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The simplest way to add USB 3.0 ports into an existing system is by installing a PCIe USB 3.0 Controller. Akasa's AK-PCCU3-01 is a low-profile extension card which takes a PCIe slot and adds two USB 3.0 ports.
It is supplied inside a simple, clear plastic package, with the card being clearly visible and well protected. Inside the package you will find a very basic black and white manual and a drivers CD.
The card itself is minuscule and take very little physical area inside your case. Akasa have paid great attention to detail and opted for a sexy black PCB which will appeal to people who care about the aesthetics of their systems. At the back of the card the Molex connector can be clearly seen, evidence that this tiny card still requires an external power source to feed power hungry USB devices.
Not to our surprise, the heart of this card is the NEC D720200F1 chip, the only USB 3.0 controller chip available at this point of time. It is also worthwhile to mention that even though this card is designed for a PCIe 2.0 slot, it is backwards compatible down to PCIe 1.0 slots but installing the card to an older slot will definitely have a negative impact on its performance. The two USB ports are backwards compatible with all USB devices.
