Overview
The Sonnet Allegro Pro USB4 PCIe Card is a PCIe expansion card that adds two USB4 Type-C ports to your desktop PC. It provides up to 40Gbps bandwidth per port, supporting USB4, Thunderbolt 4/3, and USB 3.2 devices. This card is ideal for users who need fast external storage, docking stations, or other high-speed peripherals.
Key Features
- USB4 40Gbps support: Transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, backward compatible with Thunderbolt 4/3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2.
- Dual independent ports: Two USB4 Type-C ports each capable of 40Gbps.
- PCIe 3.0 x4 interface: Easy installation into any x4 or larger PCIe slot.
- No external power required: Powered by the PCIe slot, though high-power devices may need supplemental power.
- Wide compatibility: Works with Windows 11/10 and macOS 11+ (Thunderbolt devices on Mac require native support).
Compatibility Guide
- Slot requirement: PCIe 3.0 x4 or higher (works in x8/x16 slots).
- Supported OS: Windows 11/10 (64-bit), macOS 11 and later.
- Compatible devices: USB4/Thunderbolt 4/3 external drives, docks, display adapters; USB 3.2 and earlier devices work at their native speeds.
- Note: Enable Above 4G Decoding in BIOS if needed. Some Thunderbolt devices may require firmware updates.
Ideal Use Cases
- Creators: Connect high-speed external SSDs or video capture cards via USB4.
- Laptop users: Add USB4 to a desktop to keep using Thunderbolt docks.
- Gamers: Use an external GPU enclosure via USB4 (be aware of bandwidth limitations compared to direct PCIe).
Upgrade Considerations
- PCIe lane availability: Ensure your motherboard has enough lanes; older boards may limit bandwidth.
- Heat management: The card can get warm under load; ensure good airflow.
- Drivers: Windows built-in drivers work, but install the latest chipset drivers for best performance.
- Bandwidth bottleneck: PCIe 3.0 x4 offers about 4GB/s, less than USB4's 5GB/s (40Gbps). For full bandwidth, use a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot if available.