Thermaltake Max 5G Hard Drive Enclosure Review
Author: Darren McCain
Published: Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Introduction
Blazing-fast USB 3.0 data transfer with world's first dual 80mm cooling fans. Fast just got faster.
Specifications
- Dual ultra-silent 80mm fans with blue LEDs ensure data integrity during file transferring between external hard disk and the host computer.
- Easily turn off blue LEDs with built-in switch on the back of the enclosure.
- Blazing file transfer speed utilizing the world's fastest SuperSpeed USB 3.0 transfer speed of up to 5Gbps.
- Backwards compatible with all USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps) and USB 1.1 hosts.
- Supports for all 3.5" SATA I, II, and 6G Hard Drives up to 2TB.
- Includes shielded USB 3.0 cable to ensure maximum transfer speed with minimum distortion.
- Integrated stand easily twists out for added overall enclosure stability.
Conclusion
The Thermaltake Max 5G external hard drive enclosure (5G) is one of the most feature rich hard drive enclosures on the market today. And it should be with a MSRP of $54.99. Named after the USB 3.0 specifications theoretical 5Gbps the 5G can also handle SATA 3.0 out of the box. The 5G is constructed of a glossy black plastic frame with matching black steel mesh. The entire assembly can be opened by accessing just two hex screws with the included hex tool. Installing the drive is then a tool-less affair with only the need to add padding if installing a smaller size drive.
For performance I installed both a WD 1.5 Tb Caviar Green Drive and a Crucial 64 GB RealSSD C300 drive (the 2.5 was installed loose for performance testing only). Both performed almost exactly the same as when connected directly to my MB. Cooling is both eye-catching and effective almost to the point of overkill. Noise levels are almost nonexistent in the same room as my NZXT Tempest EVO case.
The enclosure looks great and performs like a champ. The only real drawback is the cost is a bit steep for an enclosure. The active cooling, USB 3.0 support and SATA 3.0 support backed by an industry leading 3 year warranty does go a long way towards making this case worth the extra money though. Is the speed and cooling worth the extra cost? Only you can say.
For performance I installed both a WD 1.5 Tb Caviar Green Drive and a Crucial 64 GB RealSSD C300 drive (the 2.5 was installed loose for performance testing only). Both performed almost exactly the same as when connected directly to my MB. Cooling is both eye-catching and effective almost to the point of overkill. Noise levels are almost nonexistent in the same room as my NZXT Tempest EVO case.
The enclosure looks great and performs like a champ. The only real drawback is the cost is a bit steep for an enclosure. The active cooling, USB 3.0 support and SATA 3.0 support backed by an industry leading 3 year warranty does go a long way towards making this case worth the extra money though. Is the speed and cooling worth the extra cost? Only you can say.
Available Images
