Any External USB 3.0 Drive Enclosures that don't suck and don't break the bank.

R

rahlquist

n00b
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
44
Ok my kids Xbox One, I am on my second enclosure for HD and its fan is dying. Haven't even had it 90 days http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817392084

The fan appears to be behind a permanently attached bracket. So replacing would be a pita and I aint wasting time returning it for another pile of junk.

Are there any USB 3.0 drive enclosures out there for under $100 that have a cooling fan that is quiet and are not a pile of crap? No docks please, I want the drive closed in.
 
I looked into this a while ago and I could not seem to find an enclosure with a fan that didn't have similar serious issues with the fan, so I went with an enclosure that had no fan but adequate ventilation (the Icy Dock IcyBento) and use drives that don't generate much heat (WD Red, HGST NAS and the like). I'm not sure what choices you have for the XBox One HDD.

Another alternative is a small computer case and PSU, possibly leftovers from a previous build, depending on how much space you have available.
 
I just buy USB-native hard drives. Virtually the same price as building yourself, and much better constructed than your average enclosure.
 
defaultluser said:
I just buy USB-native hard drives. Virtually the same price as building yourself, and much better constructed than your average enclosure.
Click to expand...

Could you link to an example? I'm not sure how to search for what you are talking about.
 
evilsofa said:
Could you link to an example? I'm not sure how to search for what you are talking about.
Click to expand...

1TB, 2.5", 5400 RPM, USB 3.0 = $60. You can get a faster 7200 RPM drive for that price, but not higher capacity.

http://www.amazon.com/Passport-Ultra-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B00E83X9P8/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

And since it's a low-power notebook drive, it gets it's power from the bus. Really simple to use :D

The 2TB models do have a small premium, but only $15.

If you want a full 3.5" 5400RPM drive, they have that too:

http://www.amazon.com/Book-USB-Hard-Drive-Backup/dp/B00E3RH61W

4GB = $130, which is about the same price as the SATA version.
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
defaultluser said:
I just buy USB-native hard drives. Virtually the same price as building yourself, and much better constructed than your average enclosure.
Click to expand...

Thanks but I really want some active cooling. The drive is going into an entertainment center. http://imgur.com/KfDrtdC you can see I already have an antec fan behind the xbox to blow out heat, then on the shelf above below the tv bezel you can see the current drive enclosure, its there because it only is meant to stand vertical. The inside of that entertainment center gets up to 78 deg when the room is 70. That's why I want airflow wherever possible. Its one saving grace is behind the plasma screen is a large cutout to accommodate old tube style TV backs.
 
So.. if the other cooled enclosures all seem to have issues with the fans going out as well, then just suck it up and replace the fan with a good one.

Probably would have been done by now and you wouldn't still be wasting time trying to find a product that doesn't exist.
 
rahlquist said:
Thanks but I really want some active cooling. The drive is going into an entertainment center. http://imgur.com/KfDrtdC you can see I already have an antec fan behind the xbox to blow out heat, then on the shelf above below the tv bezel you can see the current drive enclosure, its there because it only is meant to stand vertical. The inside of that entertainment center gets up to 78 deg when the room is 70. That's why I want airflow wherever possible. Its one saving grace is behind the plasma screen is a large cutout to accommodate old tube style TV backs.
Click to expand...

78F = 26C. Not so hot. See the external temperatures of a gaming laptop:

5tjURjf.png


Dude, it's a laptop drive. Those drives are designed to survive being as hot as 35-50C. 26C won't even begin to bother them.

These drives are 5400rpm, which means they only use 1-2W. So you don't have to do much to keep them cool. Stop wussing out on us here, and just buy a damn $60 drive :D
 
cyclone3d said:
So.. if the other cooled enclosures all seem to have issues with the fans going out as well, then just suck it up and replace the fan with a good one.

Probably would have been done by now and you wouldn't still be wasting time trying to find a product that doesn't exist.
Click to expand...

IbrWWL6.jpg


Wow, you know, I have been working in this field for 21 years, and obviously I missed finding the show me it all button.

I came here because [H]ardocop has always (in the past at least) been a friendly place where people are happy to share their knowledge of obscure parts and sources. I thought, maybe, just maybe, someone would have seen something that might work in my situation that is not up in my grill like you are.

It is fairly rare to find a money making opportunity not taken in the custom pc parts field, that's the other reason why I asked. Sorry you feel I was wasting everyone's time.
 
defaultluser said:
78F = 26C. Not so hot. See the external temperatures of a gaming laptop:

Dude, it's a laptop drive. Those drives are designed to survive being as hot as 35-50C. 26C won't even begin to bother them.

These drives are 5400rpm, which means they only use 1-2W. So you don't have to do much to keep them cool. Stop wussing out on us here, and just buy a damn $60 drive :D
Click to expand...

LOL I dont want to replace the HD thats already in that enclosure, its a classic, its the model that backblaze blasted earlier this year (ST3000DM001). I bought it before that damn story came out, this one has been replaced once by Seagate already LOL.

Yes it can all live without the extra cooling but is it that damn bad to ask in a group big enough to have seen a lot of funky hardware? Oh well I give. Y'all can have the thread.
 
rahlquist said:
LOL I dont want to replace the HD thats already in that enclosure, its a classic, its the model that backblaze blasted earlier this year (ST3000DM001). I bought it before that damn story came out, this one has been replaced once by Seagate already LOL.

Yes it can all live without the extra cooling but is it that damn bad to ask in a group big enough to have seen a lot of funky hardware? Oh well I give. Y'all can have the thread.
Click to expand...

I'm just trying to understand your fucked-up economics here:

1. Spend another $45 on a useless drive enclosure that broke just so I can reuse a drive I already have.

2. Spend $60 on more storage in an all-in-one package that has a 3-year warranty that you can send in to WDC to fix no matter what part of it breaks? Oh, and yiou get more storage to use elsewhere if you need it?


The Official temperature spec for ambient air on the Ultra 2.5" is:

Operating temperature: 5°C to 35°C = 41F to 95F.

Sounds like a good fit to me. And if you're not a fan of WD, don't let that stop you. Seagate has their own version of the same thing :D
 
defaultluser said:
I'm just trying to understand your fucked-up economics here:

1. Spend another $45 on a useless drive enclosure that broke just so I can reuse a drive I already have.

2. Spend $60 on more storage in an all-in-one package that has a 3-year warranty that you can send in to WDC to fix no matter what part of it breaks? Oh, and yiou get more storage to use elsewhere if you need it?
Click to expand...
I'd like to fix the problem I have, in part because in all likelihood the enclosure (if its not a pile of shit) will last longer than the drive in it for use with the Xbox, considering it will likely be upgraded to a larger size in the future. The other issue is making sure I dont introduce yet another compatibility issue, the first enclosure I used once put to sleep by the xbox, would never wake up properly. A known weakness in the firmware in that SATA bridge.

The Official temperature spec for ambient air on the Ultra 2.5" is:

Operating temperature: 5°C to 35°C = 41F to 95F.

Sounds like a good fit to me. And if you're not a fan of WD, don't let that stop you. Seagate has their own version of the same thing :D
Click to expand...
And you are on [H]. Where people water cool frickin hard drives at times. I dont have a bone with any HD company, I have had failures of every brand that still exists today. It's man made it can fail.

That said I was just hoping someone had seen something that was built well. Obviously the creature doesn't exist. I'll take your suggestion under advisement.
 
rahlquist said:
And you are on [H]. Where people water cool frickin hard drives at times.
Click to expand...

And you are also on [H]. If you're in love with this enclosure, open it up and replace the fucking fan. Grow some balls my good sir :D

Once you find out the dimensions, we can help you find a replacement.

You're obviously too nitpicky to take a chance on buying another one of those enclosures, so you should fix it yourself. You're not going to fix the thing sitting here whining at us.

Also, if you bothered to search Google for five seconds, you'd find forum testimonials, tech site articles, and Amazon reviews of the WD MY Passports working just fine on the Xbox One:

http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/general_discussion/general_discussion/f/3817/t/1767850.aspx

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/132...torage-by-2tb-and-more-that-s-up-to-100-games

http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R37Y...etail-glance&nodeID=340831031&store=computers

http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/xbox-one-hdd-upgrade-how-to-upgrade-your-xbox-one-storage


What else do you want? Someone here to hold you hand while you cross the street? :rolleyes:

That drive (even up to 2TB) is well under your listed budget, and the 1TB starts at only a few dollars more than that crap enclosure. And since 2TB is the max supported by the Xbox One, it's a competitive replacement.
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Why don't you drill a hole in the back of that entertainment console the vent the air?

You already have a 120mm fan back there, seems a waste if its not pulling hot air out.

You could then kill two birds with one stone, cooler overall entertainment console temperature, and you wouldn't have to worry about having an active cooling solution on the hard drive enclosure.

That or you could be [H]ard and water cool it all. Xbox included.
 
2.5" drives or 3.5" 5400rpm drives don't need fan cooling. Almost any aluminum enclosure is good enough(the metal acts as heatsink).
 
bloodypulp said:
2.5" drives or 3.5" 5400rpm drives don't need fan cooling. Almost any aluminum enclosure is good enough(the metal acts as heatsink).
Click to expand...

I thought so too, the Vantec I mention in the first post has two large thick heavy aluminum panels, that never touch the drive... Yeah having the case aluminum might help a smidgen but contact with the drive would help a lot!. I get it though, its been made pretty clear that I shouldn't bother with the cooling at this point so the fan on the enclosure is turned off and can stay that way.
 
rahlquist said:
IbrWWL6.jpg


Wow, you know, I have been working in this field for 21 years, and obviously I missed finding the show me it all button.

I came here because [H]ardocop has always (in the past at least) been a friendly place where people are happy to share their knowledge of obscure parts and sources. I thought, maybe, just maybe, someone would have seen something that might work in my situation that is not up in my grill like you are.

It is fairly rare to find a money making opportunity not taken in the custom pc parts field, that's the other reason why I asked. Sorry you feel I was wasting everyone's time.
Click to expand...

And I have been in the field for 15 years, and have been modding computers for 21 years.

After wasting countless hours over the years trying to find stuff that exactly fits my needs/wants, I now generally just buy what is the closest match to what I need/want that is a reasonably price.

And then if it doesn't exactly fit my needs or is a product that is not worth RMA'ing once something small on it fails, I mod it to make it better.

I wasn't trying to "get up in your grill" as you put it. Was just trying to introduce some logical thinking to the discussion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top