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Premium USB 3 2.5 enclosures..

J

juliancs

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
424
1
Hi guys,
I've got a few SSDs and 2.5" drives I travel with to work off. I can't seem to find a high quality enclosure!

I've found some alright ones but many have the mini usb connection which I just don't find stable enough. I'm a fan of the micro-b connections as they feel solid.

Despite searching around I can't seem to find one that has both the micro-b connection AND a screwed-in design; the 'tool free' clip open ones are not secure enough.

Ideally I'd like one in a good metal material with minimal branding, but the connection and box type are more important.

Any ideas/links to some? Needs to be available to the UK...

Many thanks!
 
Duct tape around a tool free enclosure is secure enough :) I like the StarTech cases, but they do come apart when you drop them.

The CRU dataport screws together and has a micro port

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ort_36270_1210_0000_toughtech_m3_sata_to.html

SATA rate is only 3gbps and no mention of USAP if that means anything.


A couple StarTech aluminums are SATA III with micro USB 3 ports

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1071712-REG/startech_s2510sm12u33_enclosure_2_5_usb3_sata.html


And

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ch_s2510bmu33_metal_hard_drive_enclosure.html
 
Last edited:
thedeske said:
Possibly This - http://www.caldigit.com/tuff/

I've been using a Firmtek Dlite for the last 3 months. Very fast and subtle, but it has a mini connector.

http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/dlite/
Click to expand...

What connector type is a USB 3.0 "mini" connector? I was considering picking up one of these, but this really threw me off. AFAIK, USB 3.0 only has two "b" connectors in use -- the full-size "b", and the micro-b. No "mini-b" in the USB 3.0 spec that I've been able to find.

Thanks,
Mark
 
popcorn-in-sac said:
What connector type is a USB 3.0 "mini" connector? I was considering picking up one of these, but this really threw me off. AFAIK, USB 3.0 only has two "b" connectors in use -- the full-size "b", and the micro-b. No "mini-b" in the USB 3.0 spec that I've been able to find.

Thanks,
Mark
Click to expand...

Sorry - they call it a mini port, but it's a mini B. Impossible to tell if it's higher quality. Mine has been solid, but that means nothing. It lives in the bottom of a backpack and gets crushed by other stuff and a laptop bag daily. I never disconnect the cable from the case or use the little cover that comes with it. Kinda testing it to see how it holds. The aluminum is getting it's first rub scratches. The logo is half gone - oh my! ;)

It's certainly the fastest case I've owned. The barefeats review sold me.
 
Last edited:
clovehitch said:
Got my Firmtek dLite enclosure today, and it did in fact come with a Mini connector, as opposed to a Micro B.

Pic below is of the Monoprice Micro B connector. Link is to the Firmtek dLite manual, with pics of what they call a USB 3.0 Mini connector.
Click to expand...

I had seen that picture in the manual previously, and it had me scratching my head. That picture is really (or appears to be) a USB 2.0 Mini connector, lacking enough pins to be USB 3.0. It certainly could be some proprietary connector along with a proprietary cable to match.

Seems really odd.
 
popcorn-in-sac said:
I had seen that picture in the manual previously, and it had me scratching my head. That picture is really (or appears to be) a USB 2.0 Mini connector, lacking enough pins to be USB 3.0. It certainly could be some proprietary connector along with a proprietary cable to match.

Seems really odd.
Click to expand...

- Agreed. Something is fishy there. To my knowledge, only three different USB 3 connectors exist: The Standard-A, Standard-B and Micro-B (pictured above).
The one in the manual looks distinctly like a USB 2 Mini-B.

EDIT: Naturally, there's a C connector as well. Stupid me.
 
Last edited:
Sorry guys - must have been half awake when I posted above. It's the smaller mini, just like this one - http://www.amazon.com/HDE-SuperSpeed-Type-A-5-Pin-Cable/dp/B007KLQVEG

I'll adjust my post ;)

----------
JTToft said:
- Agreed. Something is fishy there. To my knowledge, only three different USB 3 connectors exist: The Standard-A, Standard-B and Micro-B (pictured above).
The one in the manual looks distinctly like a USB 2 Mini-B.
Click to expand...

Well, 5 actually - A, B, Mini, Micro, & C (which should be the most reliable at some point)
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
This is where I get lost with this type of connector:
micro-usb-3.0-cable-217.jpg
 
popcorn-in-sac said:
This is where I get lost with this type of connector:
Image
Click to expand...

Yeah - it's nuts. The 3.0 mini stacks the 5/4 pins like an A connector. Looks just like the old 2.0 type. I like it better than the side by side with the offset crimp. Those failed way to often on more cases than I can count.
 
I've sent in an inquiry-- must be a proprietary connector, given the advertised speed potential.

"...offers performance as high as 440MB/s, which is more than twice the speed of typical USB 3.0 enclosures. The dLite is compatible with the new 5 Gbit/s USB 3.0 ports..."

It's very nicely compact which is the reason I ordered it, although the trade off is its tin can construction.
 
clovehitch said:
I've sent in an inquiry-- must be a proprietary connector, given the advertised speed potential.
Click to expand...

- It seems it's just a normal USB 3 Mini-B (which I didn't realize existed until it was pointed out above). 440 MB/s is normal for UASP-enabled USB 3 enclosures, and by "typical USB 3.0 enclosures", they must mean those without UASP support, which indeed typically are about half as fast.
 
clovehitch said:
You've had good results with it, sooo...:cool:

I've ordered an OWC Electra 120GB-- good size for me for a portable unit. Also have a 960GB M500 coming out of an older MBP, but not sure where that one's going yet.
Click to expand...

Well, the M500 will probably feel nize in there.
I tested with a 250g 840 (fast) but at the moment it
had an antique 5400 hitachi from an old macbook, and still
boots and copies faster that expected for such a slow HD.

Waiting for the 500g 850 to get just a little cheaper.
 
Last edited:
Not that I've speed tested any of my other external drives, but I just ran Blackmagic on the dLite/OWC Mercury Electra 3G SSD (GUID partition/120GB). Results were write/read 130/160 MB/s.
 
juliancs said:
Hi guys,
I've got a few SSDs and 2.5" drives I travel with to work off. I can't seem to find a high quality enclosure!

I've found some alright ones but many have the mini usb connection which I just don't find stable enough. I'm a fan of the micro-b connections as they feel solid.

Despite searching around I can't seem to find one that has both the micro-b connection AND a screwed-in design; the 'tool free' clip open ones are not secure enough.

Ideally I'd like one in a good metal material with minimal branding, but the connection and box type are more important.

Any ideas/links to some? Needs to be available to the UK...

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

oyendigital usb 3 aluuu miniiiii ummmm
 
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