PCI to USB3.0

[1405]

I have an old motherboard I installed in a modern case. The board has no USB3.0 capability, so I have been using a USB2 to USB3 adapter. But I'd like to get an add-in card to provide a 19-pin header for the case's front USB3.0 ports. Unfortunately, the board has only PCI (legacy) slots, no PCIe. So, I started browsing the web for one.

To my surprise, they are few and far between. And they are 3 to 10 times as expensive as the PCIe to USB3.0 cards ranging from $60 to over $120! Why the difference in price and why the scarcity? Does it have to do with the fact that USB3.0 has a more native interface with PCI Express? Or simply a supply and demand thing?

Is there any other way to get USB3.0 including the 19-pin header from an old pre-usb3 system?

 

[CountMike]

Scarcity = higher price, most new MB come with PCIe only. PCIe is also much faster than PCI.

 

[dontlistentome]

I think part of it is psychology. Most people who'd need USB 3.0 are using newer motherboards that have that built-in. Others are using pci-ex.

Then they know if there's someone out there looking for a PCI expansion card for USB 3.0, because that person wants to avoid buying new hardware, then they can raise the prices. That person HAS to pay, either that or upgrade to a new system.