Putting ExpressCard to Work
Essentially, ExpressCard is a portable implementation of PCI Express. So, how can you put it to work to help improve your laptop? The most significant categories with ExpressCard devices include:
- Adapters for older systems
- eSATA 3Gbps and eSATA RAID
- FireWire (IEEE-1394a, IEEE-1394b) ports
- Gigabit Ethernet
- USB 3.0 ports
Let’s take a closer look at each of these uses so you can match your needs to what’s on the market.
Adapters for Older Systems
Devices in this category, such as SIIG’s Active ExpressCard/34 adapter JU-EC0032-S1 (adapts ExpressCards based on USB to run in a CardBus slot) or USB to ExpressCard adapter JU-000012-S1 (adapts ExpressCards based on USB to connect to a USB port), enable you to add new technology to older systems.
Personally, I think this makes more sense in theoretical than in practical terms because you won’t get the performance boost you want because of the limitations of the older CardBus and USB 2.0 technologies. A secondary concern is that these adapters only work with ExpressCards that connect via USB 2.0 rather than PCIe.