Denis Joseph Nexum Hardware.

Case Enclosure

What you should consider buying a hard drive enclosure

Key considerations when buying a hard drive enclosure:

• Physical Size - First make sure you clearly on the hard disk size that you like it will be critical. Discs drives generally come in three sizes 1.8 ", 2.5" and 3.5 "with 2.5" and 3.5 "is by far the most popular.

  But beware its not good to take your ruler and measure to try the hard drive to see which one you see because the size disk " plate "inside the box the hard drive. These dimensions were developed as a short hand description over the years and are commonly used to describe the size of the hard drive and also the target = "_blank" title = "HDD Enclosure"> Hard Disk Enclosures they fit.

  The actual physical dimensions of each size of hard drive (if you want to measure) are:

  1.8 "HDD 54 mm x 8 mm x 71 mm
  2.5 "drives are drvie 9.5 to 15 mm x 69.85 mm x 100 mm
  3.5 "hard drives are 101.6 mm x 25.4 mm x 146 mm

  The 1.8 "Disks drives are typically used in digital audio players and laptops very low, 2.5 "hard drives are usd in the standard laptop and disks drives 3.5 "Desktop

  There is another "trap" to be aware of the extent size of 2.5 is concerned Drives "It's hard and they come in different thicknesses (height) with 9.5 mm being the default standard, but used by some manufacturers 12.5mm hard disk drives for the first generation of high capacity. Most 2.5 "hard drives are designed for 9.5 mm thick hard disks and will not support the larger version of 12.5 mm.

• IDE or SATA - Your target = "_self" alt = "HDD Enclosure"> hard drive enclosure must support the interface on the end of the disk drive. Your hard drive will either have an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) interface (later renamed ATA) or SATA (Serial ATA) interface. The IDE / ATA interface is fairly easy to identify because it has 2 rows of pins (40 total) and Pine extra for the "jumper" settings. SATA drives do not pine as such, but two flat connectors "chat" type.
• Interface - Once you have worked what size hard drive you and what interface is on the end of it, then you must think about how you want the case of hard drive you will put the drive in to connect to your PC. There are 3 basic options, USB, eSATA, Firewire, and combinations of the above, for example, USB and Firewire

  USB is by far the option The most popular and offers transfer speeds of USB 2.0, data is generally good and comparable with Firewire 400. If you have SATA on your PC and you can enjoy an eSATA enclosure HDD, then the data transfer speed will be about X3 when the USB 2.0 or Firewire.

• Powering the hard disk enclosure - 1.8 "2.5" target = "_blank" title = "Case Drive "> Hard Drive enclosures are powered by the bus - which is their power consumption from the USB port to run the hard drive and power unit. Most of these small boxes are provided with what is commonly called a "Y". These cables have a unique connection to the enclosure and allow the other end being connected to two separate USB ports. Sometimes, the maximum 500mA a USB port can provide is not enough to turn the disk to connect the second power supply needed (note: using the second cable is not always necessary. It depends on the hard drive and if you use your USB ports are delivering a true 500 mA output)

  All 3.5 "envelopes come with a power cable / power supply enclosure.

• Fans - No the smaller speakers are available with or need a fan, but some of the largest 3.5 "enclosures do. Typically, the fan can be independently enabled / disabled, but only if you buy an aluminum housing of good quality, so fans can be more problems they are worth. The enclosures are designed to dissipate heat if they could all get a little warm in the addition of a fan can make noisy and intrusive.

There are other less tangible considerations such as design, color, lights flashing, but most of them are just a matter of personal choice. The key is to buy the right speaker for you hard drive with good interface of the enclosure to your PC. Do not always buy the cheapest, either because there are no attachments very well done. Read other reviews customers or talk to people who have used them or sell them and get them to recommend a solution for you. USBNow carry a wide range of hard drive enclosures are always happy to help.

About the Author

Phil is part of the team at USBNow. Launched in 2002 USBNow specializes in all things USB related. If you are looking for helpful advice on your USB related problems or you’re interested in the latest USB products be sure to check us out at http://www.usbnow.co.uk

Galaxy Metal Gear 2518UAS 2.5 External Enclosure Case $12.99 Galaxy Metal Gear 2518UAS 2.5 External Enclosure Case

USB2.0 SATA HDD Hard Disk Drive Case Enclosure $5.99 USB2.0 SATA HDD Hard Disk Drive Case Enclosure

Silver 2.5 USB 2.0 SATA Hard Disk Drive Case Enclosure $5.99 Silver 2.5 USB 2.0 SATA Hard Disk Drive Case Enclosure

Usb 3.0 2.5in Sata Hd Enclosure Fast Almn Case $50.99 USB 3.0 2.5IN SATA HD ENCLOSURE FAST ALMN CASE

Usb 3.0 3.5in Sata Hd Enclosure Fast Almn Case $56.99 USB 3.0 3.5IN SATA HD ENCLOSURE FAST ALMN CASE

HP AP844A Storage Enclosure $454.99 HP StorageWorks P2000 G3 Modular Smart Array AP844A AP844A Hard Drive Enclosure HP Hewlett-Packard Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure www.hp.com

Internal HDD Hard Drive Case/Enclosure for Xbox 360 Slim (Black) $8.99 HighlightsInternal HDD Hard Drive Case/Enclosure for Xbox 360 Slim (Black)Replace your old or damaged hard drive case or enclosure Compatible with Xbox 360 SLIM Internal Hard Drive

HP DX115 Hard Drive Enclosure $210.99 3 Year Limited Hewlett Packard Workstations: xw8600 xw9400 DX115 DX115 Hard Drive Enclosure FZ576AA HP Hewlett-Packard Internal Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure www.hp.com

CRU DataPort Removable Drive Enclosure Case $20.99 11" 3800-525-01 4" 9 oz 9" CRU Removable Drive Enclosures - DataPort HotDock, DataPortable 525 CRU Removable Drive Enclosures - DataPort DataPort Removable Drive Enclosure Case Shoulder Strap Dual material design in stylish black Three separate zippered compartments to organize cables, hard drive enclosures and other items such as business cards, pens and keys Thick foam padding helps further protect your data See-thru business card window Locking keychain holder A truly versatile organizer for the active consumer The DataPortable carrying case is an affordable, convenient and stylish way to store, transport and protect DataPort products. Soft and lightweight, the DataPortable carrying case is designed with rugged nylon and water resistant Koskin, a durable leather-like material. Black CRU CRU Acquisitions Group, LLC Carrying Case DataPort Removable Drive Enclosure Case Drive Enclosure Handle Nylon Shoulder Strap Top-loading www.cru-dataport.com

Kingston SATA Hard Drive Enclosure $33.99 1 1 x 2.5"Internal 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Front Accessible 1 x Serial ATA 2.5" Internal Kingston Kingston Technology Company Removable Drive Case SATA Hard Drive Enclosure SNA-DC/35 Storage Enclosure www.kingston.com

Intel 4 Bays Expander Enclosure $113.99 3.5" 4 4 Bays Expander Enclosure 4 x 3.5"Internal Hot-swappable 4 Bays Expander Enclosure Board 4 x Drive carriers 2 x Data cables IPMB cable Common installation guide SATA/SAS configuration label SC5400 Server Chassis AXX4DRV3GEXP Intel Intel Corporation Removable Drive Case SAS Serial ATA Storage Enclosure Up to 4 www.intel.com

Promise VTCARRIER Storage Enclosure - Internal $40.99 Promise VTrak x10 Series Hard Drive Array Internal Promise Promise Technology Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure VTCARRIER VTCARRIER Hard Drive Carrier www.promise.com

MPT EC-UEIS7 Hard Drive Enclosure $77.99 1 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Internal 1 x IDE Internal 1 x Serial ATA/300 Internal 1 x USB 2.0 External 1 x eSATA External 3.5" Ultra Light Aluminum Case Equipped with LED indicates Power and Action status Supports Wakeup ability Built in Cooling Fan to reduce Heat Operating Systems: Windows 98SE/2000/ME/2003/XP/Vista Mac OS X EC-UEIS7 EC-UEIS7 Hard Drive Enclosure External Enclosure External Hot-swappable IDE MPT Micropac Technologies Not Applicable Serial ATA/300 Storage Enclosure www.micropactech.com

MPT SBT-EKU25 Hard Drive Enclosure $14.99 1 1 x 2.5" - 9.5 mm Height Internal 1 x USB 2.0 External 1 x Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-6) Internal 2.5" Equipped with LED indicator for Power and Action status Supports Wakeup ability Easy to open design SBT-EKU25 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure Hard Drive Enclosure Carrying case USB 2.0 cable Driver Disk User Manual Screwdriver Screws Operating Systems: Windows 98/ 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP Mac OS 8.6 and above Black External Hot-swappable MPT Micropac Technologies Portable SBT-EKU25 SBT-EKU25 Hard Drive Enclosure Storage Enclosure Transfer data quickly and easily with this great external hard drive case! The USB 2.0 interface allows for data transfer rates up to 480Mbps. This case is powered by a USB 2.0 connection. The easy to use design allows for quick installation of 2.5-inch hard drives. This enclosure provides a fast and easy way to add more storage space to your Desktop or Notebook. The USB 2.0 interface allows users to read and write large files up to 480Mbps per second, and this device is also backward compatible to the USB 1.1 specification. Reuse old 2.5" Hard Drives as perfect external storage! Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-6) www.micropactech.com

Galaxy Metal Gear 4500MGB 4 Bay Raid - 3.5 inch 4 Bay External Enclosure Case $249.99 Galaxy Metal Gear 4500MGB 4 Bay Raid - 3.5 inch 4 Bay External Enclosure Case

Galaxy Metal Gear 3538NAS Wireless Series - 3.5 External 2 Bay Enclosure Case / Black $216.99 Galaxy Metal Gear 3538NAS Wireless Series - 3.5 External 2 Bay Enclosure Case / Black

Galaxy Metal Gear 3512 Iron Mesh Design Series - 3.5 External Enclosure Case $28.49 Galaxy Metal Gear 3512 Iron Mesh Design Series - 3.5 External Enclosure Case

Galaxy Metal Gear 4500MGB 4 Bay Raid Pro (NAS) - 3.5 inch 4 Bay External Enclosure Case $302.99 Galaxy Metal Gear 4500MGB 4 Bay Raid Pro (NAS) - 3.5 inch 4 Bay External Enclosure Case

Aleratec 350106 Storage Enclosure - Internal $40.99 1 1 x 2.5"Internal 1 x 7-pin Serial ATA Internal 1 x Serial ATA 2.5" 3.5" - 1/3H 350106 350106 Hard Drive Enclosure Aleratec Cruiser Hard Drive Duplicator: 350103 350104 350109 Package Quantity: 2 Aleratec Aleratec, Inc Internal Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure www.aleratec.com

Chenbro SK51101 Storage Enclosure - Internal $39.99 0.50" Height x 3.78" Width x 5.12" Depth 1 1 x 2.5"Internal Hot-swappable 1 x 7-pin Serial ATA/300 Serial ATA Internal 1 x Serial ATA/300 Hot-swappable 2.5" Chenbro Chassis: RM11704B RM12404B RM13204 RM21508B RM21706 RM31408 RM31616 RM51424 RM51924B Chenbro Chenbro Micom Co., Ltd Internal Removable Drive Case SK51101 SK51101 Mobile Rack Hard Drive Enclosure Storage Enclosure www.chenbro.com

HP AP843A Storage Enclosure - Internal $3089.99 12 12 x 3.5" - 1/3H Internal 3.5" 4 lb 8" Height x 12" Width x 15" Depth HP Modular Smart Array 2000 HP StorageWorks P2000 G3 Modular Smart Array AP843A AP843A Hard Drive Enclosure HP Hewlett-Packard Internal Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure www.hp.com

One Button Backup Case for 2.5 inch Hard Drive - storage enclosure - Hi-Speed USB $26.99 CP Technologies One Button Backup Case for 2.5 inch Hard Drive - Storage enclosure - 2.5" - Hi-Speed USB

1.8 USB 2.0 Hard Drive Aluminum Enclosure Case with ZIF-40 Connector - Black $9.99 1.8 USB 2.0 Hard Drive Aluminum Enclosure Case with ZIF-40 Connector - Black

2.5 USB 2.0 IDE HDD Hard Disk Drive Aluminum Case Enclosure - Blue $8.99 2.5 USB 2.0 IDE HDD Hard Disk Drive Aluminum Case Enclosure - Blue

Macalley 2.5" Ultimate Slim External Enclosure /Case For Hd Aluminum USB 2.0 $19.9 Macalley 2.5" Ultimate Slim External Enclosure /Case For Hd Aluminum USB 2.0

Blue HDD Sleeve Pouch Carrying Case Enclosure for 2.5' Hard Disk Drive $10.49 Blue HDD Sleeve Pouch Carrying Case Enclosure for 2.5' Hard Disk Drive

2.5 USB 2.0 HDD IDE Hard Drive External Enclosure Case Box $15.99 2.5 USB 2.0 HDD IDE Hard Drive External Enclosure Case Box

MPT ECS-U35K Hard Drive Enclosure $29.99 1 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Internal 1 x USB 2.0 External 1 x Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-6) Internal 3.5" ECS-U35K 3.5" Hard Drive Enclosure Power Supply Power Cord USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male cable Enclosure Stand for upright position Driver CD User Manual Stand LED indicates Power and Action status ON/OFF switch to shut down hard drive when inactive without having to disconnect Easy assembly without Screws Supports Wakeup ability Easy access on PC or Notebook Operating Systems: Windows 98/ 98SE/ ME/ 2000/XP Mac OS 8.6 and above The Micropac 3.5" enclosure is designed to use for any IDE Hard Drive -- even up to 750GB ! The new Cypress Chipset allows you to connect any IDE hard drive externally, while the durable aluminum case effectively dissipates the heat to create instant portable data storage in a case that is extremely compact. USB 2.0 connection (backward compatible to the USB 1.1) allows data transfer speeds of up to 480 Mbps via a standard USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male cable. Black ECS-U35K ECS-U35K Hard Drive Enclosure External Hot-swappable MPT Micropac Technologies Portable Storage Enclosure Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-6) www.micropactech.com

Sabrent EC-C25P Storage Enclosure - External $29.99 1 1 x 2.5"Internal 1 x 7-pin Serial ATA/300 Serial ATA Internal 1 x Serial ATA/300 1 x USB 3.0 USB External 2.5" EC-C25P Hard Drive Enclosure USB 3.0 Cable Carrying Case USB 2.0 USB 1.1 Plug n Play Take advantage of the lightening speed of USB 3.0 to quickly transfer files up to 5 Gbps! Connect any 2.5" Serial ATA (SATA) or SATA II Hard Drive to your computer through an available USB 3.0 port on your desktop or laptop. The sleek case has a soft rubber feel that opens and closes without screws, so assembly is quick and easy. The retractable cable is connected to the enclosure so you do not need any additional accessories to assemble or operate your hard drive. Reverse compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1, this enclosure is a perfect solution for data transfers or data backup! EC-C25P EC-C25P Hard Drive Enclosure External Hot-swappable Not Applicable Portable Sabrent Sabrent, Inc Storage Enclosure www.sabrent.com

MPT ECS-STU35 Hard Drive Enclosure $63.99 1 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Internal 1 x Serial ATA/300 1 x Serial ATA/300 Internal 1 x USB 2.0 External 3.5" ECS-STU35 3.5" Hard Drive Enclosure Power Supply Power Cord USB 2.0 cable Driver Disk User Manual Easy access on PC or Notebook Equipped with LED indicates Power and Action status. Supports Wakeup ability Operating Systems: Windows 98SE/ 2000/ ME/ 2003 or XP Mac OS X Now you can connect any 3.5" Hard Drive, Serial ATA (SATA) or IDE, to your computer through USB 2.0. The USB 2.0 interface allows users to read and write large files up to 480mbits per second, and it is fully backward compatible to USB 1.1 specification. This product is ideal for a personal backup solution. The new generation USB2.0 to SATA HDD Case, is a durable aluminum enclosure for your 3.5¨SATA or SATA II hard drive or IDE drives. Transfer data quickly and easily, anywhere, with this great external hard drive case! ECS-STU35 ECS-STU35 Hard Drive Enclosure External Enclosure External Hot-swappable MPT Micropac Technologies Storage Enclosure www.micropactech.com

MASSCOOL UHB-330U External Enclosure $19.99 AC Adapter: Yes Material: Aluminum with mirror finish Dimensions: 7.52" x 4.37" x 1.34" Internal Interface: IDE Features: Mirror Finish Aluminum Enclosure Suitable for 3.5" HDD Ultra Dissipation Easy installation Hot-Swappable Connection (Plug & Play) System requirements: Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP Mac OS 8.6 or above Support Plug and play compatible Aluminum case for excellent heat disspipation Status LED display High speed USB 2.0 Requires only 1 USB port Backward compatible with USB1.1 For horizontal or vertical operation Maximum data transfer rates up to 480Mbps Support up to maximum 1TB hard disk Self power (power consumption +5V & +12V) Power input AC: 100-240V Parts: 1 year limited Labor: 1 year limited

USB 2.0 SATA 2.5' Hard Drive External Enclosure Case $13.49 Description:This external slim enclosure is designed for 2.5" SATA hard drives.Tiny portable SATA Hard Drive Case with USB 2.0 interface, transfer rate up to 480Mb/s.Backward compatible with USB 1.1.This 2.5" SATA External Hard Drive Enclosure is powered via computer USB port, no external power required.Plug and play, no rebooting required.Aluminum case design for optimum working temperature.Easy installation without screws.SATA Hard Drive Enclosure with LED lindicator.System requirement: Windows ME, 2000, XP, and Vista.Dimension: ~11.7(L) x 7.2(W) x 1(H)cmWeight: 148gPackage Included:1 x SATA 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure1 x USB Cable1 x Faux Leather Pouch1 x Operation Manual

USB 2.5' SATA HDD Hard Drive External Enclosure Case $15.49 Description:This external slim enclosure is designed for 2.5" SATA hard drives.Tiny portable SATA Hard Drive Case with USB 2.0 interface, transfer rate up to 480Mb/s.Backward compatible with USB 1.1.This 2.5" SATA External Enclosure is powered via computer USB port, no external power required.Plug and play, no rebooting required.Aluminum case design for optimum working temperature.Easy installation without screws.SATA Hard Drive Enclosure with LED lindicator.System requirement: Windows ME, 2000, XP, and Vista.Dimension: ~11.7(L) x 7.2(W) x 1(H)cmWeight: 152gPackage Included:1 x SATA 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure1 x USB Cable1 x Faux Leather Pouch1 x Operation Manual

CRU DataPort Removable Drive Enclosure Case. Each $21.42 Manufacturer: CRU. Each. The DataPortable carrying case is an affordable, convenient and stylish way to store, transport and protect DataPort products. Soft and lightweight, the DataPortable carrying case is designed with rugged nylon and water resistant

MPT ECS-STU35K Hard Drive Enclosure $63.99 1 1 Year 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Internal 1 x Serial ATA/300 1 x Serial ATA/300 Internal 1 x USB 2.0 External 3.5" ECS-STU35K 3.5" Hard Drive Enclosure Power Supply Power Cord USB 2.0 cable Driver Disk User Manual Ultra Light Aluminum Case Easy access on PC or Notebook Equipped with LED indicates Power and Action status Supports Wakeup ability Operating Systems: Windows 98SE/ 2000/ ME/ 2003 or XP Mac OS X Now you can connect any 3.5" Hard Drive, Serial ATA (SATA) or IDE, to your computer through USB 2.0. The USB 2.0 interface allows users to read and write large files up to 480mbits per second, and it is fully backward compatible to USB 1.1 specification. This product is ideal for a personal backup solution. The new generation USB2.0 to SATA HDD Case, is a durable aluminum enclosure for your 3.5¨SATA or SATA II hard drive or IDE drives. Transfer data quickly and easily, anywhere, with this great external hard drive case! Black ECS-STU35K ECS-STU35K Hard Drive Enclosure External Hot-swappable MPT Micropac Technologies Portable Storage Enclosure www.micropactech.com

SABRENT SBT-EKU25 External Enclosure $11.99 The Sabrent SBT-EKU25 external enclosure sports a super slim design that gives a sleek look to this value-laden unit. It features an ultra light aluminum case for strength and rigidity, crucial to a portable device like this. An LED indicator gives you clear power and hard disc status indicators. You can now reuse any old 2.5" IDE hard drive as a portable external storage device, giving you easy access and storage expandability to your desktop or notebook PC. The USB 2.0 interface allows for faster 480 Mbps data transfers, enabling you to make your internal IDE drive into a USB 2.0 drive, even supporting USB 1.1 and UDMA/100 specifications. Plug-and-play operations and hotswappability means your data can move when and where you need it to. Bus-power support lets you use the newly enclosed hard drive without connecting to an additional power source. Moreover, it even supports Windows 98, 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP and Mac Os 8.6 and above operating systems. It comes with driver disk, user manual, screwdriver, AC Adapter: No Material: Aluminum Internal Interface: IDE Maximum Capacity (per Bay): Up to 1TB (9.5mm thickness) Features: Ultra Light Aluminum Case, Equipped with LED indicator for Power and Action status, USB Bus-power support, Plug and Play Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 and Mac OS X and above, Linux kernel after 2.4.1.0 Package Contents: 2.5" External Enclosure USB Cable Screwdriver Leather Wallet Driver Disk User Manual Parts: 1 year

Ultra ULT40443 Storage Enclosure - Internal - Black $38.99 1 x 3.5" - 1/3H Front Accessible 1.02" Height x 4" Width x 5.75" Depth 2 2 x 2.5"Internal 2 x Serial ATA 2.5" 3 Year Limited For worry-free performance, choose Ultra's ULT40443 2.5" SATA HDD Internal Enclosure. You can depend on Ultra for the industry's finest Enclosures. This High End Enclosure delivers the ultimate performance! No other product can match the quality and reliability of an Ultra ULT40443 2.5" SATA HDD Internal Enclosure. Although many Enclosures look alike, there's more to an Enclosure than meets the eye. Every Ultra ULT40443 2.5" SATA HDD Internal Enclosure undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it exceeds the strictest standards. Black Internal Removable Drive Case Storage Enclosure ULT40443 ULT40443 Hard Drive Enclosure Ultra Ultra Products www.ultraproducts.com