Hard drive storage capacity is increasing dramatically, while the physical space required to do so continues to shrink. Having an incredible amount of storage is great, but having that information able to travel with you is even more amazing. There seems to be an endless list of options when it comes to external storage solutions, with products available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and price ranges. While hard drive enclosures have been around for years, the recent advent of the "hard drive dock" has introduced even more choices.
The
Thermaltake BlacX SE hard drive dock is one option to consider if you decide that a traditional external hard drive enclosure isn't quite what you need. We took a look at the original
Thermaltake BlacX hard drive dock in a review several months ago, and now we'll see what the "SE" version does to improve upon the design.
Before taking a look at the unit provided for review, let's take a look at some of the published data taken from the
official product page on the Thermaltake website.
Features:
» Patented Design
» RoHS Compliance
» Supports All 2.5” & 3.5” SATA HDDs up to 1.5 TB !
» 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub
» Hot-Swap Capability for Rapid Multi HDDs Access & Exchange
» Supports USB 2.0
» Transfer Speed up to 480Mbps
» Windows & Mac OS Compatible
» Compact Docking Station Design maximizes Heat Dissipation & Exhaust
» Windows Vista Ready!
Specifications:
» Enclosure Interface : USB 2.0
» Transfer Rate : Up to 480 Mbps
» HDD Compatible : SATA I & SATA II
» HDD Capacity All 2.5” or 3.5” SATA HDD up to 1.5 TB
» OS Compatible : Windows Vista / XP / 2003 / 2000 / NT / 98 / 95 Mac 10.3 and later
» Material : ABS Plastic Power
» Power : Input: 100-240V / 50-60Hz / 1A ; Output: 12V / 2A
» Dimension 5.12 x 3.55 x 2.56 in. (L x W x H)130 x 90 x 65 mm (L x W x H)
» Fan : None
» Weight: 2 lbs
» Special Features:
» Hot-Swap Capability for Rapid Multi HDDs Access & Exchange
» Compact Docking Station Design maximizes Heat Dissipation & Exhaust
» 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub
From the list of features and specifications, the only thing distinguishing the SE from the original is the built in 4-port USB hub. The USB ports are clearly visible in the promotional image above, as well as one other aesthetic change; there are shields in front of, and behind, the dock that will hopefully do more to protect the drive while in use.
