Crucial SK01 External 2.5” Storage Kit
Product Type: External 2.5” Storage Kit with Installation Bay
Cost: ~ $30
Product Information: http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CTsk01
Crucial’s SK01 is an affordable external enclosure for 2.5” Serial ATA hard drives, which connects to the host computer via USB 2.0. The product offers more flexibility than average enclosures, though, as it comes with a drive bay that allows insertion of the external drive into an internal 3.5” bay and connects to your host PC via Serial ATA. Obviously, this is considerably faster than the USB 2.0 uplink, which is why Crucial positions the SK01 kit as suitable for solid state drives.
The main purpose of the Crucial SK01 is to capitalize on the key features of flash SSDs: flash-based storage can be extremely quick, which is why the latest devices are usually suitable for use as system drives. Flash SSDs are also very robust, as they don’t utilize moving parts, and some products are lighter than conventional hard drives, making them a great choice for mobile applications (although their capacities don’t come close to those of regular hard drives). Consequently, the storage kit tries to combine the best of both worlds.
SATA or USB 2.0
The SK01 supports any 2.5” SATA drive, be they flash SSD or conventional drives, either externally using USB 2.0 or through Serial ATA once the drive is inserted into the drive bay. It is possible to use SATA when you’re on the road, but you will have to attach the USB power cable and the SATA data cable. Since this is not very practical, USB 2.0 should be the main interface while you’re traveling. To eject the drive you only have to push the button on the right side of the bay frame. Crucial adds a protective bag for the drive enclosure, but the firm didn’t think of a solution for the USB cable, so you’ll have to come up with something to handle the USB cable separately.
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We really need USB 3.0 for external hard drives.
will Crysis run off these? ^_^
we'll get there soon.
Its too bad the Unitek Docking Station wasn't on a faster interface, but its still a great piece of hardware, I might actually invest in it.
Do all of these allow you to plug in and later remove a SATA drive while the computer is powered up? Do you do the same "Safely Remove Hardware" step with a SATA drive that you do with an external USB drive?
"However, the build quality was so poor that we had to open the device and relocate the SATA connectors....."
is it because Made In China?
Imagine a usb 4.0 that will eventually replace SATA ^.^
All together now,
On the 1ST day of Christmas my true love gave to me,a harddrive"
On the Second day " "
Think you get the idea
"All together now,
On the 1ST day of Christmas my true love gave to me,a harddrive"
On the Second day " "
Think you get the idea"
That was soo terrible I think it gave me cancer
I can recommend the Sharkoon Quickport PRO (which looks remarkably similar like the HDD Docking Station by iStarUSA). I thought my 3 yr old SATA Maxtor harddrive had died: I couldn't hear it spin, a Windows installation bootcd wouldn't detect the drive... and hooked up inside a different computer in Windows it was unable to read/copy any data. However the Sharkoon docking station (with eSATA) had no problems reading it whatsoever and I could save all the data. :-
the gigabyte ex58 ud4p came with this cool io bracket, it let you convert 1 or 2 internal sata ports into e-sata ports, and more importantly, convert one internal molex power plug into 2 external sata power plugs, came with all the cables you need, and you could use it in any computer.
"However, the build quality was so poor that we had to open the device and relocate the SATA connectors....."is it because Made In China?
China assembels everything from iPhone to even Sony LCD panels. Production location has nothing to do with it. Price points do. You pay for crap or buy dodgy unbranded items thorugh US-importers who markup unscrupulously, then guess what - you end up with crap. Look at all of your electronic items - including the branded "quality" items. Most are made in China.
A friend of mine has bought the "iStarUSA HDD Docking Station (xAGE-N99-SAU Drive Dock)" and he lend it to me to use it for a while.
I did not notice the eSATA plug problem and it was very fast as the benchmarks showed. The whole black appearance is very sleek and it does what it says for a very small price.
When comparing to Unitek model, I would go for the iStar for 4 reasons:
1) It is cheaper
2) Most people already have card readers or USB hubs or simply at least 6 USB ports.
3) Subjective comment: Who cares about one touch backup and additional software, I personally don't
4) Subjective comment: I wouldn't put this ugly thing on my desk
I've had my iStar xAGE-N99-US/SAU Toaster for years without problem, didn't remember the make or m/n so I did a search and found this page. Forgot it was an iStar and that it had an eSATA connection. Looking for another toaster with the same features.