Thermaltake BlacX SE

Storage space is a precious commodity in the computing world. A computer case only has space for so many hard drives before it gets full, so what should you do when you need more space. One option is buying external enclosures for extra hard drives, but this can get expensive rather quickly. The other option is to buy this product.

The Thermaltake BlacX SE is a device that allows you to hot-swap SATA hard drives quickly and effortlessly, allowing you to increase the amount of storage. The BlacX SE basically allows you to plug in all of your internal SATA drives (either 2.5″ or 3.5″) and store information on them without having to put them into your computer case. The SE also gives you four extra USB 2.0 ports for you to plug other devices into it.

Technical specifications for the Thermaltake BlacX SE:

• Street price: $49.99 approx.
• Supports All 2.5” & 3.5” SATA HDDs up to 1TB
• 4 USB 2.0 ports
• Windows & Mac OS Compatible
• Heat dissapation
• Works with Vista

Things I like
The BlacX SE is a great device if you need extra storage but have run out of room in your computer case. The average cost of an external hard drive enclosure is around $30, so if you have multiple drives it quickly becomes more expensive than buying a single BlacX SE device.

The four included USB 2.0 ports are a very nice addition as well because you get the added value of having a USB hub that generally costs $10+. This device works extremely well. I plugged it in via a free USB port, and then connected a free SATA drive to it. Windows recognized the drive and I was able to read and write to the drive. While the speeds are as quick as connecting it internally they are rather quick. I was getting 30-34MB/s read and write speeds.

Drives generally create a lot of heat when they run but the Thermaltake BlacX SE dissipates the heat rather well, preserving the drive and hopefully making it last longer.

Things I don’t like
The only problem with this is that you can easily destroy a drive by pulling it out two quickly. If you want to make sure your drives last for as long as possible wait until the drive stops spinning before pulling it out. If you don’t wait its possible to damage the platters inside the drive and render it useless. Other than ruining drives due to improper use, this is an excellent device.

Pros:

• Hot-swap hard drives
• Cheaper alternative to hard drive enclosures
• 4 USB ports
• Dissipates heat away from the hard drive

Cons:

• Improper use could lead to your hard drive being ruined

Final Thoughts
If you’re like me and constantly need more storage the Thermaltake BlacX SE is definitely for you. It provides a cheaper way of adding more space than buying external enclosures and it even comes with four USB 2.0 ports.

Rating: 4.75/5