Utilizing the PCI Express bus, we have the capability to add technology to our PCs as needed. Whether it be USB 3.0, Firewire, Thunderbolt, or eSATA, the PCI Express bus allows us to achieve the full bandwidth from our devices.
Today, we will be looking at one of the latest add-on solutions to come from Addonics. The ADSA6GPX1-2E utilizes a PCI Express 2.0 x1 interface with dual eSATA ports available externally. What sets this cards apart from other on the market is its compatibility as a port multiplier. Port multipliers allow a single SATA connection to initialize up to fifteen drives at once.
Compatibility of the ADSA6GPX1-2E extends to Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, and 8. MSRP of the Addonics eSATA ADSA6GPX1-2E is set at $39.99 with a one-year warranty.
Scope of delivery for the PX1-2E includes a quick start guide along with a driver disk and low profile adapter.
The back of the card houses dual eSATA ports, both with port multiplier capabilities.
The PCB for the card center's on the Marvell 88SE9128 controller. Up top, we have the PCIe 2.0 x1 interface.
Above, we have our initial testing of the Addonics PX1-2E. For these tests, we are using a Seagate 600 Pro SSD. The card ended up peaking at 324 MB/s read and 233 MB/s write.
Here we move on to ATTO disk benchmark, where we are using the same Seagate 600 Pro SSD. Performance varied here, where we found the peak read result to come in at 357 MB/s, followed by 245 MB/s write.
The Addonics ADSA6GPX1-2E is a great solution to those wanting an external eSATA connection with port multiplier capabilities. The build quality seems quite good, and I found no issues when installing the card or the drivers via the included disk.
Performance of the card was decent, and while it could be better, I do believe Addonics went with a command based switching port multiplier, which are typically geared towards capacity and not blazing performance. In our testing, we were able to achieve 357 MB/s read and 245 MB/s write, which isn't too bad and certainly plenty for those wanting capacity via eSATA.
MSRP of the Addonics 6GPX1-2E is set at $39.99 with a one-year warranty. Current market pricing can be found below.
PRICING: You can find the Addonics 6GPX1-2E for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Addonics 6GPX1-2E retails for $38.80 at Amazon.
Canada: The Addonics 6GPX1-2E retails for CDN$75.53 at Amazon Canada.