Reddit mentions of Anker® Uspeed PCI-E to USB 3.0 2 Port Express Card, with 1 USB 3.0 20-pin Connector and 5V 4 Pin Male Power Connector

You could always buy a PCIe card for the headers

2 best options:

1. Buy a PCIe card with USB 3.0 headers - $20ish - something like this or this - both around $16-$20 - you'll get full USB 3.0 speeds
   
   
2. If you just want a cheap option, you can get a USB 2.0 -> USB 3.0 cable. The front ports will only run at USB 2.0 speeds (WAY slow), but if you don't care much it's an OK option

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SJGGAE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00J4EZE4U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=089TN21Q0VP4EPQBTRH9

No, that's PCIe x4. Try one of these.

No, they are probably USB 3.0 connections only. You can buy an adapter so that the USB 3.0 ports will hook up to the 2.0 headers on the mobo. Obviously they'll be USB 2.0 ports in the front if hooked up that way.

If you wanted USB 3.0, you could find a PCI/PCIe add-on card with internal headers. You could then connect your front USB 3.0 ports to that card directly.

That would be because your motherboard does not support USB 3, or at least only supports it on the I/O panel.

You could use something like this to adapt it to the usb 2.0 9-pin header, if you have one extra (Obviously, the case's ports will only work at usb 2 speeds):
https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Female-Motherboard-Adapter-Converter/dp/B009SJCPO8

Or you could get a USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card with an internal header (provided you have a spare PCIe 2.0 or 3.0 slot of any size) like this, and have the advantage of having fully functional USB 3.0 speeds:
https://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

Note: I have not used either of these products, but they are well rated on amazon, with a good number of reviews, and both are "Fulfilled by Amazon" for easy returns if needed. I am familiar with Anker, from good experiences with many of their other products, so there is that, if you go for an expansion card.

Edit: Do note that the cheaper (by far) 1x PCIe cards will only provide one port's worth of full bandwidth (using all the ports at once will share the bandwidth), though it is rare for most people to use more than that, as it would take an external ssd to saturate, or multiple external disk drives.

http://amzn.com/B007SJGGAE

Build complete!

I ultimately decided to buy the ASUS board and replace the CPU cooler while I was at it. A few caveats about the Sabertooth X58:

1. If you want the X58, consider a case with USB 2.0 ports on the front panel. The Cooler Master HAF 922 only has USB 3.0 ports, which are meant to connect to the motherboard with a 20-pin connector. The X58 lacks a port for this type of connector, so I will have to install something like this Anker Uspeed card if I want to use the front USB ports.
   
   
2. The first two SATA ports on the board are 6 Gb/s, but they are on a separate Marvell controller, which by all accounts is absolute garbage. I am using the 3 Gb/s ports, which are on an Intel controller, and those seem fast enough for me. I disabled the Marvell in the BIOS.
   
   
3. Make sure to switch your storage mode to AHCI if you want to get the most out of your SATA drives. The BIOS defaults to IDE mode. (And the ASUS manual is mostly useless because it doesn't tell you anything you can't already infer from the names of the BIOS settings.)
   
   
4. You need to manually configure the boot order of your hard disks, otherwise it will try the wrong disk and fail to find your OS. I had a moment of panic because I forgot that my boot partition is not on my SSD but rather on the original HDD that came with my Dell.
   
   Personally, I think these are minor issues as long as you're aware of them. And now that I've told you, you are :)
   
   The 5800 series does not require Dell-specific drivers. In fact, Windows 7 detected and installed drivers for pretty much all my hardware on boot. It took a couple reboots to get everything installed.
   
   Final tally:
   
   

• Cooler Master HAF 922 case - 79.99 USD
  
• Corsair TX650 power supply - 89.99 USD
  
• ASUS Sabertooth X58 motherboard - 119.99 USD
  
• Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU cooler w/fan - 33.01 USD
  
  
  TOTAL COST: 322.98 USD + tax
  
  Not bad to get a few more years of life out of the components. And this case and PSU combo should be a solid platform for future upgrades.
  
  I wish you luck with your own build. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

I thought id update you - I finally got it to work (on the latest ESXI)! No need to pass through the entire controller, I can assign USB ports as needed.

Using this card - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SJGGAE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I did have to revery back to the legacy USB drivers:
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2147650

Bbalkenn is correct... either use an adapter and plug it into USB 2.0, or buy an internal usb 3.0 PCI card.

You can get one with or without USB ports on the back of the card.

For your USB problems this should do the trick, or at least something similar. Plugs into the short pci-e x1 slots on your motherboard. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B007SJGGAE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1417369559&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
It adds a USB 3 header to plug your case into.

You can use a pci-e card with front header connections. You can buy a cheap SSD and graphic card which should be good enough for media streaming and stuff.

all else fails you could get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

Plugs into a PCI-E slot and has a connector for the USB 3 header

Yeap a lot of the pic-e adaptors have the pins you can plug into, but again you'll be limited to bandwidth http://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1450506156&sr=8-7&keywords=usb+3+pci+card

Or you could get a USB 2 pin to USB 3 pin converter.

Also I would highly recommend getting a 5.25" one instead, you're getting way more functionality from them. http://www.amazon.co.uk/5-25%C2%A1%C2%B1-Desktop-Computer-Reader-Built-/dp/B013GDW24E/ref=sr_1_46?ie=UTF8&qid=1450506793&sr=8-46&keywords=5.25+sd+card+reader

Honestly, none of your reasons sound good enough for buying a new motherboard. Upgrading your PC parts one by one like you are currently doing is the best way to waste money in the long term and end up with a PC you were never really satisfied with. Just stick with your plan to build a full PC for college.

• I already address the SATA issue in another comment.
  
  > The computer's from early 2014, and it doesn't have a USB 3.0. Just checked.
  
  It doesn't have a USB 3.0 header on the motherboard? If not, then you can just buy one of these expansion cards:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/
  
  > Just one on fan connector on this motherboard, but I can get a molex to fan like this, correct?
  
  I prefer a splitter like this to get more fan headers:
  
  https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812162059&cm_re=fan_splitter-_-12-162-059-_-Product
  
  Molex powered fans tend to be very loud since they never slow down.
  
  > I've got 2x 8GB cards, so 16 total. I don't plan to upgrade now, and don't plan to upgrade any time soon.
  
  Then your reasoning for needing more RAM slots is pointless.
  
  Don't waste your money on new motherboards for old CPUs and extra licenses for Windows.

Build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | £173.94 @ Aria PC
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | £24.97 @ Amazon UK
Motherboard | MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | £93.82 @ Aria PC
Memory | Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | £66.04 @ More Computers
Storage | Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | £79.00 @ Amazon UK
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | £62.95 @ Amazon UK
Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card | £280.00 @ Aria PC
Case | Thermaltake Chaser A31 ATX Mid Tower Case | £59.78 @ Amazon UK
Power Supply | XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | £46.99 @ Amazon UK
Optical Drive | LG BH16NS40.AUAR10B 16x SATA Internal BD-RW Retail Kit | £90.00 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) | £0.00
Monitor | Asus VN248H 23.8" Monitor | £192.79 @ Amazon UK
Wireless Network Adapter | TP-Link TL-WN881ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter | £12.75 @ Amazon UK
Keyboard | Cherry G80-3850LYBGB-2 Wired Standard Keyboard | £55.24 @ Amazon UK
Mouse | Gigabyte GM-M6900 Wired Optical Mouse | £16.99
Speakers | M-Audio Studiophile AV30 20W 2ch Speakers | £89.00
Other| Dell 1905fp Monitor| £0.00
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | £1344.26
| *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-16 16:28 GMT+0000 |

Two questions:

1) I want to add a card reader to my build, and I'm 99% sure that I'll be going with this one. I'm assuming that because because I'm using the USB header for the front of my case, I'll need to get a PCI-e card like this one to get the USB3.0 speeds on the card reader?

2) Other than my shitty second monitor, what do you think will be the first/next thing that will require upgrading? I want to get an i7 in the future but I'm fine with what I have right now - but I do the occasional video editing and I think it'd help.

You could buy a USB 3.0 PCIe card with an internal front port plug

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/

This is the top rated one on amazon. Don't really have any experience with one so I can only help with my simple googling skills.

Just means your motherboard doesn't have a USB3 header so you can't plug in the front USB 3 ports, so they won't be functional.

If you want the front USB3 ports to work you need this so you can plug the internal wire to your motherboard.

you need a reader that connects to a 20 pin header

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-3-5-Inch-Internal-Reader-CR-UIN3/dp/B01D31V2L8/

if you don't have a free 20 pin header you will also need a PCIE USB card that has one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SJGGAE/

I bought this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SJGGAE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Which Ryzen CPU/Mobo to upgrade to after maxing PCIE slots/SATA ports on i7 4790k/Rx480 8gb 1080p 144hz gaming/data hording build?

I'm using all the SATA headers and PCIE expansion slots on my computer, it would be nice to have more SATA based HDDs and the ability to run multiple GPU's. Current build.

My MSI Z97S SLI Krait's USB 3.0 ports were all taken so I added the usb 3.0 express card so I could plug everything in. But having more PCIE lanes would be ideal.

The 4790k is powerful enough for everything I do, it's processing power isn't holding me back just the PCIE lanes.

In no rush what so ever to build so I might wait for Ryzen 2.0 or what ever to upgrade then buy a 1600x (or which ever is best for my use case) used with a new motherboard and the best bang for the buck ram I can find.

He's talking about this except with USB2 9pin connectors instead of the USB3 20pin.

Sandybridge is old now, I'm surprised there's even any boards for sale, none of the boards for sale on PCPP have the USB 3.0 header, so you either have to accept you can't use them or look for a second hand motherboard on ebay that does.

Another option if it's important you have them and you don't want to mess around looking for second hand boards that are compatible, is you can just buy an expansion card for USB 3.0, something similiar to this which you just slot into the motherboard and then plug the case headers into that.

Edit: Here's a picture showing the 20 pin connector you want

You may be out of luck finding an all in one, but what about going with a PCIe USB 3.0 card and using something like this for the 2.0?

Anyone see any issue with:

Anker® Uspeed PCI-E to USB 3.0 2 Port Express Card

along with

Tendak USB 3.0 4-Ports 3.5 inch Metal Front Panel USB Hub

yes there are

http://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Converter-Motherboard-Connector/dp/B008IPXOWU

http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Header-Chipset-Components-SD-PEX20122/dp/B007X26S8Q

http://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-Port-PCIe-internal-UGT-PC345/dp/B00CBNAP54

http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Components-SD-PEX20139-Green-Metallic/dp/B00965J5UG

Plenty more if you look.

Why not just get a USB 3 card?

https://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

That PCIe card he posted also has a USB3 header on the back. Here's another which might be clearer. https://www.amazon.com/Anker®-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

Ok, yeah if one of the pins fell off that header is as good as dead. All of the USB ports on the back of the computer should still work fine, as they're attached directly to the motherboard. However the front USB 3.0s will be non-functional. Two options I can think of for fixing that problem.

Option 1: That will allow you to plug in those front facing USB 3.0 ports into a 2.0 header on the motherboard, however they'll be limited to running at 2.0 speeds.

Options 2: A card like that should allow you to plug in the front facing USBs into it via the 20 pin header.

Ahh that does make a difference. I presumed you only had the AMD APU. Since you have a GTX 970 running most VR-applications, shouldn't be a problem.

The cpu itself, is still a slight bit below the minimum requirements when compared to the intel i5-4590 Oculus uses as a reference point, but it might still be powerful enough to run VR-applications. (Don't quote me on this though)

In regards to your getting usb3 on your pc.
As your motherboard does not have any usb3 connectors, the only solution on top of my head would be to get a pci-e adapter like this and install it in a spare pci-e port if you have any.

As to your hdmi issue. I would be very surprised if your graphics card does not have a full sized hdmi output. Can i assume that it is your monitor which is lacking a full sized hdmi input?

Thanks for the reply! I also came to the conclusion that the solution had to be a USB card, and I actually ended up purchasing this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=N3GDRLS0UBGB&coliid=I241KQK38HB9FB (which definitely does have a VIA chipset!). It should be arriving today. I'll keep you updated on how that goes :).

This one is PCI-e but fairly cheap: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SJGGAE//ref=cm_sw_su_dp

I am not sure old PCI exists (at least I don't know any).

You can get this

https://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE

and remove the backplate, it should fit or you can try to break off usb ports, it has a 20pin header for front IO

Yep. This, for example.

Here's one

No, but you could use either an adapter to run them at USB 2.0 speeds, or a PCIe card for USB 3.0 speeds.

Cheap card. 2x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 3.0 header.

Expensive card. 5x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 3.0 header, 1x Satapower port.

If you ever get some custom LEDs, I suggest the second one if you don't have any satapower ports free. (and if the LED takes molex, get a molex to satapower adapter, so you don't have to add a molex cable to your modular PSU, if its modular.) Or if you need more USB ports.

Find a USB 3.0 header port splitter or port multiplier (I could only find if for USB 2.0), or add an extension card.

well you could add something like this into your system

https://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1518133625&sr=8-6&keywords=pci+usb+3.0+card

you could then plug the front USB cable into this and get the front usb ports working as USB 3 and have 2 in the rear

Yes that will work, however I recommend spending just a couple more dollars and purchasing this.


It'll give you a couple more USB 3.0 ports on the back, and an alternative port to plug-in your front connectors.


I can vouch for this unit personally. My motherboard does not have a USB 3.0 connector, whereas my case does. This adapter lets me use those front-panel ports.

I also had failure #2 in a build. I bought one of these and it works really well so far.

http://www.amazon.com/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1407611117&sr=8-3&keywords=pci-e+usb+3.0%5C

An example of an adaptor as mentioned by boomerguy is here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-USB3-0-towards-USB2-0-Motherboard/dp/B009SJCPO8

Whilst perhaps obvious, it's worth noting that your case sockets will operate as regular USB2 sockets when connected through an adaptor.

If no USB3 headers are available on your motherboard, you can get PCIe cards which will allow you to add them. For example: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker%C2%AE-Uspeed-Express-Connector-another/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1405258976&sr=1-2&keywords=pcie+usb3

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Uspeed-Express-20-pin-Connector/dp/B007SJGGAE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1484706089&sr=8-4&keywords=pcie+x1+to+usb+3.0
requires molex