StarTech.com 2S1P PCI Express Serial Parallel Combo Card with Breakout Cable

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

If you’re trying to get a single extra serial + parallel port onto an older PC, this StarTech combo card is a very “practical, low-drama” buy. At £29.96 ex-VAT it’s one of the cheapest ways to keep legacy equipment ticking—think industrial gear, older cash till peripherals, barcode/label setups, or any PC that still expects a proper parallel connection. The breakout cable is the real win here: it saves you from faffing about with pin adapters and makes installs straightforward for anyone who’s done a PCIe card swap before.

That said, this is very much a niche tool. Don’t buy it if you’re moving to new software/workflows, because you’re still tied to older port tech and the usual driver/compatibility quirks (especially on newer Windows setups). Also, if you need reliable throughput or networking-style expansion, this isn’t the right class of product—this is about ports, not performance. Overall: worth it if you have a specific legacy requirement and want the cheapest working route; not worth it as a general-purpose “network” upgrade.