Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C - Review

If you are looking for a solution to connect multiple hard drives together, Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C 8 Bay 3.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure might be the right product for you. With the ability to support up to 18TB of storage per drive, it provides you with a total of 144TB of storage in one enclosure. Let's dive into its different features to see if it is worth the investment.

Design and Build Quality:

The Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C 8 Bay 3.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure is made of aluminum, which is durable and helps dissipate heat efficiently. It measures 146mm x 330mm x 310mm, making it compact enough to fit on your desk. The front panel has 8 bays, allowing you to mount up to 8 hard drives. Each bay has a lock, ensuring that your hard drives are secure and cannot be removed unless you unlock them.

Connecting to your computer:

It comes with a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port to connect to your computer. The USB-C to USB-C cable is included in the package, but Mediasonic also provides you with a USB-C to USB-A cable, giving you the flexibility to use it with any computer that has USB-A ports. The transfer speed is impressive with up to 10.0Gbps via USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C. It supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) that enhances transfer performance, reducing latency and increasing transfer speeds. It also comes with a power adapter that supplies a sufficient amount of power to the hard drives, ensuring they operate smoothly.

Fan Functionality:

The enclosure comes with a fan that ensures that your hard drives stay cool. The fan has three modes; Auto, Silent, and Manual. In auto mode, the fan will adjust the speed according to the temperature of the enclosure. In Silent mode, the fan will run at a low speed, which is barely noticeable, but it will increase speed when needed. The Manual mode allows you to choose the fan speed level manually. The fan also has a built-in thermal sensor, allowing it to monitor the temperature of the enclosure.

Compatibility:

The Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C 8 Bay 3.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure is compatible with all brands of 3.5" SATA hard disk drive up to 18TB per drive. It also supports all brands of 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD up to 12TB per drive (Adapter bracket required, and sold separately - Search Amazon ASIN: B073R51B3Y). Before purchasing, make sure your hard drive is compatible with the enclosure. The enclosure also supports S.M.A.R.T (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology), which monitors your hard drives' health status.

Customer Reviews:

Looking at the customer reviews, with 99 reviews, the Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C 8 Bay 3.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure has an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars. Some customers have reported that the fan is loud, and the enclosure is not quiet even in silent mode. Others have reported that the included USB-C to USB-A cable is too short, and that the enclosure is not compatible with all hard drives, so make sure your hard drive is compatible before purchasing. However, the majority of customers are satisfied with the product, reporting that it is easy to set up, has excellent transfer speeds, and provides ample space for their storage needs.

Conclusion:

The Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C 8 Bay 3.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure provides an efficient solution for connecting multiple hard drives and provides you with up to 144TB of storage in one enclosure. With a transfer speed of up to 10.0Gbps via USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C and support for UASP and S.M.A.R.T, it ensures fast and reliable data transfer with up to 8 hard drives. The fan functionality allows you to manage the temperature of the enclosure and the built-in thermal sensor makes sure that your hard drives stay safe. Although some customers reported issues with the loud fan and compatibility, the majority are satisfied with the product, making it a worthy investment for people who have a lot of data to store and manage.

Mediasonic USB 3.1 Type C

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