Recommend External HDD Enclosure 3.5

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Browser

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I'm thinking of getting an external enclosure for a 3.5" 1TB SATA HDD and was wondering if anyone could recommend a decent one.

One that supports eSATA + USB2 otherwise just USB2 would be better than just eSATA since not all my PCs have eSATA ports.

The cheaper the better lol.

On a side note, what's with enclosures stating they only support drives up to a certain size? Sounds like a rather superficial limit to charge more for one's that support "larger" drives.

Thanks :D
 
Browser said:
I'm thinking of getting an external enclosure for a 3.5" 1TB SATA HDD and was wondering if anyone could recommend a decent one.

One that supports eSATA + USB2 otherwise just USB2 would be better than just eSATA since not all my PCs have eSATA ports.

The cheaper the better lol.

On a side note, what's with enclosures stating they only support drives up to a certain size? Sounds like a rather superficial limit to charge more for one's that support "larger" drives.

Thanks :D
Click to expand...

Cheaper is not always better.

I bought an enclosure from Matrix (house brand) for R220, it no longer works after a year.:mad:

Get something with an aluminium design and a fan (keep your drive cool & hopefully extend its life), with plenty of space inside for cabling (make sure the cables don't crimp with the drive inside).

Coolermaster or IcyDock?
 
If you are in CT I have a selection and as well as some mentioned here there are some nice vantec ones, but best is the nexstar IMO
 
Cool. :)

62679_02.jpg


vantecnexstar3.jpg
 
Thanks ginglung, but R800+ is way to much for an enclosure (without things like wireless/ftp as far as I'm concerned lol), and that thing says it only supports "up to 750G SATA hard disk drive " what is with these things having these size limits, I can't help thinking it's completely superficial just to charge more for some of them.

ed I see on it's website it says 1TB support, but still to pricey.
 
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Stay away from enclosures with fan in, once that fan breaks (which it will) your drive cooks. Go for aluminium.
 
I've had one of those R200 cheapos for a few yars now. Works fine
 
Browser said:
it only supports "up to 750G SATA hard disk drive"
Click to expand...

You almost gave me a heart attack with that statement :eek:

I'm busy getting one to put a 1TB in it.

I agree it is pricey, the other one I was interested in was out of stock for more than three weeks and I didn't want to wait longer. It's also one of the few enclosures I could find with a fan and eSata.

Drake2007 said:
Stay away from enclosures with fan in, once that fan breaks (which it will) your drive cooks. Go for aluminium.
Click to expand...

If the fan breaks, you just get a new fan :confused:

I have an aluminium enclosure and the exterior gets quite hot, it just feels to me that the drive is cooking in such an enclosure. Although I suppose the warm exterior means the heat is channelled away from the drive.
 
ponder said:
I prefer enclosures with ventilation holes.
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I was actually thinking I'd probably rather make some ventilation holes than have more power sucking mechanical parts that cost more and could fail lol
 
I got myself the iCYDOCK MB559US and really impressed with the SATA speeds, does not have a fan but the enclosure acts like a huge heatsink so does not get that hot.

Definitely worth it and looks cool.
 
Aqua_lung said:
I got myself the iCYDOCK MB559US and really impressed with the SATA speeds
Click to expand...

There should be no difference in speed for external or internal drives when using eSATA. It's the same thing after all.
 
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