External Thunderbolt NVME case overheating: Any actual good ones?

[godzfire]

I have a Samsung 980 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe in an Acasis TBU401 Thunderbolt 4 enclosure (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P7L6SDD/ , https://www.acasis.com/blogs/shopping-guide/tbu401-vs-tbu405-what-s-the-difference-keep-updated).

Since I stream watch on my Mac Mini (which has a small 256GB drive), I run and offload my Chrome profiles off the drive along with a few other items and programs.

Unfortunately, it's always running hot. This is even with the top plate of the enclosure off so it can get more airflow. This is what it's at currently while running a light 480p stream, browsing Chrome, and just light stuff. I've had a few temp warnings before when there's load on it, so I have concerns.

I tried researching other enclosures but it seems like there's nothing really better out there. So what do you guys all have/do? Do you experience the same issue?

 

[chabig]

I think you probably made it worse by removing the top plate. It's almost certainly designed to run with the top plate on. Assuming it's metal, it carries heat away from the electronics so it can transfer to the surrounding air. The only way it would make sense to run with the case off is if you actively move air over the drive with an external fan.

My suggestion is put it back together. Warm temperatures won't harm it, even if they feel hot to you. 169 degrees F is well within the normal operating range for silicon.

 

[godzfire]

Well I did that, but I ideally was still looking for other options to potentially get.

 

[Fishrrman]

My observation is that ANY enclosure with an nvme blade inside is going to run fairly warm if not "hot".

It seems to be a characteristic of [nearly?] ALL nvme-based blade SSDs.
Hence, the little fans we see in some enclosures to try to assuage this problem.

Some are hotter than others.
But they're all fairly "hot".

 

[JamesMay82]

My biggest pet hate is that all external exclosures seem to be generic brands and never look as nice as a lacie or big brand.

I wish we had better options

 

[AAPLGeek]

I tried researching other enclosures but it seems like there's nothing really better out there. So what do you guys all have/do? Do you experience the same issue?

Any compact high speed enclosure is bound to get hot during constant high speed transfers. I place mine on the aluminum stand of my iMac and it never goes above 55C.

There's also OWC's new USB4 enclosure that basically incorporates a huge heatsink as a part of it's design so temps are always well controlled, at least better than any of these cheap Chinese drop-shipping brands.

 

[justmadeupname]

Any compact high speed enclosure is bound to get hot during constant high speed transfers. I place mine on the aluminum stand of my iMac and it never goes above 55C.

Can this aluminium stand be bought anywhere - I was curious how it looks?

 

[AAPLGeek]

Can this aluminium stand be bought anywhere - I was curious how it looks?

It comes with the iMac. I should have said iMac's stand base I guess. The whole thing basically acts as a giant heat dissipator so temps are always well controlled. I've seen users put it on top of their Mac minis and Studios and I assume that works equally well.

 

[padams35]

Think of it this way, a good enclosure will also double as the SSD's heat sink. Taking the lid off is equivalent to uninstalling the heat sink.

For passively cooled enclosures look for:

1) A metal case with grooves / fins for improved thermal transfer from enclosure to the surroundings.
2) Thermal pad(s) that will transfer heat away from the SSD to the enclosure.
3) A top closing case and not a slide in/out design to help ensure the thermal pad(s) have a good fit.

The enclosure you linked would seem to check all the boxes. If you are thermal throttling double check the thermal pad fit. If it is simply uncomfortably warm, well that is a known issue with the high speed TB3/TB4/USB4 in passively cooled enclosures. If warm makes you nervous you should probably either look for an actively cooled enclosure with a fan or something with a very large heat sink.

 

[justmadeupname]

Think of it this way, a good enclosure will also double as the SSD's heat sink. Taking the lid off is equivalent to uninstalling the heat sink.

For passively cooled enclosures look for:

1) A metal case with grooves / fins for improved thermal transfer from enclosure to the surroundings.
2) Thermal pad(s) that will transfer heat away from the SSD to the enclosure.
3) A top closing case and not a slide in/out design to help ensure the thermal pad(s) have a good fit.

The enclosure you linked would seem to check all the boxes. If you are thermal throttling double check the thermal pad fit. If it is simply uncomfortably warm, well that is a known issue with the high speed TB3/TB4/USB4 in passively cooled enclosures. If warm makes you nervous you should probably either look for an actively cooled enclosure with a fan or something with a very large heat sink.

@padams35 Thanks for the tips.

Is the OWC Express 1M2 case any good then (as it's larger than a Acasis TBU401?

 

[seggy]

I have a Samsung 980 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe in an Acasis TBU401 Thunderbolt 4 enclosure (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P7L6SDD/ , https://www.acasis.com/blogs/shopping-guide/tbu401-vs-tbu405-what-s-the-difference-keep-updated).

Since I stream watch on my Mac Mini (which has a small 256GB drive), I run and offload my Chrome profiles off the drive along with a few other items and programs.

Unfortunately, it's always running hot. This is even with the top plate of the enclosure off so it can get more airflow. This is what it's at currently while running a light 480p stream, browsing Chrome, and just light stuff. I've had a few temp warnings before when there's load on it, so I have concerns.
View attachment 2331570

I tried researching other enclosures but it seems like there's nothing really better out there. So what do you guys all have/do? Do you experience the same issue?

As someone hinted, the NVMe needs thermal padded contact with the case to get any benefit from the enclosure. It should be pretty obvious that convective cooling to open air directly off the card isn't enough.

4.0 NVMe's ideally need active cooling as well as full contact with the cooled heatsink for optimum performance (assuming the interface electronics are actually up to it as well of course). There are some enclosures with squirrel wheels around.

 

[SpecFoto]

I have a Samsung 980 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe in an Acasis TBU401 Thunderbolt 4 enclosure (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P7L6SDD/ , https://www.acasis.com/blogs/shopping-guide/tbu401-vs-tbu405-what-s-the-difference-keep-updated).
........

I tried researching other enclosures but it seems like there's nothing really better out there. So what do you guys all have/do? Do you experience the same issue?

I have a Samsung 2TB 980 Pro in a Acasis 401 enclosure as my iMac startup drive for about 20 months and it does run a bit hot. I added a small external metal fin to the top of the case, see link below, and that lowered the temps and it has been fine. About 4 months ago I put the 401 enclosure on my aluminum base stand for the iMac and that was even better as the added metal worked as a heat sink lowered the temps even more.

Recently got a 4TB WD 850 Black and a Acasis 405 enclosure with a built in metal fin top, and that runs cooler. It is sitting on the top of my new Studio Max and is barely warm to the touch. Others have posted that the Samsung 980 Pro runs hot and I agree. Suggest you put the top plate back on the 401 with 1 or 2 pads to make sure the heat is getting to the enclosure directly and then try the external fin or maybe set the enclosure on a display stand base plate if it is metal.

Awxlumv 2PCS 70mm Heatsink 70x25x10mm / 2.8 x 1 x 0.4inch Alumnum Heat Sink Radiator Coolerwith Thermal Conductive Adhesive Tape Cooling Fins for Cooler Chip VGA RAM Electronics CPU Gpu Led

Awxlumv 2PCS 70mm Heatsink 70x25x10mm / 2.8 x 1 x 0.4inch Alumnum Heat Sink Radiator Coolerwith Thermal Conductive Adhesive Tape Cooling Fins for Cooler Chip VGA RAM Electronics CPU Gpu Led

www.amazon.com