Vantec NBV-320U3 USB 3.0 Dual Video Display Adapter Review

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It seems over the past year the external display adapter has become quite popular. While most of these solutions that come through the lab have at least one display output along with a USB 3.0 port and at times gigabit Ethernet, the latest from Vantec doubles down on both display and USB 3.0.

The NBV-320U3 from Vantec is a bus powered USB 3.0 display solution sporting both DVI and HDMI while offering two USB 3.0 ports. Display capabilities for this solution include 2048 x 1152 over HDMI and 1920 x 1200 over DVI, each of these methods is secured via HDCP while offering the latest DisplayLink technology. On the USB side, we have a single USB 3.0 input while the two ports on the device are compatible with the SuperSpeed 5Gbps specification with added UASP support and USB Battery Charging Specification 1.2.

Operating system compatibility extends to Windows XP+ and OS X 10.6+. The MSRP of the Vantec NBV-320U3 is listed at $89.99 with a one-year warranty.

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Packaging for the Vantec 320U3 includes marketing information across the bottom with an image of the device centered.

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The scope of delivery includes a driver disk, HDMI to DVI adapter, and VGA to DVI adapter.

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Taking a look at the dock, the USB 3.0 cable is directly connected to the unit.

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On the opposite end, we have both the DVI and HDMI ports.

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On the side of the unit, we have both USB 3.0 ports and power input for additional power if needed.

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USB 3.0 performance for this solution was quite good. As seen above, we were able to reach 416 MB/s read and 292 MB/s write with our Intel 730 Series SSD.

There certainly is no shortage of DisplayLink solutions on the market and while a situation like this is normally good for the consumer, at the same time it does cause congestion in the market. With that said, I was pleased with the build quality of the Vantec NBV-320U3. With this being a bus powered solution, you don't have to worry about additional power to the device, which is a great feature and at the same time the unit feels durable.

The performance of this device was quite surprising considering the last Vantec docking station we tested was only hitting 200 MB/s over its USB 3.0 ports, and now this latest setup hit nearly 420 MB/s with the same drive. Like many of these docking solutions, I wasn't able to fire my Qnix 2710LED Evolution due to its resolution being 1440p, but I was able to power up my 1080p Samsung panel without any issue whatsoever.

Overall, the Vantec NBV-320U3 is a great device for those needing a bus-powered solution with multiple display and USB 3.0 support.

Tyler's Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS Z97-A - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 4770K - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: Patriot Viper 3 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 1600 - Buy from Amazon
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: Corsair Obsidian 750D - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower 750W - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 - Buy from Amazon