Pros: Properly runs at 6G SATA speeds, eSATA ports work. Does support Port Multipliers (eventually) Fits in a 1x PCI-e slot. Includes Low Profile bracket, which I needed for my HP MicroServer. Hot plug works on all ports. All four ports are usable!! Not like some cards where you can use internal or external ports only.

Cons: Major driver issues with Windows 8. This is a long one but if you run into this issue this post will save you 2 hours of headaches. The controller on the board is a Marvell 88SE9215 controller (as it says on the back of the box). I confirmed this in Windows by using the Hardware IDs which indeed were DEV_9215. My challenge came when I tried to hook up an external eSATA enclosure with port multiplier (a SansDigital TR4M+BNC). It didn’t work. In fact it wouldn’t even see one drive correctly. So I figured the first issue was the driver. Windows 8 detected it as a "standard SATA AHCI controller” which I doubted supported PMs. I tried valiantly to get it to detect a better driver to no avail. I downloaded the latest Windows 8 Marvell driver from the Syba website, as well as Intel's site (search marvell sata driver). Both drivers were identical. But no matter what I did, it said that there was no driver there for my device. I eventually figured out that it’s because the INF file doesn’t have the proper PCI\VEN_1B4B&DEV_9215 string for this card! It does have strings for the 9220 and 9230, which are the same chips essentially. Even going to the Syba website and downloading the drivers for this exact card gave me the same driver set with the same problem - the INF is missing the proper IDs for the chip. So I figured easy enough, I’ll just edit the INF file. But now it won’t install because the hash of the INF file has changed and the driver signing digital signature check fails. So I had to figure out how to remove driver signing in Windows 8, which is extremely cumbersome. Search Google for it; you have to reboot into the Windows 8 advanced startup and disable driver signing for that one boot to install the driver. The driver is now installed, and the port multiplier sees all the drives. However I am running with an unsigned driver, which is obviously not ideal, and the Marvell Storage Utility does not see the controller (so I can't use it for troubleshooting). I have written to Syba so hopefully this issue can be addressed. Removed an Egg for wasting two hours of my time on a wild goose chase.