Serial port card is a device that can be installed in a computer to add serial port functionality. A serial port is a communications port that uses a serial interface to send data to and receive data from a serial device. Some of the renowned brands are Belkin, Addonics, and StarTech.
Choosing the right serial port card is difficult as there are many factors to consider such as the port type, port speed, and port configuration. The most important factor is the port type as there are many different port types such as RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485. To make it easier to find the exact serial port card you’re looking for, we rounded up the best serial port cards on Amazon, according to thousands of customer reviews.
Check out our favorite serial port cards in the list below, and keep reading for our buying guide.
Our Editor’s Best Serial Port Cards Reviews
- 1. PCIE-SE2 allow users add 2X RS232 BD9 serial Ports on desktop PCs or industrial devices by motherboard PCI Express slot.
- 2. Seamless connect to serial DB9 ports device such as POS system, industrial testing and control device, security system, logistic management equipment, scanners and printers.
- 3. Need to install driver on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.x, 10, 11 (32/64bit) systems. Linux kernel 2.6.x, 3.x, 4.x, 5.x need to refer compile source code from the driver CD.
- 4. Selected by ASIX AX99100 solution supports on chip 256-byte depth FIFO in transmit. Works on Intel, AMD, ARM hardware platform.
- 5. The full-size bracket on this expansion card will works on standard size PCs. The 2X low profile bracket for slim PCs. Based on PCIE X1 interface, will works on X1, X4, X8, X16 slot.
- 1 PORT SERIAL CARD: Serial controller card w/ 16550 UART based on ASIX MCS9922CV-AA, allows 1x DB9 port w/bi-directional RS232 speeds up to 460.8Kbps per port, available 256 byte FIFO buffer; Upgraded version of our popular card PEX1S552LP
- OPTIONAL CONFIGURABLE POWER: PCI Express RS232 serial adapter card provides choice of 12v, 5v, or none through pin 9
- STANDARD PROFILE & LOW PROFILE BRACKET: PCIe serial card comes w/ a low profile bracket pre-installed & 1x full profile bracket is incl for versatile install; Supports Windows & Linux
- VERSATILE APPLICATIONS: For low/standard profile desktop/servers w/ uses in point of sale terminals, PLCs, control/automation in factories, scientific sensors, medical equipment, scanner, oscilloscope
- 2 PORT SERIAL CARD: Serial controller card w/16550 UART based on ASIX MCS9922CV-AA, allows 2x DB9 ports w/bi-directional RS232 speeds up to 460.8Kbps per port, available 256 byte FIFO buffer | Upgraded version of our popular card PEX2S952
- OPTIONAL CONFIGURABLE POWER: PCI Express RS232 Serial Adapter Card provides choice of 12v, 5v, or none through pin 9. Each of the 2 ports are individually configurable
- STANDARD PROFILE & LOW PROFILE BRACKET: PCIe multiport serial card comes w/ a standard bracket pre-installed & 2x low profile brackets incl for versatile install; supports Windows & Linux
- VERSATILE APPLICATIONS: For standard profile desktop/servers with uses in point of sale terminals, PLCs, control/automation in factories, scientific sensors, medical equipment, scanners, oscilloscope
- This card capability allow for upgrade with additional serial or parallel cards to your computer easily. Note: Open the "CH38XDRV"file in the CD to install.
- Multi-mode IEEE 1284 compliant controller (SPP, PS2, EPP, ECP), Faster data rates up to 1.5Mbps for parallel port.
- Plug and Play, Automatically selects IRQ & IO address, Supports IRQ sharing.
- Compliant with ExpressCard/34mm Standard; Compatible to 1-Lane (x1) PCI-Express Throughput.
- Operating System: Windows 32bit 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista and 64bit XP/2003 Server/Vista/WIN7/WIN8/WIN10/WIN11/Linux. If there was any problem with PCIe combo serial parallel expansion card, pls feel free to contact us, we will provide a solution within 24hrs.
- This card capability allow for upgrade with additional serial cards to your computer easily. Note: Open the "CH38XDRV"file in the CD to install.
- 2 x 16C550 Fast Uart serial ports, supporting data transfer rates up to 230400Bps.
- Plug and Play, Automatically selects IRQ & IO address, Supports IRQ sharing.
- Compliant with ExpressCard/34mm Standard; Compatible to 1-Lane (x1) PCI-Express Throughput.
- Operating System: Windows 32bit 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista and 64bit XP/2003 Server/Vista/WIN7/WIN8/WIN10/WIN11/Linux. (If there was any problem with PCIE 2 port serial expansion card, pls feel free to contact us, we will provide a solution within 24hrs.)
- PCIe CARD WITH SERIAL & PARALLEL PORT: Using a x1 PCIe 2.0 slot, add a DB25 parallel & a DB9 RS232 port to your computer; Card installs in full/standard profile PCIe slot; Latest version of our popular PEX1S1P952
- TECH SPECS: Parallel Speeds up to 2.5Mbps | Supports SPP/Byte/ECP modes | Compatible with IEEE 1284 | Asix AX99100 chip | RS232 speeds up to 921.6Kbps | 16C950 UART | 256 byte FIFO buffer
- VERSATILE APPLICATIONS: PCIe expansion combo card adds LPT Printer & COM serial ports working with printers, scanners, plotters, point of sale terminals, PLCs, control/automation in factories, scientific sensors, medical equipment, oscilloscope
- WIDE COMPATABILITY: PCI Express RS232 serial/parallel adapter card is compliant with PCI-E Base Spec. Rev. 2 & PCI Power Mgmt 1.2; Windows (7 and up) Windows Server (2003 and up) and Linux (2.6.X and up); Auto IRQ & IO assignment; Supports IRQ Sharing
- Add 16 RS232 serial ports (DB9) to your low or full-profile computer through a PCI Express slot
- This 16-Port PCI Express Serial Card provides high-speed PCIe serial card with 16 DB9 RS232 ports from a single PCIe slot
- Multiport serial adapter card enables high-speed serial communication with data transfer rate up to 921.6 Kbps
- Compliant with PCI Express 1.0a/1.1 and compatible with 1x/2x/4x/ 8x/16x PCIe bus
- PCIe serial card / Multiport serial adapter card / Serial PCIe card / Serial expansion card / 16 port serial card / pci serial port / pcie serial card / PCI serial card / pci e serial card / pci express serial card
- MCS9922 Chipset
- Compatible with Industrial Standard 16C550 UART. On Chip 256-byte Depth FIFO in Transmit.
- Transfer data rates up to 250Kbps on each port. Supports hardware and software flow control. Supports 5, 6, 7, 8-bit Serial format
- Fully compliant with PCI-Express base Specification Revision 1. 0a
- Single-lane (x1) PCI-Express with throughput up to 2. 5Gbps
- PCI CARD WITH SERIAL & PARALLEL PORTS: Using one PCI bus, add a DB25 parallel & two DB9 RS232 ports to your computer; Serial Parallel PCI Card installs in 2x full profile or 3x low profile expansion slots; Auto IRQ & IO assignment; Supports IRQ Sharing
- TECH SPECS: Parallel Speeds up to 1.5Mbps | Supports SPP/Byte/ECP/EPP modes | Compatible with IEEE 1284 | Asix MCS9865 chip | RS-232 speeds up to 115.2 Kbps | 16C550 UART | 256 byte FIFO buffer | 5-9 bit character | Even, Odd, No, Space or Mark Parity
- VERSATILE APPLICATIONS: PCI expansion combo card adds LPT Printer & two COM serial ports working with printers, scanners, plotters, point of sale terminals, PLCs, control/automation in factories, scientific sensors, medical equipment, oscilloscope
- STANDARD PROFILE & LOW PROFILE BRACKETs: PCI multiport Parallel LPT & dual serial COM adapter card installs using 2x standard bracket (pre-installed) or 3x low profile brackets (incl); Supports Windows 7 and up, Linux 2.6.x to 5.x
- One high speed RS232 serial port with data transfer rate up to 460.8 Kbps
- Ships with half-height/low profile mounting bracket, includes optional standard profile bracket
- Single chip design optimizes speed and reliability
- Native single-chip, single lane PCI Express
- Selectable power output on pin 9 for the serial port
Best Serial Port Cards Buying Guide
Before choosing the best serial port cards you should consider following options:
1. Protocol: The first thing you should check when looking for a serial port card is the protocol it supports. The most common protocols are:
16-bit ISA cards: These cards are the most widely available and can be used in any PC or laptop that supports ISA slots. You can find them for as cheap as $10.
32-bit PCI cards: These are more expensive than 16-bit cards, but they’re compatible with the latest operating systems.
2. Speed: If you want the maximum throughput, then you should buy a 32-bit PCI card. If you don’t mind compromising a little bit of speed, then you can get a 16-bit card for a cheaper price.
3. Compatibility: If you’re planning to use your serial port card in a Windows environment, then you should buy a card that supports the latest Windows OS.
What else you should know about serial port cards
1. What are the best serial port cards for PCs?
There is no definitive answer to this question since it depends on the specific needs of the user. However, some popular options for serial port cards include the StarTech 2-Port PCI Express Serial Card and the IOGEAR 2-Port USB to Serial DB9 RS232 Adapter Cable.
2. What are the features of a good serial port card?
Some features of a good serial port card are that it is compatible with a wide range of devices, has low latency, and is easy to install.
3. How do I choose the right serial port card for my PC?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best serial port card for your PC will depend on your specific needs. However, some things to consider when choosing a serial port card include the number of ports you need, the data transfer speed you require, and compatibility with your existing hardware and software.
4. What are the benefits of using a serial port card?
Some benefits of using a serial port card are that it can be used to add more serial ports to a computer, it can be used to connect serial devices to a computer, and it can be used to improve the performance of serial devices.
5. What are the drawbacks of using a serial port card?
Some drawbacks of using a serial port card are that they can be difficult to install, and they may not work with all types of devices. Additionally, serial port cards can be expensive, and they may not offer the same level of performance as a dedicated serial port.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best serial port cards. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best serial port cards will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.