- What Is USB 3.0?
- Benefits of Moving to USB 3.0
- Upgrading Your Current System to USB 3.0
- The Bottom Line
- Choosing USB 3.0 Devices
- Selecting the Best USB 3.0 Hardware for You
Selecting the Best USB 3.0 Hardware for You
Before you choose your first USB 3.0 hardware,, use this checklist:
Technical Information
With considerations such as chipsets, number and type of PCIe lanes and slots, power supplies, drive features such as RPM and cache size, and other issues affecting your long-term satisfaction, the more you know about what you’re buying, the better off you are. If you’re not satisfied with the level of information you have about a particular USB 3.0 item, check with the manufacturer for more; if you’re still not satisfied, choose a different item.
Driver Support and Availability
Because there is no universal USB 3.0 driver built into Windows, you are dependent upon the vendors of USB 3.0 cards and other devices for driver support. Before buying an item, you should verify if the drivers are available online so you can install the device even if you lose or damage your driver CD.
Product Quality and User Experience
Although a few vendors now provide user reviews on their own websites, the best places to find reviews of specific products is to check high-volume dealers who provide user reviews, such as NewEgg, Amazon.com, and others. Read reviews carefully to determine if some users have found the same problems and issues as other users. Problems that are repeated, especially if they’re recent, can be a red flag to buying a particular product.