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These days everyone seems to be selling a hard drive enclosure and
choosing between them as simple as price and style. This left us
wondering if there is a better choice out there. The same question
must have been on the minds of the Antec engineers when they came up
with the MX-1 Actively Cooled HDD Enclosure. The MX-1 takes
a classically styled enclosure and adds eSATA connectivity and an active
cooling solution. But how does it perform? Lets find out!
I always like to start with a look at the packaging.
Many times the look and listed (or not listed) data can make or break a
purchase at the store by providing clues to a products quality and
feature set. The MX-1 box is a nice balance between graphics and
information while emphasizing connectivity and the active cooling
elements. Strangely the Veris title is emphasized but is never
mentioned on the Antec site or in advertising?!?
The back continues the theme by providing more details on
the specifications and a detailed look at the active cooling features.
The simple graphic representation of the cooling makes the entire setup
easy to understand at a glance.
With Antec we always get nice packaging and ample
protection in the box. The MX-1 is no exception providing
everything you need with clear labeling to help keep things straight.
The MX-1 accessories: The vertical stand, power adaptor
and cable, User's Manual, four mounting screws for the hard drive, a
black USB cable, an eSATA bracket adapter, and a black eSATA cable
Special Features:
- Dual output interface – USB2.0 and eSATA
(external Serial ATA) allows you to transfer data up to 480Mbps or
3Gbps respectively
- Supports up to 750G SATA hard disk drive
- Unique HDD cooler brings fresh air in and around
HDD for maximum cooling to protect your valuable data
- Two layer (plastic with aluminum) upper and lower
panels to absorb HDD and fan noise
- Carbon-glass filled frame to reinforce the
strength of the whole enclosure
- Built-in silicone pad to absorb HDD noise
- Included USB cable, eSATA cable, and eSATA
bracket to convert your PC’s internal SATA and eSATA
- Stand included
- Very quiet fan operation – under 22dBA
- Supports Windows 2000 / XP / ME / VISTA
Cool and Quiet Computing™ Features:
Blower fan keeps your hard drive cool and
improves performance
Silicone grommets to isolate drive vibrations
Dual layer top and bottom panels absorb vibration
and deaden fan noise
Keeps hard drives up to 15°C cooler, improving
the hard drive’s stability and lifespan
The MX-1 is constructed with a two
layered plastic and aluminum structure that is designed to help dampen
hard drive noise. The marbled graphite color is nicely accented
with a brushed black making this one of the sharpest looking enclosures
we have had in the lab. (But it does show the fingerprints!)
The top view gives a better look at the
shape of the enclosure and offers the first look at the cold air intake
venting.
Moving to the back view reveals the
bottom exhaust vent as well as the expected ports. From left:
Power, USB 2.0, eSATA and the power switch.
The bottom is padded with four rubber
feet. In the center of the bottom here, you can see the single
screw that holds the enclosure closed.
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