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Green circuit board with four blue USB ports and a SATA power connector

STARTECH

STARTECH PEXUSB3S42 4-port USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card

SKU CH-TXQV-VXWEN MPN PEXUSB3S42

Adds four USB 3.0 ports — three external and one internal — via PCI Express with standard and low-profile brackets included

  • External USB ports16x USB Ports
  • External connectors3 - USB 3.0 A (9 pin; SuperSpeed) Female
  • Internal ports1 - SATA Power (15 pin) Plug 1 - USB 3.0 A (9 pin; SuperSpee
  • Supported standardsUSB 3.0
  • Transfer speedUp to 5.0 Gbit/s
  • Supported operating systemsWindows® 8 / 8.1 (32/64bit), 7 (32/64), Vista (32/64), XP (3
  • Add four USB 3.0 ports with three external and one internal connection
  • Achieve up to 5.0 Gbps data transfer rates per port
  • Includes both standard and low-profile brackets for flexible installation
  • Supports Windows 8.1, 8, 7 and Linux 2.6.31+ without extra drivers
  • Power internal devices via a 15-pin SATA power connector

Four USB 3.0 ports via PCI Express

This StarTech.com PEXUSB3S42 card adds four SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connections through a single PCIe slot. Three ports face the rear bracket for external peripherals. One port sits on the board for internal devices such as a front-panel header or flash module. The adapter includes both standard and low-profile brackets to fit different chassis heights.

Desktop builders adding legacy USB 3.0 ports

The card suits owners of older Windows or Linux systems that already support USB 3.0 natively and need extra Type-A connectors. It draws auxiliary power from a 15-pin SATA plug, so a free power lead is required. Buyers whose motherboards lack a spare PCIe slot or who need USB 3.1 Gen 2 or Type-C connectivity should consider other options.

One internal SATA power connector required

A 15-pin SATA power connection on the card must be linked to the power supply for the ports to operate. Without that link the controller will not enumerate attached devices. The board measures 4.70 by 3.40 inches and weighs 0.13 lb, fitting most low-profile or full-height slots.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in PCIe Expansion Cards, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $32.99
Typical for this category: the median of 891 items is $30.99.

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameStarTech.com
Model namePEXUSB3S42
Product typePCI Express to USB Card
Performance
Transfer speedUp to 5.0 Gbit/s
Connectivity
Supported standardsUSB 3.0
Ports & slots
External USB ports16x USB Ports
External connectors3 - USB 3.0 A (9 pin; SuperSpeed) Female
Internal ports1 - SATA Power (15 pin) Plug
1 - USB 3.0 A (9 pin; SuperSpeed) Female
Size & build
Product dimensions4.7 in × 0.7 in × 3.4 in
Product weight0.13 lb (0.06 kg)
Shipping weight0.20 kg
Package size170 × 142 × 28 mm
Compatibility
Supported operating systemsWindows® 8 / 8.1 (32/64bit), 7 (32/64), Vista (32/64), XP (32/64)
Windows Server® 2012, 2008 R2
Linux 2.6.31 and up (Tested up to 3.5)
In the box
In the box1–4 Port PCI Express USB 3.0 Card
1 - Low-Profile Bracket
1 - Driver CD
1 - Instruction Manual

Questions about this item

Should I choose this card if I need both external and internal USB 3.0 ports?

This model provides three external USB 3.0 Type-A ports and one internal USB 3.0 Type-A port, so a single card adds both connection types.

What does the 5.0 Gbps rate mean for actual file transfers?

The 5.0 Gbps signalling rate is the USB 3.0 maximum; real-world throughput will be lower due to protocol overhead and the PCIe lane configuration used.

Which PCIe slot standard does the card use and what bandwidth does it provide?

The card installs in a standard PCI Express slot; the USB 3.0 controller is limited to 5.0 Gbps per port regardless of the slot generation.

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