External Examination:
The exterior of the HornetTek Hover 3.5" Hard Drive enclosure is made entirely of plastic. It has an unusual design, which will make it stand out from other enclosures that generally look very similar to each other. The front of the Hover is black, regardless of the color of the enclosure. Running vertically down the center of the front edge is a piece of clear plastic.
 
The above right image shows the back of the enclosure. The back plate is one of the few places on the exterior of the Hover that is metal. Here we find the required connections; a power switch, power, and USB. Each of the connections are well marked so you know what the connection is for. If your enclosure has eSATA available, you will find the eSATA connection here as well. The back plate also has something a little unusual. There are ten holes running down each side of the back plate, as well as three holes at the bottom. These holes will be used to push hot air out of the enclosure.
Both sides of the Hover are identical. Neither side has markings to identify the manufacturer, or model of the enclosure. While a minor point, I really like this as I have never been a big fan of companies putting their name over most of the hardware. However, this is different than the promotional images that HornetTek uses on the Hover's web page. Those images show the company name and logo on the side. The sides have a high gloss which makes it look great, but as a side effect they show fingerprints and smudges very easily.
 
On the front half of each side is a 50mm intake fan, which resides behind a steel grill. The grill has very small holes to allow a large amount of air to pass through.
The bottom of the Hover includes the only label on the enclosure. Here you will find the model number, serial number, and the FCC certification. The base includes two rubber feet which run the width of the enclosure. These will keep the enclosure from moving around once you place it on something. At the front of the base is a tiny screw, which you will need to remove when installing a hard drive. This is the first disappointment, as HornetTek could have easily made this part of the drive tool-less. While screws may be more secure, being tool-less would be more convenient.
 
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