PCI i would avoid. For no other reason than if PSU of PC hacks up, the first think it does is burn all inside PC, hence your expensive PCI motion controller. I was repairing PCs at a certain point of time, so take my word on that. When it burns, it burns all. Nothing is spared.

I would greatly encourage you on the standalone controllers. As you know i run my machine on one with exceptional result. And can not stop bragging around how cheap and good value for the money, even with some small drawbacks. And if not the cheap one, there are even better ones for 500Euro.

Gone are the days i will use another controller if not for some very special retrofitting or very special machine.