eSATA 3Gbps and eSATA RAID
Before USB 3.0 came on the scene, eSATA was the “next big thing” in high-speed external storage interfaces: eSATA blows the doors off USB 2.0, and if you have eSATA/USB 2.0 drives but have a laptop without an eSATA port, adding an eSATA interface can be a big boost to your laptop’s storage and backup performance.
ExpressCard/34
The most common form factor for eSATA ExpressCards is the ExpressCard/34 design, most versions of which include two stacked ports (except as noted). Some examples include:
- Addonics ADEXC34-2E
- Griffin Technology eSATA ExpressCard/34
- LaCie SATA II ExpressCard/34
- IOGear GPS702e3
- SIIG SC-SAEE22-S1
- Sonnet TSATAII-E34P2 (two ports, includes port multipler support); TSATAII-E1P-E34 (one port, flush-mounted, includes port multiplier support); TSATAII-PRO-E34 (enhanced performance, longer warranty, enhanced features)
- StarTech ECDSATA1 (one port, flush-mounted; includes port multiplier support); ECESAT32 (supports 6Gbps speeds); ECESAT22 (3Gbps)
ExpressCard/54
Some vendors prefer the wider ExpressCard/54 form factor, which enables a lower-profile connector with side-by-side eSATA ports. Some examples include:
- Belkin F5U239
- SIIG SC-SAE512-S1
- StarTech ECESATA254; ECESATA254F (flush mounted)
RAID Adapters
Although many vendors make eSATA RAID adapters for desktop computers, very few are available in the ExpressCard form factor for laptop computers. These include:
- Addonics ADEXC34R5-2E (RAID 0,1; discontinued, but still available from some sources)
- SIIG SC-SAE612-S1 (RAID 0,1)