What is the best eSATA enclosure?

[wajed]

I care about speed most, I don't care about how robust the enclosure itself is, I will mod it to hell if it's not that good.

Main requirements, cheap, fast.

If somehow it can work without the enclosure itself, that would be great, as it should cut the price, and I'll not be afraid of the HDD not being able to fit in the enclosure.

 

[Hawkeye22]

I have both a Vantec and a Thermaltake enclosure/dock. HDTune shows speeds identical to my internal SATA2 ports as on my eSATA connections. USB2.0 will definately be slower.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817392018

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153071

 

[FreeDataRecovery]

It can work without an enclosure...

http://www.amazon.com/Port-eSATA-Bracket-Power-Cable/dp/B000YI7M3G

 

[WyomingKnott]

I'm very partial to these (I have 2 for my 10 removable disks). No external power, no chance of something falling of the desk. They install into a 5.25" bay. Trayless, so I don't have to put the drives in racks.
http://kingwin.com/products/cate/mobile/racks/kf_1000_bk.asp

 

[wajed]

@FreeDataRecovery

Does it work with a notebook? I have a notebook not a desktop. (Sorry, I don't know how these things exactly work, hence the dumb question)

 

[FreeDataRecovery]

No the product I linked to will only work on a desktop.

For a notebook you will need to use an enclosure because you need an external power supply to power your esata drive.

 

[wajed]

Thank you.

Someone suggested using this: Seagate GoFlex

The cable is too short, what options do I have to put the HDD 6-9 feet (2-3 meters) further?

 

[FreeDataRecovery]

Make sure your notebook has an eSATAp port to power the GoFlex.

The max cable length for eSATA is 2 meters.

 

[wajed]

It does.

So, I'll get a 2 meters one. Will this eSATA cable work? or should it also be powered? I don't see any powered ones!

 

[FreeDataRecovery]

Yes you need one that does power over esata. Similar to...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200797&cm_re=esata_power_cable-_-12-200-797-_-Product