Testing:
The hard drive used to test the Thermaltake BlacX SE hard drive dock was a 640GB, 7200RPM, SATA 3Gbps Western Digital Caviar, model SE16 WD6400AAKS. The first round of testing involved executing HD Tach version 3.0.4.0 on this drive while attached to the dock. The results are provided in the screenshot below.
The results are definitely good for a USB connected drive, but they obviously can't compete with eSATA; something Thermaltake should consider implementing on this style of BlacX dock. Look at it this way... I had a directory with 1.85GB of music files that took seven and a half minutes to transfer to the drive in the BlacX SE dock. If I were to try to transfer the full capacity of the drive (640GB) at that rate, it would take approximately 43 hours. If you do frequent data transfers, very large transfers, or both, this type of device probably isn’t your best option. I believe this to be sufficient for the home user backing up items such as music, pictures, and movies, but you be the judge.
Conclusion:
The Thermaltake BlacX SE hard drive dock provides a convenient way to access 3.5" and 2.5" SATA drives without installing them in a computer or in an external drive enclosure. You can swap out drives quickly and easily, and while the speed isn't what you might want for frequent, large transfers, it is quite good for USB 2.0.
On the down side, the hard drive cover may be the biggest disappointment. It doesn’t hold the unit firmly in place, and it leaves the back of the drive completely unguarded. While a four port USB hub is an upgrade over the original BlacX, I'd suggest you go for the updated version of the original design that includes eSATA connectivity (while omitting the extra USB ports). Searching the Internet finds that the original style BlacX with USB only, the original style BlacX with USB and eSATA, and the USB only BlacX SE will all set you back between $30 and $40 (US). Most people have enough USB ports, but having eSATA transfer rates for about the same price is a better way to go.
Pros:
» Adds no noise
» Allows open air heat dissipation
» Accepts 2.5” and 3.5” drives
» Very fast drive swapping capability
» Extra USB ports
Cons:
» Exposed hard drive circuit board
» No eSATA connection
Special thanks to Thermaltake for providing the Thermaltake BlacX SE Hard Drive Dock to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
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