USB 3.x PCIe Cards for Classic Mac Pro

[joevt]

(Inland has been returned)

Vantec UGT-PC371AC is seen as (1b21:1242)

The StarTech HB31C3A1CS [chip spec is Realtek - RTS5423] is seen as (14b0:012d)

The Vantec NextStar 3.1 NST-37OA31-BK enclosure is only seen as (174c:1351) when connected directly to the pci-e card (same as the Factory Easystore ext.).

The Vantec NST-205C3-SG nvme does not connect through the Hub, and only directly attached to the UGT-PC371AC.

Only BS(OC) on the MP; I have not tried it on my MBP (BS(Native)) . . . will try that later, to rule-out OC

Strange that some thumb drives are visible when plugged into the ST hub (various 2.0), and others are not (a Memorex 3.1, for one). I get no connect with any external enclosure I have.

Every USB 3.x hub contains at least two USB hubs - one for USB 2.0 and another for USB 3.x.

For example, the CalDigit Element Hub contains 4 hubs:
USB 2.0: 2188:0034 -> 2188:0031
USB 3.x: 8087:0b40 -> 2188:0032

Two hubs for USB 2.0, 4 ports for the first, 8 ports for the second, with the 2nd hub connected to the first. The first hub is for the 3 USB-C ports. The second hub is for the 4 USB-A ports and a billboard device 2188:0035 with 3 unused ports.

Two hubs for USB 3.x, 4 ports for the first, 5 ports for the second, with the 2nd hub connected to the first. The first hub is for the 3 USB-C ports. The second hub is the for 4 USB-A ports with 1 unused port.

(Have to use ioreg or IORegistryExplorer.app to see how many ports each bus and hub has - The Thunderbolt tab in System Information.app is more informative than the USB tab because it shows ports even if nothing is connected to them)

I can't seem to get USB 2.0 devices to work from the USB-A ports when the Element Hub is connected to the ASM1142 of the Mac Pro 2008 (running Catalina), but they do work from the USB-C ports. USB 3.x devices work from USB-C and USB-A ports.

So I tried the hub with various ports of the Mac mini 2018 (running Monterey):
Thunderbolt port: all works including USB 2.0 from the USB-A ports
W5700 USB-C port: same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.
ASM1142 in Thunderbolt enclosure (Sunix UPD2018): same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.
ASM3242 in Thunderbolt enclosure (StarTech PEXUSB321C): same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.

 

[splifingate]

Every USB 3.x hub contains at least two USB hubs - one for USB 2.0 and another for USB 3.x.

For example, the CalDigit Element Hub contains 4 hubs:
USB 2.0: 2188:0034 -> 2188:0031
USB 3.x: 8087:0b40 -> 2188:0032

Two hubs for USB 2.0, 4 ports for the first, 8 ports for the second, with the 2nd hub connected to the first. The first hub is for the 3 USB-C ports. The second hub is for the 4 USB-A ports and a billboard device 2188:0035 with 3 unused ports.

Two hubs for USB 3.x, 4 ports for the first, 5 ports for the second, with the 2nd hub connected to the first. The first hub is for the 3 USB-C ports. The second hub is the for 4 USB-A ports with 1 unused port.

(Have to use ioreg or IORegistryExplorer.app to see how many ports each bus and hub has - The Thunderbolt tab in System Information.app is more informative than the USB tab because it shows ports even if nothing is connected to them)

I can't seem to get USB 2.0 devices to work from the USB-A ports when the Element Hub is connected to the ASM1142 of the Mac Pro 2008 (running Catalina), but they do work from the USB-C ports. USB 3.x devices work from USB-C and USB-A ports.

So I tried the hub with various ports of the Mac mini 2018 (running Monterey):
Thunderbolt port: all works including USB 2.0 from the USB-A ports
W5700 USB-C port: same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.
ASM1142 in Thunderbolt enclosure (Sunix UPD2018): same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.
ASM3242 in Thunderbolt enclosure (StarTech PEXUSB321C): same problem as MacPro3,1 ASM1142.

Oh, yes! thanks

The ST Hub has a 2.0 (14b0:0136) in addition to the 3.1 (14b0:012d) . . . three A and one C slot . . . I've no C to C cables to try the C port, but the one 3.1 Thumb I have doesn't register on any of the three A's

I should not be surprised that Manufacturers are having a hard time making products that cater, seeing that the USB Specs keep changing so fast.

Gana ponder all this a bit before I start lobbing $ at the problem <smile>

 

[joevt]

Added a section for GPUs with USB-C ports to the original post.

 

[splifingate]

Oh, yes! thanks

The ST Hub has a 2.0 (14b0:0136) in addition to the 3.1 (14b0:012d) . . . three A and one C slot . . . I've no C to C cables to try the C port, but the one 3.1 Thumb I have doesn't register on any of the three A's

I should not be surprised that Manufacturers are having a hard time making products that cater, seeing that the USB Specs keep changing so fast.

Gana ponder all this a bit before I start lobbing $ at the problem <smile>

I was already in the process of getting my GC-Titan 2.0 ready, and I have finally installed it in the MP (stock; unflashed; pins 1&3 shorted).

Hooked the StarTech 3.1 Gen2 Hub to a TB port with a 10gbps USB-C cable, powered it up, attached my 3.1 gen2 ext. nvme, and it instantly mounted!

AJA shows 863MB/s writes, and 921MB/s reads, so I'm now definitely cooking with the bandwidth I had originally expected <smile>

So, it's the ASM1142 Vantec which'll be tossed in a box, not the hub.

Thanks for the feedback, Joe.

 

[VaZ]

My ASM1142 Silverstone usb 3.1 card gets the same speeds from 7 years ago that you are today. Am i missing something?

 

[splifingate]

My ASM1142 Silverstone usb 3.1 card gets the same speeds from 7 years ago that you are today. Am i missing something?

You are not . . . but I am

I was getting 700MB/s+ from either of the two ports on the Vantec, but only with items directly attached to the ports.

The StarTech 3.1 gen2 hub I have was completely invisible to the Vantec

It's my hope that I can use the TR controller to greatly increase port availability (and ease of access).

 

[joevt]

My ASM1142 Silverstone usb 3.1 card gets the same speeds from 7 years ago that you are today. Am i missing something?

The difference is 800MB/s for the ASM1142 (2 lanes of PCIe 2.0) vs 1040MB/s for the Titan Ridge or any 4 lane USB controller using AmorphousDiskMark.
Read the first post regarding USB 3.1 gen 2 controllers.

 

[Jazzzny]

Good news: OCLP has added support for XHCI (Booting from a USB3 PCIe card), should work with most chipsets

 

[syncom]

Thread summary for latest recommendations.

This thread refers to PCIe cards for adding USB 3.0 and 3.1 to classic Mac Pros.

General Notes:

• The USB 3.0 cards in this list support UASP for faster transfer speeds and reduced CPU utilization (exceptions to this are noted).
• The USB 3.0 cards in this list do not require supplemental power to be attached.
• The USB 3.0 cards in the list are not limited to storage-only USB devices (exceptions to this are noted).
• The cMP will never boot from USB 3 or newer because there is no support until the drivers load in the OS.
• Transferring data over USB 3.0 interferes with bluetooth reception and to a lesser extent 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi.
• Due to USB 3.0 ports in the nMP, native drivers are provided in OS X for Fresco Logic FL1100 chipset cards in ML 10.8.2 or later. 10.7.5 Lion through 10.10 Yosemite is supported through the open source GenericUSBXHCI driver. Cards using other chipsets require proprietary drivers.
• The Lexar USB 3.0 memory reader is known to be unreliable with several Fresco Logic cards.
• The USB 3.0 Asmedia ASM1042A chipset has native drivers included in 10.9 and newer.
• There are warning messages upon waking from sleep when using detachable USB media in OS X. This occurs even with Apple's built-in USB 3.0 ports, so it isn't your card.

USB 3.0:

• Also known as USB 3.1 gen 1 and USB 3.2 gen 1 x1
• USB 3.0 transfers bits on the wire at SuperSpeed (SS). This is 5 Gbps using 8b/10b encoding which means bytes are transferred at 4 Gbps or 500 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is similar to PCIe 1.0 x2 or PCIe 2.0 x1 (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 3.2 Gbps or 400 MB/s.
• USB 3.0 and later are full-duplex (bits can be transmitted in both directions simultaneously). This means there are separate send and receive data lines. USB 2.0 and earlier are half-duplex (there is only one data line). Each data line uses two pins/wires (USB signals are transmitted using differential signaling on a
• twisted-pair data cable). A USB 3.x cable has both USB 2.0 and 3.x data lines (they are separate).

QNINE 4 Ports PCIe USB 3.0 Card for Mac Pro, 4 Port Type A
If you just want a basic USB 3 card with a low price with BT adapter upgrade.

• $26, appears to only sell through Amazon, ASIN: B07XXT2M2B. The manufacturer claims it was specifically designed for the Mac Pro and supported under Mac OS 10.10 or later.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• The package, as listed on Amazon, includes a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle that does work if enabled using the Xcode BT selector utility. Oddly enough, it also includes a GPU dual 6 to 8 pin GPU power supply cable, which is not needed by the USB card, but never hurts to have a spare.

YEELIYA PCIe USB 3.0 Card, 4 Port - 3 Type A, 1 Type C
If you just want a basic USB 3 card with a low price and Type C port.

• $28, appears to only sell through Amazon, ASIN: B08GC6VFF2
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• Three type A ports, one type C port (operates in 5Gbps backwards compatiblility)

Inateck KT4004
If you just want a basic working card with a low price and no special features.

• $30
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• Works great with Yosemite and El Capitan, despite specifications stating otherwise.
• Big review here.
• It does not have a dedicated USB controller for each port, so simultaneous transfers over multiple ports will have to share bandwidth.
• Ignore the mfr's statement "Incompatible with Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite or Above". It works on these operating systems.

HighPoint RocketU 1144D
If you want an independent USB controller dedicated to each port for using multiple drives at the same time.

• $105-$125 (Approximate price as of 10/2/2018)
• It has a dedicated controller for each port, meaning full speed for connected devices, even when used simultaneously.
• It uses Asmedia ASM1042A chipset, which has native drivers included in 10.9 and later.
• Slightly faster than the FL-based cards when using one device. Substantially faster when using multiple devices simultaneously.
• One user reports zero bluetooth interference using this card.
• Big review here.

HighPoint RocketU 1144E
If you want an independent USB controller dedicated to each port for using multiple drives at the same time, plus non-bootable eSATA.

• $140-$170
• Basically the same as RocketU 1144C, plus non-bootable eSATA.
• Requires third party drivers.

CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro
If you want bootable eSATA.

• $140
• This model number with "PRO" at the end is substantially better than the discontinued non-pro model it replaces. The new model works with all USB devices, not just storage devices. It doesn't have the reduced speed problem that the old model had.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• It does not have a dedicated USB controller for each port, so simultaneous transfers over multiple ports will have to share bandwidth.

Sonnet Allegro USB 3.0 4-Port (and Sonnet Allegro Pro $130)
If you want to charge battery-powered devices or connect bus-powered devices needing up to 2A each.

• $60
• Supports the following power-related features: 2Amps of power per port (10 Watts at 5V) for bus-powered devices, USB 3.0 charging port handshake protocol, USB battery charging 1.2 compliant, and simultaneous charge and sync for iPhones, iPads, and similar devices at 1.5A.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• The Allegro has a single USB controller, so all 4 ports share a single controller.
• The Pro model has a 4 dedicated USB controllers (one for each port). Full Review here.

USB 3.1 gen 2:

• Also known as USB 3.2 gen 2 x1
• USB 3.1 gen 2 transfers bits at SuperSpeed+ (SS+). This is 10 Gbps using 128b/132b encoding which means bytes are transferred at 9.697 Gbps or 1212.1 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is greater than PCIe 1.0 x4 and PCIe 2.0 x2 (8 Gbps or 1000 MB/s) and PCIe 3.0 x1 (7.877 Gbps or 984.6 MB/s) (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 8 Gbps or 1000 MB/s if the USB controller is not limited by PCIe. Otherwise, you'll only see up to approximately 6.1 Gbps or 765 MB/s if you are limited by PCIe (as is the case with PCIe 1.0 x4, PCIe 2.0 x2, or PCIe 3.0 x1).
• Some, but not all, USB 3.1 devices are working properly at 10 Gbps (theoretical maximum USB 3.1 gen 2 speed).
• Some USB 3.1 devices are not even working properly at 5 Gbps (theoretical maximum USB 3.0 speed).
• ASM1142 chipset cards:
  • Work as USB 3.0 (not 3.1) in Yosemite (10.10.3).
  • Do not work at all in El Capitan without a USB 3.0 firmware (10.11).
  • With a USB 3.1 firmware (default on most cards), appear as USB 3.1 in Sierra (10.12), might appear as "Up to 5 Gb/sec" (SS) in System Information.app, but may transfer data at more than 5 Gbps using SS+.
  • Most cards are PCIe 2.0 x2 electrically (x4 physically). This is not enough for full SS+. A PCIe 1.0 slot will half the max bandwidth. Some PCIe 1.0 slots (such as in the Mac Pro 2008) do not support x2 and will thus have a quarter of the max bandwidth.
  • The CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Plus works in Sierra using SS+ with a USB 3.1 gen 2 firmware update which makes it stop working in El Capitan at SS. It is an x4 card which can allow more than SS even in a PCIe gen 1 slot. The x4 connection is provided by a PCIe switch which is used for the ASM1142 and an eSATA controller.
  • The Sonnet Allegro USB-C 4-Port PCIe Card (USB3C-4PM-E) has two USB controllers connected to a PCIe switch with an x4 upstream connection (similar to the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Plus).
  • The Sunix UPD2018 and Delock 89582 have a DisplayPort input to support USB-C alt mode, but they are PCIe 3.0 x1 which will half the max bandwidth when used in a PCIe 2.0 slot.
  • etc.
• ASM2142 chipset cards:
  • The ASM2142 uses a PCIe 3.0 x2 connection instead of the ASM1142's PCIe 3.0 x1 or PCIe 2.0 x2 connections. The ASM2142 can be superior to the ASM1142 in the Mac Pro only if the ASM2142 is connected to a PCIe 3.0 switch with an x4 upstream connection.
  • Ableconn PU31-AC-2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • Ableconn PU31-2C-2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • Ableconn PU31A-ESA (untested) PCIe x2. eSATA is provided by a USB to eSATA chip, not a eSATA controller so there is only one USB port, no PCIe switch, and therefore only PCIe x2 upstream like the others.
  • IOI U31-PCIE2XG321 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB312A2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB311AC2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB311A1E (untested) PCIe x2 similar to Ableconn PU31A-ESA.
  • etc.
• ASM3142 chipset cards:
  • The ASM3142 is similar to the ASM2142 but adds better power management to reduce total power consumption under idle/standby state and adds support for the Multiple INs feature of USB 3.1 gen 2 "to achieve fully utilization rate of 10Gbps data rate".
  • An ASM3142 card might identify itself as ASM2142 (according to an AliExpress product).
  • HighPoint RocketU 1244A (untested) PCIe 3.0 x8 switch. Each port is provided by a separate ASM3142. With PCIe 3.0, all four ports can do full 10 Gbps simultaneously. With PCIe 2.0, 3 ports can do full 10 Gbps simultaneously. x8 allows even PCIe 1.0 to do full 10 Gbps.
  • HighPoint RocketU 1344A (tested) PCIe 3.0 x4 switch. Uses two controllers to provide four ports. ASM3142 pictured. Are there older revisions with the ASM2142?
  • Sonnet Allegro USB-C 4-Port PCIe USB3C-4PM-E (untested) PCIe 2.0 x4 switch. Since the switch is only PCIe 2.0 each chip is limited to PCIe 2.0 x2 which is ok for a PCIe 1.0 x4 slot. Sonnet says (Nov 2020) they'll make PCIe 3.0 cards later.
  • Sonnet Allegro Pro Type A USB 3.2 PCIe USB3-PRO-4P10-E with ASM3142 (untested) PCIe 2.0 x4 switch. Similar to USB3C-4PM-E above. Cards shipped before April 2020 use ASM1142.
  • Ableconn PEX-UB160 (tested) PCIe 3.0 x2 switch. Two USB-C and USB-A ports. Has two ASM3142 controllers but the upstream of the PCIe 3.0 switch is only x2.
  • Inateck KU5211 (tested 1, 2) PCIe x2. One dedicated port and four ports from a VIA Labs VL822 USB 10 Gbps hub. The hub is a much less expensive method of implementing multiple ports compared to a PCIe switch and additional USB controller. However, total bandwidth is limited in this case just like any PCIe x2 card.
  • IOI U31-PCIE2XG322 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • U3102A (or h1111z AC3875) (untested) PCIe x2.
  • SilverStone ECU02 (untested) PCIe x2. Key A Internal header for USB-C.
  • Sunix USB2312C (untested) PCIe x2.
  • EUSB312AP (untested) PCIe x2.
  • etc.
• GPUs with USB-C ports:
  • Some GPUs have USB 3.1 gen 2 controllers.
  • Some AMD Radeon RX Navi RDNA 5000 series GPUs such as the W5700 have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2 and DisplayPort Alt Mode.
  • Some AMD Radeon RX Navi2 RDNA2 6000 series GPUs such as the 6800 XT have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2 and DisplayPort Alt Mode and maybe VirtualLink Alt Mode (though no mention of VirtualLink exists on AMD's website).
  • Some Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 series GPUs have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort Alt Mode, and VirtualLink Alt Mode. Nvidia RTX GPUs are not supported in macOS but maybe their USB controller is?
  • VirtualLink devices are rare or don't exist so it is unknown how macOS would deal with one.
  • Not much testing has been done with these GPUs so it is unknown how well they support sleep and wake for connected USB devices.
• Thunderbolt 3 chipset cards:
  • A Thunderbolt 3 controller contains a USB controller. The controller uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection which can give it superior performance to any USB card using the ASM1142 even at the PCIe 2.0 x4 speed of the Mac Pro.
  • Thunderbolt 3 add in cards based on Alpine Ridge or Titan Ridge can provide USB 3.1 gen 2 support in the Mac Pro.
  • The Gigabyte GC-TITAN RIDGE has been tested. A jumper wire is used to force the USB controller to always be visible even when no USB devices are connected (similar to Force Power in PC BIOS settings). USB 2.0 support (optional) requires a connection to a USB port that supports USB 2.0 (one USB 2.0 port per Thunderbolt port). Thunderbolt support (for PCIe devices and displays - without hot-plug support) can be initiated by running Windows, then warm-booting into macOS. Power Delivery of 100W (optional) requires two PCIe 6-pin power connections. Power Delivery is untested in this setup.
  • The Gigabyte GC-ALPINE RIDGE has been tested. Supply 3.3V (from SATA) to the Force Power pin through an 8.2kΩ pull-up resister. Write 0x0D to PCIe register at 0x54C in the PCIe config space of the hidden Alpine Ridge device in EFI before booting macOS. GC-ALPINE RIDGE works with USB 2.0 devices without requiring an external USB 2.0 controller.
• Other 3.1 hardware tested to work at sustained SS speed are:
  • Ableconn PU31-1A1C (card)
  • Satechi B01FWT2N3K 2.5" (drive enclosure)
  • AKiTiO Thunder3 Duo Pro (dual 2.5 or 3.5" raid drive enclosure)
• Other 3.1 hardware tested to work at sustained SS+ speed are:
  • OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini (dual 2.5" raid drive enclosure)
• At SS speed, several ASM1351 drive enclosures tested did overheat and stop working. This is not the fault of whatever card you are using.

USB 3.2 gen 2x2:

• 20 Gbps using two lanes.
• USB-C only because USB-A only has 1 lane.
• USB 3.2 gen 2x2 transfers bits at SuperSpeed+ (SS+) x2. This is 20 Gbps using 128b/132b encoding on two lanes which means bytes are transferred at 19.39 Gbps or 2424.24 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is greater than PCIe 1.0 x8 and PCIe 2.0 x4 (16 Gbps or 2000 MB/s) and PCIe 3.0 x2 (15.75 Gbps or 1969.23 MB/s) (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 16 Gbps or 2000 MB/s if the USB controller is not limited by PCIe. Otherwise, you'll only see up to approximately 12.2 Gbps or 1530 MB/s if you are limited by PCIe (as is the case with PCIe 1.0 x8, PCIe 2.0 x4, PCIe 3.0 x2).
• Above numbers are only estimates. More testing is required.
• For maximum 20 Gbps performance, you need a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, as in a MacPro7,1 or a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. Another possibility is multiple controllers connected to a PCIe 3.0 switch with at least x8 upstream for PCIe 2.0 or x16 upstream for PCIe 1.0.
• It is unknown whether macOS will support the 20 Gbps mode. According to the testing linked below, GenericUSBXHCI.kext can use the 20 Gbps mode.
• ASM3242 chipset cards:
  • The ASM3242 uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection. The ASM3242 is superior to the ASM1142, ASM2142, and ASM3142 in the Mac Pro because of the x4 connection. The ASM2142 and ASM3142 may get close for 10 Gbps mode if they are connected with a PCIe 3.0 switch.
  • Ableconn PEX-UB159 (untested). It says it requires macOS 10.15.3 Catalina which implies that gen2x2 is supported starting from that version of macOS?
  • ORICO PE20-1C USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (testing incomplete: #2,836 #2,843 #2,848)
  • GigaByte GC-USB 3.2 GEN2X2 (untested)
  • SIIG Single USB 3.2 Type-C Gen 2x2 20G PCIe Card - USB adapter (untested)
  • etc.
• USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports:
  • USB 3.2 gen 2x2 may be optionally supported by USB4.
  • The M1 Macs support USB4 and Thunderbolt (Apple cannot call it Thunderbolt 4 since the M1 Macs only support one display from a Thunderbolt port). It is unknown if they support USB 3.2 gen 2x2.

USB4:

• 40 Gbps using two lanes.
• Uses USB-C because USB-A only has 1 lane.
• Similar to Thunderbolt 3 (supports USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, DisplayPort 1.4 and PCIe 3.0 tunnelling over Thunderbolt) but adds USB 3.x tunnelling and optionally USB 3.2 gen 2x2. PCIe tunnelling and Thunderbolt support are optional in USB4.
• USB4 is clocked slightly slower (10 or 20 Gbps per lane) than Thunderbolt 3 (10.3125 or 20.625 Gbps per lane).
• USB4 Host Interface controllers have a PCIe class code of 0c:03:40. macOS doesn't have a driver for this yet. Since the USB4 spec is public, anyone could make a driver (similar to GenericUSBXHCI.kext) as long as the PCIe registers match the spec.
• USB4 ports (CPUs with integrated Thunderbolt and don't have PCIe class code 0c:03:40):
  • M1 Macs
  • Ice Lake Macs (unknown if USB4 is an option - Intel hinted that these could do USB4 though)
  • Tiger Lake PCs support Thunderbolt 4 (Hackintoshable yet?) (unknown if USB4 is an option - but if Ice Lake can then these should too)
  • etc.
• Thunderbolt 4 chipset cards:
  • The Intel JHL8540 Maple Ridge Thunderbolt 4 controller uses PCIe class code 0c:03:40. It supports all the USB4 stuff and also Thunderbolt. It includes a USB 3.1 gen 2 XHCI (PCIe class code 0c:03:30) which can be used in macOS.
  • ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 (tested) Seems to work well for USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort Alt Mode (USB-C adapters and docks), and DisplayPort over Thunderbolt (e.g. Thunderbolt to Dual DisplayPort Adapter).
  • Gigabyte GC-MAPLE RIDGE (untested)
  • ASRock Thunderbolt 4 AIC (untested)
  • etc.
• Other USB4 chipset cards:
  • none so far
  • etc.

Thread summary for latest recommendations.

This thread refers to PCIe cards for adding USB 3.0 and 3.1 to classic Mac Pros.

General Notes:

• The USB 3.0 cards in this list support UASP for faster transfer speeds and reduced CPU utilization (exceptions to this are noted).
• The USB 3.0 cards in this list do not require supplemental power to be attached.
• The USB 3.0 cards in the list are not limited to storage-only USB devices (exceptions to this are noted).
• The cMP will never boot from USB 3 or newer because there is no support until the drivers load in the OS.
• Transferring data over USB 3.0 interferes with bluetooth reception and to a lesser extent 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi.
• Due to USB 3.0 ports in the nMP, native drivers are provided in OS X for Fresco Logic FL1100 chipset cards in ML 10.8.2 or later. 10.7.5 Lion through 10.10 Yosemite is supported through the open source GenericUSBXHCI driver. Cards using other chipsets require proprietary drivers.
• The Lexar USB 3.0 memory reader is known to be unreliable with several Fresco Logic cards.
• The USB 3.0 Asmedia ASM1042A chipset has native drivers included in 10.9 and newer.
• There are warning messages upon waking from sleep when using detachable USB media in OS X. This occurs even with Apple's built-in USB 3.0 ports, so it isn't your card.

USB 3.0:

• Also known as USB 3.1 gen 1 and USB 3.2 gen 1 x1
• USB 3.0 transfers bits on the wire at SuperSpeed (SS). This is 5 Gbps using 8b/10b encoding which means bytes are transferred at 4 Gbps or 500 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is similar to PCIe 1.0 x2 or PCIe 2.0 x1 (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 3.2 Gbps or 400 MB/s.
• USB 3.0 and later are full-duplex (bits can be transmitted in both directions simultaneously). This means there are separate send and receive data lines. USB 2.0 and earlier are half-duplex (there is only one data line). Each data line uses two pins/wires (USB signals are transmitted using differential signaling on a
• twisted-pair data cable). A USB 3.x cable has both USB 2.0 and 3.x data lines (they are separate).

QNINE 4 Ports PCIe USB 3.0 Card for Mac Pro, 4 Port Type A
If you just want a basic USB 3 card with a low price with BT adapter upgrade.

• $26, appears to only sell through Amazon, ASIN: B07XXT2M2B. The manufacturer claims it was specifically designed for the Mac Pro and supported under Mac OS 10.10 or later.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• The package, as listed on Amazon, includes a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle that does work if enabled using the Xcode BT selector utility. Oddly enough, it also includes a GPU dual 6 to 8 pin GPU power supply cable, which is not needed by the USB card, but never hurts to have a spare.

YEELIYA PCIe USB 3.0 Card, 4 Port - 3 Type A, 1 Type C
If you just want a basic USB 3 card with a low price and Type C port.

• $28, appears to only sell through Amazon, ASIN: B08GC6VFF2
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• Three type A ports, one type C port (operates in 5Gbps backwards compatiblility)

Inateck KT4004
If you just want a basic working card with a low price and no special features.

• $30
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• Works great with Yosemite and El Capitan, despite specifications stating otherwise.
• Big review here.
• It does not have a dedicated USB controller for each port, so simultaneous transfers over multiple ports will have to share bandwidth.
• Ignore the mfr's statement "Incompatible with Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite or Above". It works on these operating systems.

HighPoint RocketU 1144D
If you want an independent USB controller dedicated to each port for using multiple drives at the same time.

• $105-$125 (Approximate price as of 10/2/2018)
• It has a dedicated controller for each port, meaning full speed for connected devices, even when used simultaneously.
• It uses Asmedia ASM1042A chipset, which has native drivers included in 10.9 and later.
• Slightly faster than the FL-based cards when using one device. Substantially faster when using multiple devices simultaneously.
• One user reports zero bluetooth interference using this card.
• Big review here.

HighPoint RocketU 1144E
If you want an independent USB controller dedicated to each port for using multiple drives at the same time, plus non-bootable eSATA.

• $140-$170
• Basically the same as RocketU 1144C, plus non-bootable eSATA.
• Requires third party drivers.

CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Pro
If you want bootable eSATA.

• $140
• This model number with "PRO" at the end is substantially better than the discontinued non-pro model it replaces. The new model works with all USB devices, not just storage devices. It doesn't have the reduced speed problem that the old model had.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• It does not have a dedicated USB controller for each port, so simultaneous transfers over multiple ports will have to share bandwidth.

Sonnet Allegro USB 3.0 4-Port (and Sonnet Allegro Pro $130)
If you want to charge battery-powered devices or connect bus-powered devices needing up to 2A each.

• $60
• Supports the following power-related features: 2Amps of power per port (10 Watts at 5V) for bus-powered devices, USB 3.0 charging port handshake protocol, USB battery charging 1.2 compliant, and simultaneous charge and sync for iPhones, iPads, and similar devices at 1.5A.
• This card uses the same FL1100 chipset as the nMP, so drivers are built into ML 10.8.2 and newer.
• The Allegro has a single USB controller, so all 4 ports share a single controller.
• The Pro model has a 4 dedicated USB controllers (one for each port). Full Review here.

USB 3.1 gen 2:

• Also known as USB 3.2 gen 2 x1
• USB 3.1 gen 2 transfers bits at SuperSpeed+ (SS+). This is 10 Gbps using 128b/132b encoding which means bytes are transferred at 9.697 Gbps or 1212.1 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is greater than PCIe 1.0 x4 and PCIe 2.0 x2 (8 Gbps or 1000 MB/s) and PCIe 3.0 x1 (7.877 Gbps or 984.6 MB/s) (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 8 Gbps or 1000 MB/s if the USB controller is not limited by PCIe. Otherwise, you'll only see up to approximately 6.1 Gbps or 765 MB/s if you are limited by PCIe (as is the case with PCIe 1.0 x4, PCIe 2.0 x2, or PCIe 3.0 x1).
• Some, but not all, USB 3.1 devices are working properly at 10 Gbps (theoretical maximum USB 3.1 gen 2 speed).
• Some USB 3.1 devices are not even working properly at 5 Gbps (theoretical maximum USB 3.0 speed).
• ASM1142 chipset cards:
  • Work as USB 3.0 (not 3.1) in Yosemite (10.10.3).
  • Do not work at all in El Capitan without a USB 3.0 firmware (10.11).
  • With a USB 3.1 firmware (default on most cards), appear as USB 3.1 in Sierra (10.12), might appear as "Up to 5 Gb/sec" (SS) in System Information.app, but may transfer data at more than 5 Gbps using SS+.
  • Most cards are PCIe 2.0 x2 electrically (x4 physically). This is not enough for full SS+. A PCIe 1.0 slot will half the max bandwidth. Some PCIe 1.0 slots (such as in the Mac Pro 2008) do not support x2 and will thus have a quarter of the max bandwidth.
  • The CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Plus works in Sierra using SS+ with a USB 3.1 gen 2 firmware update which makes it stop working in El Capitan at SS. It is an x4 card which can allow more than SS even in a PCIe gen 1 slot. The x4 connection is provided by a PCIe switch which is used for the ASM1142 and an eSATA controller.
  • The Sonnet Allegro USB-C 4-Port PCIe Card (USB3C-4PM-E) has two USB controllers connected to a PCIe switch with an x4 upstream connection (similar to the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 Plus).
  • The Sunix UPD2018 and Delock 89582 have a DisplayPort input to support USB-C alt mode, but they are PCIe 3.0 x1 which will half the max bandwidth when used in a PCIe 2.0 slot.
  • etc.
• ASM2142 chipset cards:
  • The ASM2142 uses a PCIe 3.0 x2 connection instead of the ASM1142's PCIe 3.0 x1 or PCIe 2.0 x2 connections. The ASM2142 can be superior to the ASM1142 in the Mac Pro only if the ASM2142 is connected to a PCIe 3.0 switch with an x4 upstream connection.
  • Ableconn PU31-AC-2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • Ableconn PU31-2C-2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • Ableconn PU31A-ESA (untested) PCIe x2. eSATA is provided by a USB to eSATA chip, not a eSATA controller so there is only one USB port, no PCIe switch, and therefore only PCIe x2 upstream like the others.
  • IOI U31-PCIE2XG321 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB312A2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB311AC2 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • StarTech PEXUSB311A1E (untested) PCIe x2 similar to Ableconn PU31A-ESA.
  • etc.
• ASM3142 chipset cards:
  • The ASM3142 is similar to the ASM2142 but adds better power management to reduce total power consumption under idle/standby state and adds support for the Multiple INs feature of USB 3.1 gen 2 "to achieve fully utilization rate of 10Gbps data rate".
  • An ASM3142 card might identify itself as ASM2142 (according to an AliExpress product).
  • HighPoint RocketU 1244A (untested) PCIe 3.0 x8 switch. Each port is provided by a separate ASM3142. With PCIe 3.0, all four ports can do full 10 Gbps simultaneously. With PCIe 2.0, 3 ports can do full 10 Gbps simultaneously. x8 allows even PCIe 1.0 to do full 10 Gbps.
  • HighPoint RocketU 1344A (tested) PCIe 3.0 x4 switch. Uses two controllers to provide four ports. ASM3142 pictured. Are there older revisions with the ASM2142?
  • Sonnet Allegro USB-C 4-Port PCIe USB3C-4PM-E (untested) PCIe 2.0 x4 switch. Since the switch is only PCIe 2.0 each chip is limited to PCIe 2.0 x2 which is ok for a PCIe 1.0 x4 slot. Sonnet says (Nov 2020) they'll make PCIe 3.0 cards later.
  • Sonnet Allegro Pro Type A USB 3.2 PCIe USB3-PRO-4P10-E with ASM3142 (untested) PCIe 2.0 x4 switch. Similar to USB3C-4PM-E above. Cards shipped before April 2020 use ASM1142.
  • Ableconn PEX-UB160 (tested) PCIe 3.0 x2 switch. Two USB-C and USB-A ports. Has two ASM3142 controllers but the upstream of the PCIe 3.0 switch is only x2.
  • Inateck KU5211 (tested 1, 2) PCIe x2. One dedicated port and four ports from a VIA Labs VL822 USB 10 Gbps hub. The hub is a much less expensive method of implementing multiple ports compared to a PCIe switch and additional USB controller. However, total bandwidth is limited in this case just like any PCIe x2 card.
  • IOI U31-PCIE2XG322 (untested) PCIe x2.
  • U3102A (or h1111z AC3875) (untested) PCIe x2.
  • SilverStone ECU02 (untested) PCIe x2. Key A Internal header for USB-C.
  • Sunix USB2312C (untested) PCIe x2.
  • EUSB312AP (untested) PCIe x2.
  • etc.
• GPUs with USB-C ports:
  • Some GPUs have USB 3.1 gen 2 controllers.
  • Some AMD Radeon RX Navi RDNA 5000 series GPUs such as the W5700 have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2 and DisplayPort Alt Mode.
  • Some AMD Radeon RX Navi2 RDNA2 6000 series GPUs such as the 6800 XT have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2 and DisplayPort Alt Mode and maybe VirtualLink Alt Mode (though no mention of VirtualLink exists on AMD's website).
  • Some Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 series GPUs have a USB-C port that supports USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort Alt Mode, and VirtualLink Alt Mode. Nvidia RTX GPUs are not supported in macOS but maybe their USB controller is?
  • VirtualLink devices are rare or don't exist so it is unknown how macOS would deal with one.
  • Not much testing has been done with these GPUs so it is unknown how well they support sleep and wake for connected USB devices.
• Thunderbolt 3 chipset cards:
  • A Thunderbolt 3 controller contains a USB controller. The controller uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection which can give it superior performance to any USB card using the ASM1142 even at the PCIe 2.0 x4 speed of the Mac Pro.
  • Thunderbolt 3 add in cards based on Alpine Ridge or Titan Ridge can provide USB 3.1 gen 2 support in the Mac Pro.
  • The Gigabyte GC-TITAN RIDGE has been tested. A jumper wire is used to force the USB controller to always be visible even when no USB devices are connected (similar to Force Power in PC BIOS settings). USB 2.0 support (optional) requires a connection to a USB port that supports USB 2.0 (one USB 2.0 port per Thunderbolt port). Thunderbolt support (for PCIe devices and displays - without hot-plug support) can be initiated by running Windows, then warm-booting into macOS. Power Delivery of 100W (optional) requires two PCIe 6-pin power connections. Power Delivery is untested in this setup.
  • The Gigabyte GC-ALPINE RIDGE has been tested. Supply 3.3V (from SATA) to the Force Power pin through an 8.2kΩ pull-up resister. Write 0x0D to PCIe register at 0x54C in the PCIe config space of the hidden Alpine Ridge device in EFI before booting macOS. GC-ALPINE RIDGE works with USB 2.0 devices without requiring an external USB 2.0 controller.
• Other 3.1 hardware tested to work at sustained SS speed are:
  • Ableconn PU31-1A1C (card)
  • Satechi B01FWT2N3K 2.5" (drive enclosure)
  • AKiTiO Thunder3 Duo Pro (dual 2.5 or 3.5" raid drive enclosure)
• Other 3.1 hardware tested to work at sustained SS+ speed are:
  • OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini (dual 2.5" raid drive enclosure)
• At SS speed, several ASM1351 drive enclosures tested did overheat and stop working. This is not the fault of whatever card you are using.

USB 3.2 gen 2x2:

• 20 Gbps using two lanes.
• USB-C only because USB-A only has 1 lane.
• USB 3.2 gen 2x2 transfers bits at SuperSpeed+ (SS+) x2. This is 20 Gbps using 128b/132b encoding on two lanes which means bytes are transferred at 19.39 Gbps or 2424.24 MB/s (not including USB protocol overhead). This is greater than PCIe 1.0 x8 and PCIe 2.0 x4 (16 Gbps or 2000 MB/s) and PCIe 3.0 x2 (15.75 Gbps or 1969.23 MB/s) (not including PCIe protocol overhead).
• Considering protocol overhead, you may see up to approximately 16 Gbps or 2000 MB/s if the USB controller is not limited by PCIe. Otherwise, you'll only see up to approximately 12.2 Gbps or 1530 MB/s if you are limited by PCIe (as is the case with PCIe 1.0 x8, PCIe 2.0 x4, PCIe 3.0 x2).
• Above numbers are only estimates. More testing is required.
• For maximum 20 Gbps performance, you need a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, as in a MacPro7,1 or a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. Another possibility is multiple controllers connected to a PCIe 3.0 switch with at least x8 upstream for PCIe 2.0 or x16 upstream for PCIe 1.0.
• It is unknown whether macOS will support the 20 Gbps mode. According to the testing linked below, GenericUSBXHCI.kext can use the 20 Gbps mode.
• ASM3242 chipset cards:
  • The ASM3242 uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection. The ASM3242 is superior to the ASM1142, ASM2142, and ASM3142 in the Mac Pro because of the x4 connection. The ASM2142 and ASM3142 may get close for 10 Gbps mode if they are connected with a PCIe 3.0 switch.
  • Ableconn PEX-UB159 (untested). It says it requires macOS 10.15.3 Catalina which implies that gen2x2 is supported starting from that version of macOS?
  • ORICO PE20-1C USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (testing incomplete: #2,836 #2,843 #2,848)
  • GigaByte GC-USB 3.2 GEN2X2 (untested)
  • SIIG Single USB 3.2 Type-C Gen 2x2 20G PCIe Card - USB adapter (untested)
  • etc.
• USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports:
  • USB 3.2 gen 2x2 may be optionally supported by USB4.
  • The M1 Macs support USB4 and Thunderbolt (Apple cannot call it Thunderbolt 4 since the M1 Macs only support one display from a Thunderbolt port). It is unknown if they support USB 3.2 gen 2x2.

USB4:

• 40 Gbps using two lanes.
• Uses USB-C because USB-A only has 1 lane.
• Similar to Thunderbolt 3 (supports USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, DisplayPort 1.4 and PCIe 3.0 tunnelling over Thunderbolt) but adds USB 3.x tunnelling and optionally USB 3.2 gen 2x2. PCIe tunnelling and Thunderbolt support are optional in USB4.
• USB4 is clocked slightly slower (10 or 20 Gbps per lane) than Thunderbolt 3 (10.3125 or 20.625 Gbps per lane).
• USB4 Host Interface controllers have a PCIe class code of 0c:03:40. macOS doesn't have a driver for this yet. Since the USB4 spec is public, anyone could make a driver (similar to GenericUSBXHCI.kext) as long as the PCIe registers match the spec.
• USB4 ports (CPUs with integrated Thunderbolt and don't have PCIe class code 0c:03:40):
  • M1 Macs
  • Ice Lake Macs (unknown if USB4 is an option - Intel hinted that these could do USB4 though)
  • Tiger Lake PCs support Thunderbolt 4 (Hackintoshable yet?) (unknown if USB4 is an option - but if Ice Lake can then these should too)
  • etc.
• Thunderbolt 4 chipset cards:
  • The Intel JHL8540 Maple Ridge Thunderbolt 4 controller uses PCIe class code 0c:03:40. It supports all the USB4 stuff and also Thunderbolt. It includes a USB 3.1 gen 2 XHCI (PCIe class code 0c:03:30) which can be used in macOS.
  • ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 (tested) Seems to work well for USB 3.1 gen 2, DisplayPort Alt Mode (USB-C adapters and docks), and DisplayPort over Thunderbolt (e.g. Thunderbolt to Dual DisplayPort Adapter).
  • Gigabyte GC-MAPLE RIDGE (untested)
  • ASRock Thunderbolt 4 AIC (untested)
  • etc.
• Other USB4 chipset cards:
  • none so far
  • etc.

I read several posts about the Titan Ridge but I still don't understand when it is necessary to perform a warm reboot after a cold boot. Definitely does it work well or not?

 

[trifero]

I read several posts about the Titan Ridge but I still don't understand when it is necessary to perform a warm reboot after a cold boot. Definitely does it work well or not?

Works like a charm. I never have to reboot.

 

[flat4]

Inateck KU5211 took a chance from and ebay listing that stated did not test. It worked on my 3,1. Plugged in a 2.5 ssd in a 3.0 enclosure and powered right up and transfer 14GB in about 3 to 4 minutes.
I then tried and nvme drive in a enclosure and it would not work not enough power for that. To make sure it was not the enclosure I plugged into the regular usb on my mac and it showed up. I guess the enclosure draws to much power.

 

[lewnworxx]

Just as an info Inateck KU5211 (USB 3.2 Gen 2 PCIe Card with 3 USB-A & 2 USB-C Ports) works great in cMP 5.1 DP in macOS Catalina 10.15.7. This OS version is for me the fastest and the most stable macOS / OS X version ever.

Odd. I juse put a KU5211 in mine, and both ports show as usb 3.1, not 3.2 Furthreally transfer rates on a Sandisk card top out a 33mb/sec, (compared to 25 on the front usb 2 ports). Getting no where near the rated 10GB per the spec. Further, both sets identiffy as being 5GB not 10.

 

[lewnworxx]

Inateck KU5211 took a chance from and ebay listing that stated did not test. It worked on my 3,1. Plugged in a 2.5 ssd in a 3.0 enclosure and powered right up and transfer 14GB in about 3 to 4 minutes.
I then tried and nvme drive in a enclosure and it would not work not enough power for that. To make sure it was not the enclosure I plugged into the regular usb on my mac and it showed up. I guess the enclosure draws to much power.

Mine (on my 5,1) shows up as USB 3.1, not 3.2. Card also shows up as 5GB, not 10. Further the transfer speeds are dreadful. On my test Sandisk drive I’m barely getting 33mb/sec (and thats compared to the 25mb/sec I get with the save device on the USB 2.0 front ports.

Not even close to the rated speed.

 

[h9826790]

Mine (on my 5,1) shows up as USB 3.1, not 3.2. Card also shows up as 5GB, not 10. Further the transfer speeds are dreadful. On my test Sandisk drive I’m barely getting 33mb/sec (and thats compared to the 25mb/sec I get with the save device on the USB 2.0 front ports.

Not even close to the rated speed.

Your Sandisk drive is just a normal USB thumb drive? That kind of drive usually very slow. 33MB/s is quite normal.

Even the card can do 500MB/s, but if the drive can only do 5MB/s, then the card won't help.

 

[lewnworxx]

Your Sandisk drive is just a normal USB thumb drive? That kind of drive usually very slow. 33MB/s is quite normal.

Even the card can do 500MB/s, but if the drive can only do 5MB/s, then the card won't help.

It’s USB3 SanDisk Extreme, and does 123 mb/sec on my Wife‘s USB3 equppied LG Laptop per the black magic speed test

 

[h9826790]

It’s USB3 SanDisk Extreme, and does 123 mb/sec on my Wife‘s USB3 equppied LG Laptop per the black magic speed test

I wonder if that's power related (just enough power to light up the drive, but not enough power to stay at high speed).

Do you have any powered hub. If possible, try to connect the drive via a hub and see if that make any difference.

Also, did you check the USB page in system info, to see if the USB drive is actually connected via a USB 3 connection?

 

[flat4]

Mine (on my 5,1) shows up as USB 3.1, not 3.2. Card also shows up as 5GB, not 10. Further the transfer speeds are dreadful. On my test Sandisk drive I’m barely getting 33mb/sec (and thats compared to the 25mb/sec I get with the save device on the USB 2.0 front ports.

Not even close to the rated speed.

I have a KU5211-R in my 5,1 and it does should up at 3.2 card.

 

[lewnworxx]

I wonder if that's power related (just enough power to light up the drive, but not enough power to stay at high speed).

Do you have any powered hub. If possible, try to connect the drive via a hub and see if that make any difference.

Also, did you check the USB page in system info, to see if the USB drive is actually connected via a USB 3 connection?

Shouldn't be as I have no problems getting way better speeds of my wife's LG USB3 laptop. ITs' the only device plugged in and on the dedicated port nearest the PCI connection.

 

[lewnworxx]

I have a KU5211-R in my 5,1 and it does should up at 3.2 card.

Here's what I get:

 

[chris-snd]

Hi,

I want to use my mac 3.1 for streaming live music and video with obs project.

Audio will come from a motu pcie card. But as of now not sure yet if i will use a webcam or a capture card with a gopro.

Anyway i need a usb 3 pcie card in my mac 3.1 or else I'm stuck with usb 2 webcams or usb 2 capture cards. Maybe i will add a second cam in the future so at max 2 usb 3 ports will be in use.

So my list:

KTU3FR-4P, but needs sata power and i got all 4 hd drive slots occupied.

KT4004, but does it give enough power on the usb busses without power routed directly from the psu?

KU5211E-R, comes with an additional 2 usb c ports. Those c ports could be handy because some newer cams have a usb c port and in its discription it says it could deliver 15 watts. Althougt no additional power connector to route directly from the psu. So could it really handle 15 watts?

All (but not the kt4004) cards are in stock at my local supply store, prices for all three cards are close, so what would be the best card for my use?

Thanks

 

[chris-snd]

A little follow up,

Been searching some specs. My mac 3.1 has 2 pcie2.0 x 16 slots both occupied (graphics card and motu audio card). And 2 free pcie1.0 x 4 slots.

Will the pcie1.0 x4 slots be fast enough for the pcie usb3 cards from inateck and my cam or capture use?

I could transfer the motu audio card to a pcie1.0 x 4 slot since the motu card is advertised as to work on even a pcie1.0 x1 slot.
So i free up a pcie 2.0 x 16 slot for usb 3 but the motu card is working rock solid and i rather leave it where it is.

 

[joevt]

KTU3FR-4P, but needs sata power and i got all 4 hd drive slots occupied.

You can get power splitters from SATA 22 pin:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pcie-ssds-nvme-ahci.2146725/post-29613683

Will the pcie1.0 x4 slots be fast enough for the pcie usb3 cards from inateck and my cam or capture use?

I could transfer the motu audio card to a pcie1.0 x 4 slot since the motu card is advertised as to work on even a pcie1.0 x1 slot.
So i free up a pcie 2.0 x 16 slot for usb 3 but the motu card is working rock solid and i rather leave it where it is.

The PCIe 1.0x4 slot can do ≈800 MB/s, slightly short of the max ≈1060 MB/s that you can get from 10 Gbps USB.

Use pcitree.sh to check the PCI link rate and link width of the MOTU card. If it's PCIe 1.0 then it should go to a PCIe 1.0 slot. The System Profiler.app may be sufficient if it reports PCIe 1.0 link rate (2.5 GT/s). If it doesn't then it is not sufficient since it doesn't show parent PCI bridges which may bottleneck bandwidth.

So my list:

KTU3FR-4P
KT4004
KU5211E-R

These are all PCIe 3.0 x1 - they will be limited to ≈200 MB/s in a PCIe 1.0 slot. Even in a PCIe 3.0 slot, they are limited to ≈800 MB/s. Reread the first post for descriptions that can help you select options that can achieve 1000+ MB/s.

 

[Macschrauber]

Use pcitree.sh to check the PCI link rate and link width of the MOTU card. If it's PCIe 1.0 then it should go to a PCIe 1.0 slot. The System Profiler.app may be sufficient if it reports PCIe 1.0 link rate (2.5 GT/s). If it doesn't then it is not sufficient since it doesn't show parent PCI bridges which may bottleneck bandwidth.

Next OCLP Version will add the PCIe 2.0 on 1.0 mod for Mac Pro 3.1

Quote:
OpenCore Legacy Patcher changelog

0.5.3

Integrate FixPCIeLinkrate.efi v0.1.0
Fixes link rate for PCIe 3.0 devices on MacPro3,1

Resolve AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement Panic in Safe Mode
Applicable for pre-Haswell Macs on Ventura

 

[GlynH]

I was already in the process of getting my GC-Titan 2.0 ready, and I have finally installed it in the MP (stock; unflashed; pins 1&3 shorted).

Curious. I read so much about the issues with a Titan Ridge in a 5,1 that it put me off buying one despite my supplier telling me it would work - I believe they do flash it prior to despatch although not sure what this is for.

I run High Sierra or Mojave on my non-OC-or-any-other-trickery cMP and would love to have Thunderbolt built-in especially if it would drive an Apple Thunderbolt display.

Is it possible to do this without resorting to a hack or any other kind of trickery on the cMP?

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

 

[chris-snd]

You can get power splitters from SATA 22 pin:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pcie-ssds-nvme-ahci.2146725/post-29613683


The PCIe 1.0x4 slot can do ≈800 MB/s, slightly short of the max ≈1060 MB/s that you can get from 10 Gbps USB.

Use pcitree.sh to check the PCI link rate and link width of the MOTU card. If it's PCIe 1.0 then it should go to a PCIe 1.0 slot. The System Profiler.app may be sufficient if it reports PCIe 1.0 link rate (2.5 GT/s). If it doesn't then it is not sufficient since it doesn't show parent PCI bridges which may bottleneck bandwidth.


These are all PCIe 3.0 x1 - they will be limited to ≈200 MB/s in a PCIe 1.0 slot. Even in a PCIe 3.0 slot, they are limited to ≈800 MB/s. Reread the first post for descriptions that can help you select options that can achieve 1000+ MB/s.

I think 200 MB/s will be enough for my usecase, and if not then i have to use the 2.0 slot if needed.

But, unfortunately it seems that the inateck kt4004 card is sold out everywhere, even on the inateck.com website itself and i think it is discontinued.

As it appears the redcomets u25/21 is not that great for a mac, so that leaves the inateck KTU3FR-4P (kt4001) as the only reachable option.

But now this, on the original inateck.com website as well as on amazon, it is advertised that the inateck KTU3FR-4P can only work on a pcie 2.0 slot (or higher).
As far as i can tell this card uses the same fresco fl1100 chip as found on the widely used kt4004 so what's the deal?

thanks