StarTech.com 2-Port PCI Express Serial Card with 16C1050 UART - RS232

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

StarTech’s 2‑port PCIe serial card is the sort of dull, reliable “plumbing” item you buy when you specifically need RS‑232 and you don’t want to faff around with USB converters. £42.49 ex‑VAT is genuinely sensible for a proper internal PCIe solution, especially in UK offices where you’ve still got old barcode scanners, weigh scales, building management gear, or lab/industrial kit that refuses to speak anything newer. If you’re adding two serial ports to a desktop/server that still has a PCIe slot, it’ll do the job with minimal drama—StarTech tends to be consistent here, and serial support is usually straightforward compared with sketchy third‑party adapters.

That said, it’s not a universal “add connectivity” card, so only buy if RS‑232 is non‑negotiable and you can fit it physically in the host. If you’re trying to connect something that’s actually modern/USB/network‑native, this will waste money—and if your environment is very driver‑sensitive (certain locked-down Windows images, older OS builds, or odd kernel versions), it’s worth checking compatibility with the exact server/workstation model before ordering. For most straightforward RS‑232 retrofits, though, this is good value and a safe choice—just don’t expect it to solve problems outside the serial world.