legit Storage Reviews

SilverSton​e SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card Review

Manufacturer: SilverStone
Product: SilverStone SST-EC03B
Date: Wed, Oct 26, 2011 - 12:00 AM
Written By: Legit Staff
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SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card

Bringing to bear the culmination of years of research and design, SilverStone continues to prove that they are at the forefront of the PC enthusiast industry. Offering an expansive array of PC accessories and peripherals, they have garnered many awards and accolades throughout their history. Since 2003, SilverStone continues to provide well-designed and manufactured products for discerning PC enthusiasts everywhere.

SilverStone Logo

PC technology is a fickle thing. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, the game changes and suddenly you're placed in a situation where you either upgrade or fall behind. In many cases, upgrading can involve the replacement of entire systems and cost hundreds of dollars. Motherboards, processors and memory that were the pinnacle of PC technology suddenly become archaic relics in a vast landscape of deprecated and forgotten parts.

SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express card

It doesn't always have to be this way though. While many enthusiasts utter the term "stop-gap" with the same distaste as they did for the thermonuclear hot Prescott processors of yesteryear, for the PC user with limited funds or those not ready for a complete system overhaul, a stop-gap can be an extremely cost effective alternative. Enter the SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express card, a peripheral intended to easily upgrade systems to the world of USB 3.0.

SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express card

Offered in either black (SST-EC03B) or silver brushed aluminum (SST-EC03S), this accessory has the ability to breathe new life into systems lacking USB 3.0 connectivity. Leveraging on the power of an available PCI-e 2.0 slot on a motherboard, the SST-EC03B can deliver throughput up to 5Gb/s. With a 1-year warranty and attractively priced at Amazon for $32.50 USD.

SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express card
SilverStone EC03 Expansion Card Specifications:

Model No.
SST-EC03B (black)
SST-EC03S (silver)
Power requirement
5Vdc via peripheral 4pin power connector
Operating system support
Windows XP, Vista, 7(32bit/64bit)
Form factor
Single lane(x1) PCIe gen 2.0
USB 3.0 controller
NEC uPD720200
USB Ports
Dual port USB 3.0 support (one internal connector)
Enclosure Interface
USB3.0 (Max. 5Gbps) compatible with USB 2.0
USB bus power output
5Vdc / 900mA
Transmitting Speed
USB 3.0(5Gbit/s), USB 2.0(480Mbit/s), USB 1.1(12Mbit/s)

Can the SST-EC03B deliver on its promises? Let's get cracking and find out!

Next Page - Unboxing the SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card


Review Index
Page 1 - SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card
Page 2 - Unboxing the SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card
Page 3 - A Closer Look at the SilverStone SST-EC03B
Page 4 - Installing the SilverStone SST-EC03B USB 3.0 PCI Express Card
Page 5 - Driver Installation of the SilverStone SST-EC03B
Page 6 - The Test System
Page 7 - Benchmarking of the SilverStone SST-EC03B
Page 8 - Final Thoughts and Conclusions of the SilverStone SST-EC03B