Vszerda SA-208 PCIe to 2 SATA 3.0 2 eSATA Cable

Two-Port Limitation

The Vszerda SA-208 is a PCIe expansion card that adds two SATA 3.0 and two eSATA ports to a desktop computer. Only two ports can operate simultaneously, so the user must configure a jumper on the board to select the active pair. It is suited for owners of older workstations or hobbyist systems who need to connect legacy SATA or external eSATA drives without replacing the motherboard. Builders requiring four concurrent connections should look elsewhere.

Build Integration

The card fits any PCI Express x1, x2, x4, x8 or x16 slot and uses a PCIe 2.5 GT/s link with dual channels. Copper conductors carry the signals to the SATA and eSATA connectors. The host system must run Linux, Windows or Mac OS X 10.6 and above; Windows 7 and Windows 8 are explicitly unsupported. No extra power cable is mentioned, so the slot provides the necessary current for the controller and attached drives.

Thermals and Power

As a low-profile controller card without onboard active cooling, it relies entirely on case airflow to dissipate heat. Power draw is limited to what the PCIe slot supplies, keeping thermal output modest in normal operation. The small 1.41 ounce board adds negligible weight and occupies minimal space (5.83 x 4.33 x 1.18 inches), so it does not restrict airflow around larger components such as graphics cards or CPU coolers.