Updated : The USB 3 modification works in Big Sur 11.2.3 with iMac MicroPatcher 0.5.5. Currently all PCIe USB cards exhibit the same behaviour. The USB drive connected to the ports of the USB 3 PCIe card DID disconnected upon prolonged sleep with waking or restart. (My prior test of higher speed used wrongly the internal SSD for testing.) Speed test of the Samsung T7 USB external 2GB SSD via the USB 3 port WITHOUT the intervening PCIe relay - minimal speed gain. Speed test of the Samsung T7 USB external 2GB SSD via the USB 3 port WITH the middle PCIe relay. Speed test of the Samsung T7 USB external 2GB SSD via the onboard USB 2. The registry of the USB 3 in System Report: Updated : This showed the upgraded new Wifi ac/BT 4.2 module (BCM943602CDP) in function: The old Wifi & BT module continues to function on the new PCIe to mPCIe adapter board: Besides, extending the Wifi and BT antennas would be troublesome.
For those who would like to upgrade the Wifi/BT, you may do so with the PCie slot version instead of re-using your old mPCIe module. Updated : This shows the USB 3 PCIe card ( ULS-UP5200 v2) in place, with reduced cabling: The intermingling mess of power cables has to stay. Thus the power connections to the riser board and this USB card are required for proper functions. I have tried to remove the SATA power supply to the USB card and riser board, but they didn't work. There is no screw fixation point for the Wifi/BT module, so I just tape it down with black foam at its back.Ī close up view of the USB 3 PCIe card (old version) and PCIe 4x riser board in place with the running power cables and PCIe connections entangling in a mess ? The card requires its own SATA power supply for the old version shown here.Ī close-up view of the miniPCIe to PCIe adapter and the Wifi/BT module in place by its side. The USB 3 PCIe card ( E) is screwed to the DVD slit and connected with a right-angled 20cm long PCIe 1x to PCIe 1x extension cable to the riser board. The riser board requires its own SATA power supply. The PCIe 4x riser board sits flat at the prior DVD drive space with 2 right-angled PCIe 1x cables inserted into its 4x slots, one from the wifi/BT module inserted into the PCIe to miniPCIe adapter, another from the USB 3 PCIe card. There is NO need to connect power to this adapter. The miniPCIe to PCIe adapter sits in the original site of the wifi/BT module, and is connected to the riser board with a USB 3 cable behind the radiator of the heatsink. With a long 40cm right-angled PCIe 1x to PCIe 1x extension cable ( F), it is connected to the riser board, routing behind the hard drive space (now occupied by 2 SSDs) and across the 3 pipe heatsink at its middle. All the original antenna connections can be re-established in situ. The original wifi/BT module, inserted into the PCIe to miniPCIe adapter, now sits just to the right of the miniPCIe to PCIe adapter. This showed the completed placement of all components with the GPU replaced: There the 4x PCIe riser board ( D) is placed flat (with black foam sticked to the back of the board again to avoid short circuit) The interconnecting USB 3 cable ( C) leads across the back seat for the GPU heatsink (which is removed for GPU upgrade at the same time) to the previous DVD drive holding area. Here you can see the miniPCIe adapter board ( A) is inserted into the miniPCIe slot originally for the wifi/BT module ( B) at R lower corner of the picture. (3) I can expand the internal SSD connection by connecting my small Samsung T7 USB 3 SSD inside the iMac (2) the on board power conversion reduces the need of SATA power cabling and thus minimizes cable cluttering and entanglement (1) the two on board USB 3 connector are shorter in height and won't affect the placement of the LCD panel power derived from an independent voltage conversion chip with a safety fuse. The main change is no additional power supply required for normal recognition and operation anymore.
Like its predecessor, it is based on the Fresco Logic FL1100 chip with native Apple driver in High Sierra and Catalina, and supports UASP.