USB 2.0/FireWire external hard drive case ?

iMax

Guys,

Any suggestions for a reasonably priced supplier for a USB 2.0/FireWire external hard drive case ?

No hard drive needed, just the case.

Cucullan

Try www.blankdiscshop.co.uk they have them not sure of price around €40 ordered one myself tuesday off them. www.jes.de/ have them also

RicardoSmith

Maplins usually have on special for €48, though its USB2 only.

Random

The only 3.5" one Maplin does is http://maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32139&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=4m11

Not sure if it's on promotion this month... I know it was 49 Euro last month.

iMax

Cheers guys. Any more leads ?

Random

69.99 Euro inc Vat. @ www.peats.ie

http://www.peats.ie/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&id=7988&type=6&sid=841412x0

forbairt

I'm also in the market for an external usb enclosure ... can anyone make recomendations of models .. ?

Cheers
James

jessy

ebay

blorg

If you only need USB2, Komplett have 3.5" cases starting at 45, with the USB2/Firewire at 60. You are better off with the Firewire if you have the choice.

If you need a big hard disk (250gb or 300gb) also, I'd definitely recommend a Maxtor OneTouch external hard drive; the 250gb external is only around 60 more than the bare drive, and the 300gb only around 40 more – and you'd be getting a far better quality enclosure than the ones mentioned above.

RicardoSmith

ciaranfo wrote:

The only 3.5" one Maplin does is http://maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32139&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=4m11

Not sure if it's on promotion this month... I know it was 49 Euro last month.

They do a couple of 5.25 ones aswell that also take a 3.5 hard disk.

blorg wrote:

If you only need USB2, Komplett have 3.5" cases starting at 45, with the USB2/Firewire at 60. You are better off with the Firewire if you have the choice.

If you need a big hard disk (250gb or 300gb) also, I'd definitely recommend a Maxtor OneTouch external hard drive; the 250gb external is only around 60 more than the bare drive, and the 300gb only around 40 more – and you'd be getting a far better quality enclosure than the ones mentioned above.

I dunno I've a read a few reviews where they thought the maxtor enclosures where a bit flimsy. A mate has an older one and I didn't think it was worth the extra TBH. The firewire is a better interface, alright but a lot of PC's don't have it.

La Cie do some nice FW800 drives! http://www.lacie.com/products/range.htm?id=10033 you some times find them on special on Dabs and places like that.

Try and get one with a fan as these drives get hot!

blorg

The newer Maxtors don't have a fan, so they are quiet, but they dissipate heat very effectively through their all-aluminium case which is effectively working as a large heat sink. They also do Firewire and USB2, and look better than most other cases. I'd definitely go for the metal case over plastic + a fan.

As I said I have had three, the first for over a year, and I'm very happy with them all round. If you are buying a larger hard disk, they _aren't_ actually any more expensive than buying the disk a separate enclosure, and you get the thing all fully assembled, warranty, etc. The One Touch drives (as opposed to the older Maxtors of a few years ago) have also got very good reviews - I've actually never seen a bad review of one.

They are also very easy to disassemble and swap the hard drives, which I have done, although this does void the warranty.

EDIT: The LaCie drives are nice but they tend to be a *lot* more expensive than the Maxtors, with zero benefit unless you have Firewire800 on your computer.

RicardoSmith

Acutally your right. Its the Western Digital ones I read iffy reports about in particular their plastic enclosures. The maxtors all get the thumbs up. The new Maxtors look quite nice. Better than the older blue ones.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/External_Hard_Drives.html