Vantec NexStar CX NST-200S2-BK 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure (Black)
by Vantec USA
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for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Vantec USAPlatform: Windows
Model: NST-200S2-BK
Product features:
- Aluminum Casing Cools Down Your Hard Drive
- Easily Add Storage to Any System with USB
- Hot-Swappable: Plug and Play Without Rebooting
- Compatible with PC or Mac
- Support 2.5-inch SATA I/II Hard Drive up to 500GB
- AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Braided Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 Meters)
- AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 Meters)[Supports 3D + Audio Return Channel][OLD MODEL]
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Vantec NexStar CX NST-200S2-BK 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure (Black)
Customer Review: Not Vantec's best...but you could do worse...
Summary: 3 Stars
It's first worth noting that this hard drive enclosure, like many of Vantec's other products, are really just generic external drive enclosures rebranded by Vantec; if you go on other online retailers, you'll find plenty of other drive enclosures exactly identical to this but sold under another brand. I myself have a StarTech 2.5" USB 2-SATA drive enclosure that is almost exactly identical to this product. Where Vantec has distinguished itself, traditionally, is its exemplary Mac support (with them even going to the trouble of including Mac OS 9 drivers on a hybrid Mac/Windows CD-ROM, and describing how to format external drives in OS 9 and OS X, in the case of their 3.5" FW400/USB2 drive enclosures), and their willingness to include nice little extras, like good quality power adapters, stands, and the like.
Compared to an earlier 2.5" USB 2-SATA drive enclosure sold by Vantec, the NexStar SX, the NexStar CX falls a little short. Like the SX, the CX is almost toolless, but unlike the SX, the CX has its interface board attached to the drive solely through the SATA interface connector...on the SX, you had to fasten four screws to the sides to ensure a secure fit. This means that if you plan on using the CX with other drives in the future, you need to be very careful lest you break the connector in the process of removing the drive from the enclosure. On top of that is the fact that the end cap with the drive and connector don't quite fit as well with the rest of the enclosure as it should. I didn't have any issue with the screws, but the problems with loose/stripped screws that have been reported by others shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.
Also unlike the SX, the CX comes with a dual-USB cable (for data and power) which does *not* have a pass-through USB port. This means that you have may issues cloning multiple external hard disks using this enclosure, unless you have a powered hub nearby. There also isn't any included carrying case (a very minor nitpick, I admit). What's also annoying is that with the eSATA/USB2 version of CX, apparently a nice vertical stand *and* a power adapter are included...and I didn't get either with my USB2 CX. A pity, that.
Mind you, most people aren't really going to care about a lot of those details, apart from the problems people have had screwing in the endcap. My concerns about the drive being attached to the endcap solely through the SATA connector are only issues for people who would frequently swap drives in and out of this enclosure, and even then people doing that should be using a product more like an external drive dock (e.g. Vantec's NexStar Hard Drive Dock) or even just a simple USB 2-SATA adaptor cable. In the end, what counts is that the NexStar CX does what it says on the box, and it does it well - and it's very cheap too.
More Vantec NexStar CX NST-200S2-BK 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure (Black) reviews:
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Description of Vantec NexStar CX NST-200S2-BK 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Enclosure (Black)
Vantec introduces its NexStar CX 2.5-inch External Hard Drive Enclosure. Ideal for anyone in need of portable storage, the NexStar's slim pocket design makes it a convenient way to carry your data. The cable that comes with the enclosure is a Y-Cable (Type-A Connectors). The NexStar CX turns any SATA 2.5-inch Hard Drive into a convenient hard drive that can be used on any system with a USB port. In addition, the aluminum casing protects the drive from overheating and vibration. The NexStar CX supports USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 to offer fast transfer speeds of up to 480MBPS. The Vantec NexStar CX 2.5-inch External Hard Drive Enclosure is great for anyone who requires a high performance, lightweight, and durable portable storage solution.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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