The Basics:

The Gauntlet Node is all black plastic; the front and bottom have a matte finish, while the sides are shiny which provides some contrast. The front of the Node has the model (Gauntlet) etched into the plastic, while the version (Node) is cut out of a white area. There are three LED indicators on the front to detail the battery status, wireless status, and power.



On one of the short edges, Patriot has placed the USB 3.0 connector, the power button, and the DC charge port. Along one of the long edges, there is an additional button and four bright white LEDs, these are the battery life indicators at intervals of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.



The bottom panel has the typical label, indicating the serial number, MAC address, and various certifications. This bottom panel slides off to reveal the SATA connector, and the internal drive cradle.



The internal drive cradle can swing out of the way, which reveals the Gauntlet's PCB and the 12.4Wh battery is visible. While smartphones typically have smaller batteries, they don't have a physical hard drive to drain the battery as quickly.