MCE optibay kit (SORT OF) disappointment

[millerb7]

EDIT
I might just have MCE send me a new enclosure (as a few snaps on mine were broken upon receipt). Then just get a bag for the enclosure. I don't like that the front is totally open, but I REALLY do like the actual optibay itself. It's really beefy and fits nicely and fully secures down my HDD in place.

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I'm pretty disappointed with the external enclosure for my optical drive from the MCE kit... REALLY disappointed. It's cheap-ass black plastic.

The front of the enclosure is COMPLETELY open, it leaves my optical drive fully exposed for any dirt or other stuff to get in there while traveling.

Also the screws that screw in from the back that are "suppose" to hold the optical drive in place inside the enclosure don't reach the optical drive to actually hold anything in place.


I'm going to return it for the maxupgrades kit. Anybody with experience with both or either? The maxupgrades kit is $10 cheaper and comes with a CNC machined aluminum enclosure for the optical drive.

I WOULD NOT (REPEAT: NOT) RECOMMEND MCE OPTIBAY KIT TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS AN EXTERNAL ENCLOSURE. COMPLETE GARBAGE IN MY MIND. I just had a completely diff. impression of it in my mind I guess. The actual optibay is decent, pretty heavy-duty. The holes didn't line up perfectly though as it required some finagling. Just little things I didn't think I should have to deal with for spending $99 when I can buy a $10 kit on ebay and deal with the same things.

I'll update when the maxupgrades kit arrives with how the enclosure is.

 

[trigonometry]

I thought the Superdrive enclosure was a free add-on so you could use it if needed, like the Install disks? I read on another thread it was craptacular so no surprises there. How about the optibay itself? Is it as bad? Considering a purchase so I can have a Raid 0 Array with two Intel SSDs.

 

[millerb7]

I thought the Superdrive enclosure was a free add-on so you could use it if needed, like the Install disks? I read on another thread it was craptacular so no surprises there. How about the optibay itself? Is it as bad? Considering a purchase so I can have a Raid 0 Array with two Intel SSDs.

The optibay itself isn't really bad at all. Takes a little finagling to get it to fit perfectly, but it does fit perfectly. It's MUCH beefier than the normal optibay kits you see floating around. Including maxupgrades. It's not just a couple random bars, it's a full blown enclosure almost for the HDD. I was decently pleased with it.

The big thing for me was the optical drive enclosure though... BLAH! I want something I can use to travel with, and actually use and not worry about ruining my optical drive. This enclosure just isn't that.

MaxUpgrades kit has a really nice CNC Machined Aluminum enclosure that is truly slot-load. The entire front isn't left exposed.

It's kind of a double-edged sword. The optibay is better from MCE I feel, but the enclosure is WAY WAY better from MaxUpgrades... so meh. We shall see I suppose. I'm ordering the MaxUpgrades kit on Monday.

 

[trigonometry]

Thanks, thats the answer I needed. I think I'll get the MCE, trash the included enclosure, and hack a MBA superdrive. I know its more expensive than an all-in-one kit but I want a clean set-up too.

 

[menonitarocker]

is it possible to hack the mba superdrive???? how?

 

[millerb7]

Thanks, thats the answer I needed. I think I'll get the MCE, trash the included enclosure, and hack a MBA superdrive. I know its more expensive than an all-in-one kit but I want a clean set-up too.

Yeah I like the actual optibay it's decent. On top of the crappy enclosure though, mine actually came broken too... one of the clips is ripped off so I'm pretty bitter about that too.

The whole thing left a pretty bad taste in my mouth so I'm going to order the MaxUpgrades kit... just wish somebody who has the MaxUpgrades kit would chime in. If it's crappy optibay maybe I'll just get MCE to send me a new optical enclosure and I'll just use that when I need it. Maybe I'll get a bag or a slip over case to put over it when I travel <shrugs>.

The most important part is the optibay itself anyways I suppose.

The MCE optibay is def. higher quality than the MaxUpgrades. This thing is beefy... and my fav. part is it has screw holes that line up with my HDD perfectly in order to secure the HDD itself to the optibay, the other kits do not allow that I don't think... at least it doesn't appear that way in the pics because they are just a couple of bars. This optibay is like an actual enclosure almost for the HDD to sit in.

 

[timkuntz]

Improved Optical Drive Case

It almost a year since the original post and it appears the MCE has listened to customer feedback and improved the case for the optical drive. The external case that came with my $99 purchase was silver plastic (not black), had a closed front with a dirt guard where media is inserted, and the screws were long enough to hold the drive firmly to the back of the case.

I used the kit to add an SSD as the primary drive and move the HD over to the optical drive spot in my mid-2010 unibody MPB. While MCE includes a screwdriver, if you are moving the primary drive you will want a #6 torx as well (I was able to buy one at Ace).