HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0

mightymo77 · January 1st, 2011

I'm going to be building a HTPC soon. I need a motherboard that has onboard USB 3.0 so that I can connect the front USB ports of my case (I want USB 3.0 in the front, not 2.0). All the motherboards I find have USB 3.0 for the back ports, but the onboard is 2.0. Does anyone know of any models?

**dreamliner77** · January 1st, 2011

It wouldn't matter. I've yet to see a case that has front USB 3 ports.

**LeeJend** · January 1st, 2011

ASUS has had one since last summer and possibly ASROCK (announced in October so it should be available by now).

If the case doesn't support front USB 3 then look for a floppy or HDD bay add on that supports USB 3 connections.

Plan B would be to get a USB port extender that sits on the desk and connect it to the USB 3 in the back. That is what I do since most of my cases don't have USB up front. It's cleaner than cables hanging out the front of the PC and if you trash a connector just replace the extender.

mightymo77 · January 1st, 2011

Originally Posted by dreamliner77

It wouldn't matter. I've yet to see a case that has front USB 3 ports.

Are you joking? LanLi makes a bunch. Here's another one

**dreamliner77** · January 2nd, 2011

Well that's a first for me but I also haven't been shopping for a case recently.

Also, in just looking at a few examples, many of them use pass through cables for the front 3.0 port.

mightymo77 · January 2nd, 2011

What does pass through cables mean?

**LordOfLA** · January 2nd, 2011

plug them in to the rear ports to feed the front ports

mightymo77 · January 4th, 2011

I'm going with the Silverstone case:

The front USB ports are connected by a 9-pin assembly right? Is there such thing as a cable to connect that to a normal USB (run it outside the case and plug it into the back USB port)?

LOL if not I'll just skip 3.0

**Johnny** · January 5th, 2011

Yeah, a pass through is usually how they do it. Just make sure the cable is long enough, there are numerous cases where it is not.

mightymo77 · January 7th, 2011

Can you post a link or two to one of these cables, I can't seem to find any.

January 1st, 2011	Top \| #1
mightymo77 OSNN Junior Addict Joined: April 2009 Posts: 10 Reputation: 0 Power: 38	HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 I'm going to be building a HTPC soon. I need a motherboard that has onboard USB 3.0 so that I can connect the front USB ports of my case (I want USB 3.0 in the front, not 2.0). All the motherboards I find have USB 3.0 for the back ports, but the onboard is 2.0. Does anyone know of any models?

January 1st, 2011	Top \| #2
dreamliner77 The Analog Kid Joined: March 2002 Location: Red Sox Nation Posts: 4,653 Reputation: 1111 Power: 182	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 It wouldn't matter. I've yet to see a case that has front USB 3 ports. "You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight." -Neil Peart of RUSH

January 1st, 2011	Top \| #3
LeeJend OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: January 2003 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 5,261 Reputation: 3386 Power: 199	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 ASUS has had one since last summer and possibly ASROCK (announced in October so it should be available by now). If the case doesn't support front USB 3 then look for a floppy or HDD bay add on that supports USB 3 connections. Plan B would be to get a USB port extender that sits on the desk and connect it to the USB 3 in the back. That is what I do since most of my cases don't have USB up front. It's cleaner than cables hanging out the front of the PC and if you trash a connector just replace the extender. Thought for the new millenium: In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates? - Open Office - Firefox - Thunderbird - Gimp -Ubuntu - Red Hat -

January 1st, 2011	Top \| #4
mightymo77 OSNN Junior Addict Joined: April 2009 Posts: 10 Reputation: 0 Power: 38	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 Originally Posted by dreamliner77 It wouldn't matter. I've yet to see a case that has front USB 3 ports. Are you joking? LanLi makes a bunch. Here's another one

January 2nd, 2011	Top \| #5
dreamliner77 The Analog Kid Joined: March 2002 Location: Red Sox Nation Posts: 4,653 Reputation: 1111 Power: 182	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 Well that's a first for me but I also haven't been shopping for a case recently. Also, in just looking at a few examples, many of them use pass through cables for the front 3.0 port. "You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight." -Neil Peart of RUSH

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January 2nd, 2011	Top \| #6
mightymo77 OSNN Junior Addict Joined: April 2009 Posts: 10 Reputation: 0 Power: 38	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 What does pass through cables mean?

January 2nd, 2011	Top \| #7
LordOfLA Godlike! Joined: February 2004 Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK Posts: 7,031 Blog Entries: 5 Reputation: 4137 Power: 213	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 plug them in to the rear ports to feed the front ports If HK-47 and GLaDOS had a child, the character they create would cause the video game world to overdose on awesome. -sheridanmovieguy: Dragon age forum user.

January 4th, 2011	Top \| #8
mightymo77 OSNN Junior Addict Joined: April 2009 Posts: 10 Reputation: 0 Power: 38	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 I'm going with the Silverstone case: The front USB ports are connected by a 9-pin assembly right? Is there such thing as a cable to connect that to a normal USB (run it outside the case and plug it into the back USB port)? LOL if not I'll just skip 3.0

January 5th, 2011	Top \| #9
Johnny Paul Reed Smith Joined: January 2004 Location: Happy Valley Posts: 4,869 Reputation: 2369 Power: 173	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 Yeah, a pass through is usually how they do it. Just make sure the cable is long enough, there are numerous cases where it is not. Paul Reed Smith.

January 7th, 2011	Top \| #10
mightymo77 OSNN Junior Addict Joined: April 2009 Posts: 10 Reputation: 0 Power: 38	Re: HTPC Motherboard w/Onboard USB 3.0 Can you post a link or two to one of these cables, I can't seem to find any.

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