Question Adding USB type C ports to the front of a case that doesn't have them?

[boed]

Hello,

I'm thinking about building a new PC and the case I'll be using is very specific to my needs but is an older case and has no USB type C in the front. The motherboard I want has a 3.2 2x2 front port connector and a bunch of 3.2 gen 1 connection options. I was wondering if anyone made a 5.25" Front plate cover or something that covered this need or any good videos of DIY mods. Ideally they'll have slots for sata drives as well.

 

[Tech Junky]

There's a few of those front plates on Amazon.

I used to have a few options saved but since I got a new case with one on top I must have deleted the list I had them saved to. They run about $20 and have a single C and some other ports / slots on them.

 

[boed]

Thanks - I currently have this in my present case but I can't find one with 3.2 gen 2 type c- doesn't mean they don't exist - just that I haven't manged to find one but if anyone knows of one similar with updated type C usb please let me know.

I found this but then I'm paying for connectors I'll never use and I don't get standard hard disk connectors I use every few months.

 

[Tech Junky]

What matters is the pin count on the Mobo side. This is what dictates the speed. The case I got said 5gbps but it's connected to the 20gbps header. instead of investing in 20gbps enclosures though I jumped to TB4 instead since my laptop had TB and wouldn't do 20gbps and would fallback to 10gbps on the enclosure since there's no secondary controllers out that do the 2x2 along with TB4. I managed to pick up a returned TB4 card on Amazon for $60 instead of the normal price which is about twice that. The enclosure is an acasis and paired with a sn770 hits 3GB/s.

 

[boed]

What matters is the pin count on the Mobo side. This is what dictates the speed. The case I got said 5gbps but it's connected to the 20gbps header. instead of investing in 20gbps enclosures though I jumped to TB4 instead since my laptop had TB and wouldn't do 20gbps and would fallback to 10gbps on the enclosure since there's no secondary controllers out that do the 2x2 along with TB4. I managed to pick up a returned TB4 card on Amazon for $60 instead of the normal price which is about twice that. The enclosure is an acasis and paired with a sn770 hits 3GB/s.

So do you know of any front plates that have spots for hard drives and usb 3.2 type C?

 

[Tech Junky]

There not enough space or they aren't designed to also hold HDDs. You might be able to use double sided Velcro or something to affix it to the Bay.

I can dig around fairly quickly. What kind of Mobo do you have a sometimes they use different connectors / headers. What kind of connections are you hoping to have besides USB? Are you think of external SATA access or FireWire or something else?

 

[boed]

Thanks - I am ideally looking for a face lace that is premade. I'm looking at the Asrock Taichi z790 motherboard. I'm hoping to find a face plate just like the syba with the 2 sata drive bays (as pictured above) but with USB C onnectors.

 

[Tech Junky]

Hmm. The HDDs seem to be a trade off for C ports vs storage. If you went with a different case you could have both diy something using a drive cage. There are cables that you could swap for the A ports but only 1 header = 1 port.

 

[boed]

I'll contact both companies and see if they have anything coming out. I have about 2 months before I'm ready to build.

 

[BoomerD]

Might just be easier to replace the case...

 

[Meghan54]

Might just be easier to replace the case...

But what fun would be had doing that?

And/or possibly a case is no longer made but is still quite useful, esp. if "modern" front ports can be added fairly painlessly.

Case in point (pardon the pun).....I'm kinda rehab'ing an old PC Case Labs Qmicra v2. Only has one USB 2.0 port on front....nothing else. No audio, nada. Also has a start button and a power or hd light. Figure two ways to add ports....drilling/cutting or use what the OP is looking for.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Might just be easier to replace the case...

Actually getting a case with USB 3.2 Type C on the front is not as easy as you'd think. Plus not all of us want a case with a glass side panel.