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USB-C is one of the greatest additions to modern computers. We’ve gone for 10 cables that might do 5 jobs to 1 that can do at least 10. However, not every PC comes with a USB-C port, or if it does, it may be a little older. Here’s how I added an extra USB-C port to my PC.

How to Pick a USB-C Expansion Card

Unlike regular USB-A, the USB-C plug is capable of delivering up to 120 gigabits per second when used with a Thunderbolt 5 interface, and can push 240 watts with the right power supply and cable. On the other hand, some USB-C ports run on USB 2.0—which is limited to a meager 480 megabits per second.

As a result, when you’re shopping for peripheral cards, there are a lot of factors you need to consider.

How Much Power Do You Need?

My main interest was data, but I also wanted to ensure I picked up something that could run a hub without too much issue. Typical USB-A ports top out at a maximum output of 7.5 watts, or 5 volts at 1.5 amps.

The back panel I/O of a motherboard showing USB ports and Wi-Fi antenna connectors,.

Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek

I’m perfectly happy with 15 watts, which is enough for a whole slew of small peripherals attached to a hub.


What Is USB Power Delivery (USB PD)?

It can intelligently charge power-hungry modern devices, as long as you have all the right puzzle pieces.

When shopping for a card, make sure you check how much power each USB-C port is capable of delivering. You’ll find cards on Amazon that have 4 or more USB-C ports, but because they don’t connect directly to your power supply, they can only push a few watts each.

Any card you get that is going to deliver more than 15 watts to more than one port is probably going to need a separate connection to the power supply. If you don’t see that, you should be skeptical.

How Much Speed Do You Need?

The cost of USB-C cards increases dramatically as their speed increases and as you add ports, so I’d recommend going in with a clear idea of what you want.

I’m not running an eGPU (which requires exceptional bandwidth), nor do I need other features like DisplayPort Alt mode. I also don’t have a ton of high-speed peripherals, which means I only need one port.


eGPUs vs. eGPU Enclosures: Which Should You Choose?

Augment your underpowered PC or handheld with an external GPU.

When you’re shopping for USB-C cards, make sure you look at how the bandwidth between the ports is divided up. You may be able to find a card that adds eight USB-C ports, but if those eight ports are all sharing a single USB 3.2 2×2 controller on the card, you’re not going to get anywhere near their maximum speeds. For example, if you had 4 USB-C ports sharing a USB 3.2 2×2 controller, the maximum bandwidth per port would only be 5Gbps.

Ultimately, I settled on a Sonnet Allegro 1-Port USB-C card that added a single 20 gigabit port.

If you’re looking for something with multiple ports, I considered StarTech’s 4-Port expansion card instead because it offers both USB-C and USB-A ports. However, because each controller is attached to one USB-A and USB-C port, the maximum bandwidth through any port will max out at 10Gbps.

Getting USB 4 Is Complicated

USB 4 is the fastest USB interface you can currently get on a PC, but adding a card to get it isn’t quite as simple as older USB standards. USB 4 expansion cards do exist, but your motherboard must already have a USB 4 or Thunderbolt 4 (or 5) header for an expansion card to work. Since both are still pretty new, you’ll only find those on high-end motherboards. I’d also recommend picking a PCIe USB 4 expansion card from your motherboard manufacturer to avoid potential compatibility issues.

If you want a card that’ll work with any modern PC, you’re basically limited to USB 3.2 2×2, which gets you 20 gigabits per second (2.5 gigabytes per second). More than enough for most uses.

Can Your PC Accept a PCIe Expansion Card?

To be absolutely sure you can use a PCIe USB expansion card, press Windows+R then type msinfo32. Scroll down until you see the baseboard product line. That is the name of your motherboard.

The output of msinfo32 on the example PC.

Once you have it, search for your motherboard model on the internet. The manufacturer will have documentation that tells you what slots are available on your motherboard. This is what mine looked like.

The layout of an x570 motherboard.

ASUS

Luckily, the requirements for a USB 3.2 2×2 PCIe expansion card are pretty lax. You’ll need a free PCIe 3.0 x4 slot or better. PCIe 3.0 is now pretty old, and every PC made in the last 10 years will have it.

Similarly, x4 slots (which refer to the physical size) are pretty common. If you don’t have one, you can always stick a PCIe x4 device into a PCIe x16 slot—it’ll work.


The PCIe Version Doesn’t Matter for Graphics Cards Like You Think

Graphics cards don’t need all that bandwidth after all.

Installing a USB-C Expansion Card

Fortunately, picking out the card is the hard part. Actually installing it only takes a few minutes.

Open up your card and make sure to hang on to any screws that come with it.

If your USB-C card requires an external power hookup, make sure you order the right one from your PSU manufacturer. They’re not universal and not necessarily interchangeable, and you could damage the card, your power supply, or both.

Unplug everything from your PC, then place it somewhere flat. The side with the USB ports should be down.

Place the side with the IO panel down.

Nick Lewis / How-To Geek

Slide off the side panel by removing the screws (usually thumb screws) from the back of the case. Some cases will also have a latch you have to push or pull to get it to come off.

Ideally, you want to put these cards in a PCIe x4 slot rather than an x16 slot, since a PCIe x4 slot is more than enough to handle the bandwidth, and there is no point in tying up an x16 slot unnecessarily.

The inside of a desktop PC.

Nick Lewis / How-To Geek

However, an x16 slot will work just fine in a pinch. In my case, I only had free x1 and x16 slots, so I put it in the x16 slot.

A PCIe x4 device in an x16 slot.

Nick Lewis / How-To Geek

Remove the screw that holds the backplate in place and hang on to it. You’ll need it in a minute.

Slide the USB-C expansion card down into the slot, using even but firm pressure. There won’t be a click or anything when it is fully seated. Line up the frame of the card with the screw hole from before, then reinsert the screw.

Replace the screw that held the back plate in place.

Nick Lewis / How-To Geek

Once that is done, slide the side of the case back on, tighten everything up, and you’re done! You can reattach all of your other peripherals and boot up your PC.


Your PC should automatically detect the card and enable it. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to change some BIOS settings to get things working.



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The iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates won’t be compatible with all devices.



Apple today announced the new iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 software updates at WWDC 2025. The new updates will ship this fall, and now we know which iPhones and iPads will be supported.

With iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 now official, there’s a lot to look forward to. A new Liquid Glass interface is the first change that most people will notice, but new features and improvements are everywhere.

Those improvements include updates to Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet, as well as a brand-new Games app. And that’s just the beginning.

Apple also announced a revamped Camera app for iPhone and iPad. Users of the Messages app will also enjoy live translation, among other things.

But none of this matters if you’re using an older iPhone or iPad that cannot install these new releases. Thankfully, the chances are good that your device is good to go.

iOS 26 device compatibility

It’s bad news if you’re the owner of an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR. Those three devices will not be supported by iOS 26 and will remain on iOS 18.x.

The iPhones that will work with iOS 26 include:

  • iPhone 16e
  • iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
  • iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
  • iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
  • iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14 and 14 Plus
  • iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 and 13 mini
  • iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 and 12 mini
  • iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone SE (2nd gen or newer)

iPadOS 26 device compatibility

If your iPad is relatively new, it will work with iPadOS 26 without issue. That includes the latest M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, and other recent releases.

In fact, Apple’s list of compatible iPads shows that only one device has been cut adrift. Owners of the 7th-gen iPad will not be able to update and will remain stuck on iOS 18.x.

The iPadOS 26 update supports the following iPads:

  • M4 iPad Pro
  • 11-inch iPad Pro (1st gen or newer)
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd gen or newer)
  • M2 iPad Air
  • iPad Air (3rd gen or newer)
  • A17 Pro iPad mini
  • iPad mini (5th gen or newer
  • A16 iPad
  • iPad (8th gen or later)

Apple has confirmed that the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 software updates will be released to the public this fall. We expect that to be this September, when the iPhone 17 models are unveiled.



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