With everything we have out there today that is USB it can be hard to find a free USB port at times. Depending on which motherboard you’ve got you might be very limited to USB connections and you’ll end up having to swap things out to free one up. NZXT has come up with a solution to that in the form of what looks like a mini circuit board that has two standard USB ports on it along with three more USB headers as well giving you a total of eight more available USB connections. This product doesn’t have any fancy name, nor does it need one, it’s called the IU01 USB Expansion Board and that pretty much describes what it is. Don’t let it’s plain name fool you though, this in one product that I can honestly recommend you buying, it’s well worth it. So read on to learn more about one of the simplest but possibly the best and most useful PC accessories on the market today..
Specifications:
Internal USB Expansion
The IU01 addresses an issue common to most gaming PCs that is a lack of substantial power and expandability from the front-panel USBs. The IU01 enhances control and boosts power for front-panel USB devices by connecting them directly to the power supply as opposed to the motherboard, ensuring that there’s always enough power to control your accessories and peripherals. The IU01 also adds six internal USB ports that are great for powering items that you don’t need constant access too like a Bluetooth module or USB wireless router allowing you to free up the external ports for additional accessories.
Features
* 6 Internal USB expansion
* 2 External USB expansion
* Dedicated power from power supply
* Plug and use, no drivers needed
Unboxing:
The IU01 comes in a very non-flashy package, a brown box with black writing on it and a small window.
There’s not much included with the board itself, just a basic instruction manual, power cable and a USB header cable. Yes the board is powered by power from your PC power supply, so it can be used for charging and things that might require a bit more power. The cables for both the power connection and the USB headers are braided making for a nice clean appearance.
Here’s the board itself, you’ll find two standard USB ports along with three USB header style connections, the same that you would find on your motherboard.
On the end you’ll find a small white connection which is for the power connector and then the standard USB header that will connect to your motherboard.
The IU01 comes with velcro already attached to it. One side is a sticker so you attach that to somewhere in your case and then you can just stick the board there and then be able to remove it if need be.
Installation, Performance, Comparison
As far as the price is concerned I found this at NewEgg for $20.99 plus shipping and I think it’s well worth that, I’m sure it could easily sell for more.
There’s not much to the installation process at all, if you can hook up the USB headers from your case to your motherboard then you can handle this easily. Installation just requires you plugging the connectors in the proper places.
I used this with my HTPC/Gaming Computer where I use a wireless network connection and I have Bluetooth as well. So I freed up two ports on the outside of my computer by putting the Bluetooth adapter and the wireless adapter inside. The USB ports are far enough apart that most any sized USB device will fit. Here it is before I put it into the case:
Here are a couple picture of it in the case with one of the headers hooked up to it:
I put it right on top of the hard drive cage in the NZXT Tempest Evo case actually and it fit perfectly fine.
The cable is long enough to be able to put it most anywhere inside of your case expect for higher up, but why you would put it higher up in your case I don’t know.
The only thing I don’t like about this is that if you change cases you’re kind of stuck with it in the original case as it sticks with adhesive to your case. It’s not a big deal really, just get some double sided tape and you’re all set to move it elsewhere.
Conclusion:
The NZXT IU01 USB Expansion Board is one of those products that truly can be useful to anyone. I’m sure most of you out there have experienced a time or two when you just didn’t have enough USB ports available, with this product you’ll never have that problem again.
This is a product that I can honestly and easily recommended to anyone. IF you need more USB ports, then this is the way to go, it’s simple, small and easy to use.
Pros:
+Simple to use and set up
+Powered USB ports
+Adds quite a bit more USB ports to your computer
+Seems well made
Cons:
-Adhesive must be replaced when moving
Ratings
Overall: 5 out of 5
Performance: 5 out of 5
Aesthetic: 5 out of 5
Build Quality: 5 out of 5
I would like to thank NZXT for the opportunity to review the IU01 USB Expansion Board and for their support of Bona Fide Reviews.
Disclosure: This product was given to Bona Fide Reviews for review by the company for review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the review, we do not, and never will, accept payment from companies to review their products.
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