GRAUGEAR3.5 Inch Front Panel USB C Hub, SD/microSD Internal Card Reader, 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, USB3.2 Type-E Key-A 20-Pin Header & USB3.0 Header & 15-Pin SATA Power Connector Required [G-MP01CR]

This unit is heads and tails above all the other front panel USB hub & card readers I've owned over the years.First, it's far more solidly built with the front bezel being solid metal so no chance of breaking those awful plastic tabs that most other units come with, being a part of the case itself which is also very sturdy and well-made.Second, perhaps earlier versions of this required you to insert the MicroSD card upside down, but I must have a newer version where they're inserted facing up.Also and more importantly, the faster of the two USB-C ports on the one I got was USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 so it goes up to 20Gbs, not 10Gbs as in the product page description and datasheet. This of course depends on your motherboard's capabilities and what you insert into it.Finally, it's fast. Not quite as fast as my X570S motherboard built-in ports, but just a hair slower. For example using CrystalDiskMark my Samsung 256GB USB-C flash drive tested at 433/118Mbs read/write on the MB's rear USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, and 399/118 on the Graugear's 5Gbs USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and 403/119 on its 20Gbs USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 port. That's close enough for me.Installation took longer and was more difficult than I expected, but that was entirely because of the way that my PC is set up with cables, connections and such. But the device itself is very simple and easy to install if you know your way inside a PC.I can't attest to long-term regular use as I only got it a few weeks ago and haven't been using it much, but on build, performance and even looks, it's a winner. A bit more expensive than what I've usually paid for such devices in the past but justified by its much higher quality.

I wanted some USB-C on my computer case. Being that this case is from the early 2010s, it lacked these USB-C ports. Not only that, the included ports attached to the case were connected with unshielded wire. My wireless trackball was having trouble sustaining a connection to my computer due to this. This Graugear expansion is a must-have. It’s convenient and really renews my case’s functionality. I appreciate the steel construction and that this thing is built to last. Slide it in, screw it tight, plug everything in, and you’re good to go. 11/10 would recommend.

The screw hole placement seems to match that of an internal drive holder, not something that will protrude through the front of a computer case. This meant I was only able to insert one screw per side. I also had to replace the cable (which includes the front USB-C port) for the 20 Gbps port with one that ended in a 90-degree Key-A Type-E plug because for some reason, most 20 Gbps PCIe internal connection adapter cards (stupidly) have the socket facing to the side, interfering with other cards and the case and pretty much everything. Otherwise, this device seems to work well. I've attached the results of benchmarks of a Crucial X10 Pro Drive on the 20 Gbps port (which is really just a direct connection to the PCIe adapter) and the 5 Gbps USB-C port which is controlled by the included USB hub that also supports the two USB-A ports and the SD and Micro SD Slots. There is also a benchmark of a Sandisk Extreme Pro U3 microSD XC card. I docked one star for not having enough screw holes in the correct locations.

The MicroSD card and SDXC inputs randomly disconnect. I tested multiple cards from multiple manufacturers. The cards always randomly disconnected.Also, after I initially installed the item, the computer would not boot up. I pressed the "Power" button, but the screen remained frozen in black for over two minutes. I turned the computer off, and then turned it back on several times. Eventually, the computer did boot up. However, the very first time I tried inputting a microSD card, the card randomly disconnected.This confirms the negative things other people said in their 1-Star Ratings are true. Other people talked about how the poorly soldered connections on the device were the reason for the weak connections that randomly disconnect.Similarly, other people talked about how all of their installed hard drives were ruined from fluctuations in electric power as a result of this defective product from Grauger.Worst of all, other people talked about how their entire computers caught on fire. This is something I experienced THREE TIMES in the past with an HP printer/scanner/copier, so I know it can happen. It isn't worth having a fire hazard around. So, I am returning this product from Grauger to Amazon.I purchased this product in May of 2025 and the product requires the SDXC card to be "upside down." There is a sticker on the device saying so.Also, the product is designed poorly in fundamental ways. For example, if you put the SDXC card in first, it is virtually impossible to enter a microSD card into the device because the size of your thumb is too large to place the tiny card into such a small input such a short distance away from the SDXC input. Your thumb will keep hitting the SDXC card.Similarly, you look and see two USB 3.0 inputs and think that is good. But, you cannot connect two USB Flash Drives simultaneously, because the cards will collide with each other. Only very tiny USB devices would be able to be used simultansously.I'm very disappointed with this product from Grauger. I read the reviews before purchasing, and I saw the negative things in all the Ratings with "1-Star." But, I thought, "There are good reviews, too, so I will give it a chance."But, after personally seeing for myself the product failed with the random disconnects, there is no reason to risk a potential fire hazard. Grauger needs to completely redesign this product and make it better.