2011 17" Macbook Pro: USB 3 Expresscard?

[Woodcrest64]

I'd like to add USB 3 to my wife's 2011 17" Macbook Pro. She is running Lion 10.7.5 right now and I'm wondering if any USB 3 express card will work. Ideally I'd like to get one that is slim enough to fit right inside the card so it does not stick out like others.

From what I have read online I have heard of the following issues.

1.) No power of the express port. True or not? This would suck for portable hard drives and mean its useless for my wife.

2.) No real Mac solution for drivers for the slim express card usb3 models

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[xxjudgmentxx]

1.) No power of the express port. True or not? This would suck for portable hard drives and mean its useless for my wife.

2.) No real Mac solution for drivers for the slim express card usb3 models
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I have a Silverstone USB3 ExpressCard (basically the same as the one you linked) and it doesn't work on OS X.

1.) No power without a USB Y-cable OR some models of the single-slot cards have a USB > AC adapter for the card itself (ie: plug hard drive into the USB ExpressCard and a USB power cable from the Mac to the ExpressCard to provide power).

2.) No drivers. Lacie and Caldigit have cards and drivers but the drivers are vendor-locked for use with their cards only. There used to be a hacked version of the Lacie driver that removes that requirement but I haven't been able to get it to work on 10.6, 10.7 or 10.8.

 

[Woodcrest64]

Geez, that is too bad. Thanks for letting me know. I think I will have to get her a FW800 or thunderbolt drive then.

Thanks again!

I have a Silverstone USB3 ExpressCard (basically the same as the one you linked) and it doesn't work on OS X.

1.) No power without a USB Y-cable OR some models of the single-slot cards have a USB > AC adapter for the card itself (ie: plug hard drive into the USB ExpressCard and a USB power cable from the Mac to the ExpressCard to provide power).

2.) No drivers. Lacie and Caldigit have cards and drivers but the drivers are vendor-locked for use with their cards only. There used to be a hacked version of the Lacie driver that removes that requirement but I haven't been able to get it to work on 10.6, 10.7 or 10.8.