Are you looking for a device that let you use your extra hard drive as an external hard drive, then this is the best place for finding out the best device. Nowadays, large storage is needed for storing all the photos, movies, and files. Again, it becomes very helpful if you can carry the storing device or other types of backups with you. A pen drive will be in your mind. But for backup and a large amount of data transfer, a pen drive doesn’t serve well. Here we’ve discussed the best external hard drive enclosure.
You can easily convert a hard drive into an external hard drive by using a hard drive enclosure. But choosing the best enclosure is not an easy task. To buy the best external hard drive enclosure, read through the full article which will be very informative for you.
Table of Contents
What is Hard Drive Enclosure?
In short, you have to put a hard drive in it and connect this through the USB port of your computer. Now, use it as a separate drive of your computer.
If you own a PC or a laptop, then you most probably have at least 500GB or 1TB storage which seems not enough if you store a large number of files, photos, and movies. In that case, an external hard drive will be very useful because a laptop generally can hold only or maybe two hard disk drives of 2.5 inches. So, you can use 3.5 inch HDD or 2.5 inch HDD or SSD as an external Hard Drive by using an enclosure. You can transfer files across PCs with these.
If you want to make a backup of your file, then an external hard drive is a good choice for moving a large number of files. It can prevent data loss if your system gets infected with malware or ransomware. When you want to use the drive, just plug it through a USB port, and after finishing the work, detach it from the computer. It seems just like any other USB flash drive like a pen drive.
All HDD enclosure devices don’t use the same interface. The most common is the SATA to USB 2.0. But nowadays, almost all the device supports USB 3.0, eSATA. Also, there are some devices that use SCSI, or Ethernet. You can also use other methods to backup files on Windows.
Our Recommended Best External Hard Drive Enclosures Review
If you are looking for a hard drive enclosure that supports almost all types of hard drives, then this is the review for you. In this review, we shall discuss five best Enclosures that will be a great choice for you for making backup and transferring a large amount of data. To know more about these products, follow the next sections of this article.
1. Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0
As technology is advanced so much, we can store more data on our computer than we used to store before. But your valuable data can be lost at any time. So, in order to secure your data from getting lost for many reasons, it is safe for you to make a backup of your data. But it will be a lengthy process to transfer a huge amount of data from one place to another.
If you want to use your 2.5-inch hard drive that is generally come with a notebook or you may have been gifted by someone or you may have bought one for additional storage. This external Hard Drive enclosure is a SATA to USB 3.0. So, you can achieve a great speed delivered by USB 3.0 during transferring your data.
If you have a laptop that can hold one or two hard drives but you need more additional storage, then you can use this hard drive enclosure to add additional storage to your computer. This external hard drive enclosure supports a 2.5 inch hard drive or SATA II drives. If you connect the hard drive to a USB 3.0 port, the transfer rate can be achieved up to 5 Gbps. And if you connect this to USB 2.0 port, then 480 Mbps speed can be achieved.
The installation process is very easy. It only needs to connect the device to the port. No additional drivers will be needed for that. The plug and play process made it very easy to use in Windows XP/ 7/ 8 or 10. Both 64-bit and 32-bit are supported. You can use this in your MAC too. The product comes with an enclosure and a USB cable.
The device is made of premium quality material to protect your hard drive. This enclosure is a good choice for backup or data transfer. Though it is made for used via USB 3.0 ports, it is reverse compatible. So, you can plug the device to USB 2.0 and 1.1 also.
The enclosure can be used for mounting SSD (Solid State Drive) also which makes it flexible.
You cannot use a 3.5 inch hard drive in it. So, before buying it, keep it in mind.
2. ORICO Tool-free USB 3.0 to SATA External 3.5
If you are looking for a hard drive enclosure that supports almost all types of hard drives, then this product is for you. If you want to make a backup of your data or if you transfer a huge amount of data from one computer to another, then this is a good choice for you. Because it supports 3.5 inches SATA I, II, III. You can also use 2.5 inches SATA I, II, III hard drive and SSD up to 12TB.
The device can be connected to USB 3.0 port which can yield transfer rate up to 5Gbps. The device is reverse compatible too. So, you can use this enclosure to connect your hard drive via USB 2.0 or 1.1. If you connect this to the USB 2.0 port, then the max transfer rate will be 480 Mbps. So, you can connect almost all types of hard drives via this hard drive enclosure.
As you will use it as an enclosure for your external hard drive, the design and quality should be premium. The material used in this product is ABS plastic and metal. To make it more stable and safer, a shock-proof sponge is installed on the bottom of the device. So, the device is more stable and safe and you don’t have to be tensed when you touch it.
As it is a 3.5-inch hard drive enclosure, an additional power source is needed to power it up. The device needs a power source of 12V2A. But as it is made safer with a shock-proof sponge. The full body of the device is compact in design. So, carrying it won’t be a problem.
It is made as a plug and play device. No additional driver is needed to use it. All you will need to do is connect the device to a USB port. You can then start to transfer data from the computer to the external hard drive. The device supports storage up to 8TB which is enough we think.
The product comes with all the accessories you will be needed to use the hard drive. You will get one USB 3.0 3.5 inches hard drive external enclosure, one 12V2A power adapter, one USB 3.0 data cable, a user manual and a service card.
The device is compatible with almost all types and sizes of hard drives. So, whether you have a 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch SATA hard drive or an SSD, it won’t be a problem.
As it supports 3.5 inches SATA hard drive, an additional 12V2A power source is needed.
3. Mediasonic ProBox HF2-SU3S2 4 Bay 3.5”
You may have a huge amount of storage on your computer. But as the day passes by, the number of files and data on your computer increases. So, nowadays it is not that much if you have a 2TB hard drive on your computer. Again you may want to install a new OS on your computer. So, it becomes necessary to make a backup of your computer’s disk drive. For this reason, Mediasonic ProBox will be a great choice in terms of transfer rate and drive storage.
The main attraction of this product is that it supports almost all brands’ 3.5 inches SATA I/ II/ or III disk drive and 4 disk drives can be put in this enclosure at a time. Each drive’s storage can be up to 16TB. So, you can have 4 X 16TB = 64TB storage in a single device. It also supports 4 X 2.5 inch SATA SSD or HDD each having storage up to 12TB. But you will require a Bracket Adapter which is not included in the package.
As it is an external hard drive enclosure, the design and quality are very important. The quality of the product is very premium. It is made of ABS plastic and metal. But as it supports 4 HDD or SSD at a time, the size and weight of the device are relatively large. So, you have to keep it in mind before traveling with this. The ports are on the front side and the fan and power ports are on the rear side of the device.
There are two types of connection in this enclosure. The enclosure to USB connection and to eSATA connection. If you connect the device to your computer’s USB 3.0 port, the transfer rate can achieve a speed up to 5 Gbps where the USB 2.0 port will achieve a 480 Mbps transfer rate. But an amazing data transfer rate of 6Gbps can be achieved if you connect the enclosure to the eSATA connection.
It also features a cooling fan to maintain the temperature of your hard disk drive for safety purposes. There are three levels of fan speed: Auto or manual fan speed mode. There is also a built-in temperature sensor so that it can perform well in the auto mode.
Four 3.5 inch HDD can be put at a time in the enclosure. So, an additional power source is needed and the size of the device is pretty large.
4. AmazonBasics 3.5-inches SATA HDD Hard Drive Enclosure
If you have a 3.5 inch Hard Disk Drive which holds all your important files like photos, movies, official files, etc which you want to access all the time regardless of you are home or at the office. This 3.5 inch HDD enclosure supports most of the 3.5 inch SATA I, II, or III Hard Disk Drives. The connection to USB 3.0 provides transfer speed up to 5Gbps. It is also backward compatible which means you can connect the enclosure to USB 2.0 also.
The look, quality, and design of this HDD enclosure are very impressive. The device is well made and it features plug and plays installation that means you don’t need to install any drivers for this. The tool-free design made it easy to carry this device anywhere and install the HDD anytime because it won’t be needed any tools or screws to install the HDD inside the enclosure. The inner surface of the device is smooth and there is a sponge in there. So, you don’t need to worry about the fitting and scratches of your HDD.
This external Hard Drive enclosure works fine in Windows 7/ 8/ 10 and Mac OS X or above, Linux, etc. The plug and play feature helps to plug in and access the HDD easily. The device is AC powered. It needs a connection of 12V 2A. There is an ON/ OFF button to switch the device ON/ OFF. The LED indicator indicates whether the device is ON or OFF.
The compact design, Plug and Play installation, and too-free design made it a good companion during traveling. The package comes with an HDD enclosure, self-adhesive sponges, one USB 3.0 cable, AC power adapter, user manual. AmazonBasics limited gives one year warranty for this product.
5. UGREEN External Hard Drive Enclosure Adapter USB 3.0
If you have a 2.5 inch SATA HDD or SSD in which you store a large number of files, photos, movies, etc, then you can always access those files anywhere by using this HDD enclosure adapter. You connect your HDD to PC, laptop, or any other compatible devices through the USB port. This will be a good choice for protecting the SATA hard disk from scratches and will make you hard disk portable to be accessed anywhere.
This is a universally compatible device. You can use this to make HDD a portable one with Windows, Linux, Mac OS 8.0 and above. The compact design of this HDD enclosure device can hold a 2.5 inch SATA HDD or SSD.
An important thing about this product is that it supports UASP accelerated transmission protocol which yields 70% more transmission speed than traditional USB 3.0. 5Gbps speed can be achieved from the USB 3.0A interface port. The device is also backward compatible. So, you can connect this enclosure adapter to USB 2.0 or 1.1.
The tool-free installation and plug and play features make it very convenient and easy to use. No driver is needed to use this adapter. Just press and open the back cover of the device. Place your HDD or SSD in the slot and then close the back cover. Now connect the enclosure to the USB 3.0 port. Before removing the device, click on safely remove hardware icon and then remove the cable. It ensures no data loss and safety of your data.
There is a blue LED indicator that indicates power status. To protect your HDD or SSD from inner shaking scratches, there are soft EVA foams on the inner sides.
You cannot use any 3.5 inches Hard Disk Drive in this HDD enclosure adapter. So, keep it in mind before buying this.
Best External Hard Drive Enclosure Buying Guide
We can store more data on our computer than we used to store before. If you own a laptop or PC, then you most probably have at least 500GB storage in your computer. But using hard disk drive as an external drive. Your valuable data and files can be lost if you don’t use it in a perfect way. To buy the best External Hard Drive enclosure, this will be an important section for you.
USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure: Your computer has different types of USB ports: USB 3.0, 2.0, or 1.1. USB 3.0 ports support data transfer rate up to 5Gbps where USB 2.0 supports only 480Mbps. So, Keep it in mind if your device supports USB 3.0 or not.
Convenient Usage: Many enclosures need tools and screws for installing the Hard Drive and many don’t. Make sure which type of device you want. Also, check if your device features plug and play.
Design and Quality: As you will also carry this device with you, the design and quality should be good. Also, check if the inner section where the HDD will be placed is well-made. Also, check if it is made safer from electric shock.
Supports: It is an important thing. Check if the device works on most of the operating system: Windows/ Linux/ Mac OS.
The number of Hard Disk Drive: Many HDD enclosure devices support multiple disk drives at a time. So, you should choose which device you will buy wisely.
Hard Drive Enclosure vs Docking Station
There are many differences between Hard Drive Enclosure and Docking station. They serve different purposes. The differences between them are given below:
If you want to swap the disk drive to another docking station for different storage access, then a docking station is preferable. But an external Hard Disk Drive is very useful for local backup and additional storage.
If you want to use your HDD all the time irrespective of times and places, then an external disk drive will serve you better. But if you swap hard disk drive often, then the docking station will be a good choice.
In terms of size and power, External Hard Disk Drive may vary from 3.5 inch SATA HDD to 2.5 inch HDD or SSD. But in a docking station, 2.5 inch HDD is generally used. A power source is generally needed an external Hard Disk Drive because different types of HDD works in different power mode. But as 2.5 inches is generally used, the docking station can be powered through the USB. So, no PSU is needed.
If you need only one backup drive, then you should go for an external disk drive. Because the docking station will be inconvenient in that case.
FAQ
Q: What exactly an external Hard Disk Drive Enclosure is?
Ans: An external HDD enclosure lets you use your additional hard disk drive to be used as an external USB hard disk drive. So, you can carry this device and use it as it is a pen drive.
Q: Does the device require an external power supply?
Ans: All HDD don’t need an additional power supply. If your drive requires an additional power supply, then the device will require a power supply also.
Q: Can I use SSD in an external HDD enclosure?
Ans: In most of the case, yes. If you own a 3.5 inch HDD enclosure, then you can use almost all sizes SATA HDD and SSD.
Q: Can I get speed like SSD by using an enclosure?
Ans: It depends on the interface by which you are connecting the device with your computer. USB 3.0 has more speed than USB 2.0 and 1.1.
Conclusion
We hope you have read the whole article and know all the necessary things you need to know before buying the best external hard drive enclosure. This is a good device for making a hard drive an external hard drive that can carry a lot of data and can be used as a USB flash drive. We hope you have found the article informative enough to buy the best product in which you can spend the money and get the best outcome.
