SSD external enclosure

[MrX8503]

Anyone have any suggestions for a fast external enclosure for an SSD?

All of the ones I've found have an internal SATA II interface, which is garbage. Any external 2.5" enclosures out there with SATA III?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Sure, I'll use Newegg's search function for you. :wub:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182276

Even SATA-1 will be throttled by USB2, so make sure you're plugging it into a USB3 port, or the rest of the equation doesn't matter.

 

[taltamir]

Mod one by removing the data cable and making a hole for a direct eSATA connection to the external drive. So the enclosure is only providing it with power.

 

[Coup27]

Where are you getting your external SATA 6Gbps connection from?

 

[taltamir]

Where are you getting your external SATA 6Gbps connection from?

From the motherboard.
https://www.google.com/search?q=sat...0003da4073894&bpcl=40096503&biw=1920&bih=1075

 

[groberts101]

From the motherboard.
https://www.google.com/search?q=sat...0003da4073894&bpcl=40096503&biw=1920&bih=1075

yeah.. but who makes that eSATA chip and will it be faster than a turbo boosted/UASP enabled 3.0 port/enclosure?

Are any boards using the newer/faster Marvell based chips yet?

Also need to keep in mind that the USB 3.0 spec isn't all that and a bag of chips.. UNLESS.. you have the turbo/UASP availability of the MB AND the enclosure itself. Last time I looked it was spotty to get them both matched up for top speed potential.. but eventually things slowly change for the better, I guess.

 

[taltamir]

yeah.. but who makes that eSATA chip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1155
SATA v3 ports have been available from intel (at full speeds) since Jan 2011.

and will it be faster than a turbo boosted/UASP enabled 3.0 port/enclosure?

What turbo boosted?

And yes it will be faster because it eliminates an unnecessary conversion from USB to SATA inside the enclosure using a typically low quality and slow chip.
A direct connection to an intel provided native SATA port on the mobo is the fastest way to connect (intel SATA is also much faster then any other SATA chip on the market)

 

[groberts101]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1155
SATA v3 ports have been available from intel (at full speeds) since Jan 2011.


What turbo boosted?

And yes it will be faster because it eliminates an unnecessary conversion from USB to SATA inside the enclosure using a typically low quality and slow chip.
A direct connection to an intel provided native SATA port on the mobo is the fastest way to connect (intel SATA is also much faster then any other SATA chip on the market)

in the order you mentioned:

turbo mode.. or "boost" as I called it.. is used by ASUS and a few others now. True UASP is supported by far fewer but they're all starting to license it(it ain't free) and make it more widely available due to the major speed increase it can bring, especially to SSD. The enclosures themselves are the major limiting factor right now.

And.. I was referring to your earlier post where you mentioned "eSATA" and you said nothing about SATA to eSATA conversion cables. Then there's the fact that just because you get a 6G rated eSATA enclosure?.. doesn't mean that bridge chip won't slow down the internal ports connection speed either. Always going to be the weakest link in the chain that decides the max speeds and small file performance.

I know of no other 3rd party chip mfgr aside from Marvell's newer 9187 chip(and another version I can't remember right now) that will support a faster 6G SSD(due to x2 PCIe lanes being used). Furthermore.. the ONLY way that I know of to run an SSD externally of a PC while connected to an internal Intel 6G port would be to use a long ass power cable and sata3 data cable to get it sitting on your desk. That would bypass the need for any enclosures bridge chip but hardly be considered an external enclosure though.

 

[taltamir]

Then there's the fact that just because you get a 6G rated eSATA enclosure?.. doesn't mean that bridge chip won't slow down the internal ports connection speed either.

Which is why I explicitly said to physically mod the enclosure such that the SATA cable from the mobo connects directly to the SSD and bypasses all enclosure nonsense.
Those bridge chips on enclosures are actually known to slow you down.

I know of no other 3rd party chip mfgr aside from Marvell's newer 9187 chip(and another version I can't remember right now) that will support a faster 6G SSD(due to x2 PCIe lanes being used).

I did say to use the built in intel port.

Furthermore.. the ONLY way that I know of to run an SSD externally of a PC while connected to an internal Intel 6G port would be to use a long ass power cable and sata3 data cable to get it sitting on your desk. That would bypass the need for any enclosures bridge chip but hardly be considered an external enclosure though.

Mod an enclosure!
It is really really simple

1. Buy an enclosure.
2. Remove the internal SATA cable from the enclosure. (If its power supply is not integrated into the circuit board then remove the entire circuit board while you are at it)
3. Cut/drill a hole in it big enough to thread an eSATA cable through.
4. Place an SSD in the enclosure connecting it to the power cable from the enclosure and an eSATA cable which you thread through the hole you cut for it.
5. Plug the enclosure power cable (the one it came with) to the wall. Plug the eSATA cable you threaded out of the hole you cut to the mobo's intel internal SATA 6G ports using an internal to external SATA convertor as the one I linked

The end result is that power comes off of a mini power supply (from the modded enclosure), and data is done via (intel mobo plug) <> internal to external converter <> eSATA cable <> SSD drive.
No extra junk in the middle to slow it down... I tested internal to external convertors and they didn't slow down any since they are just a dumb cable with a slightly different shaped connector at the end. but you can verify that by bypassing them too and threading the cable into the PC via leaving an open bracket slot in the back.

 

[groberts101]

I get what you're saying with the above.. except for the eSATA cable?

If you "mod" the enclosure?.. you can't use the external eSATA port included with it and need to run a regular sata to sata and hack your way into the case.. or leave the thing open.

But.. and I'm certainly not saying that it's not possible.. if you've personally done this mod already and gutted the circuit board from the enclosure while still maintaining power supply to the drive?.. pic's and spec's of the one used would be great to see.

I'm guessing it would be easiest just to cut the connection..which would probably involve physically cutting the connector off to the extent that the new regular sata cable would physically fit while the existing power supply connector was being used. But then we get into the whole.. there's only 2 x Intel 6G ports to begin with and who wants to cut holes and leave cases open like this. That's what eSATA was intended for in the first place and such an enclosure would likely not be very compatible with others susyems unless they have 6G ports to spare or like open cases with your cords hanging out.

It's not like the OP wants to boot to his external enclosure.. it appears that he just wants another flixible storage option while maximizing the speed of it with an SSD. And.. UASP supported hosts combined with similarly supported bridge chips will give him that as was already mentioned.

 

[taltamir]

I get what you're saying with the above.. except for the eSATA cable?

If you "mod" the enclosure?.. you can't use the external eSATA port included with it and need to run a regular sata to sata and hack your way into the case.. or leave the thing open.

eSATA cable can be plugged directly to the drive itself from my experience.

But.. and I'm certainly not saying that it's not possible.. if you've personally done this mod already and gutted the circuit board from the enclosure while still maintaining power supply to the drive?.. pic's and spec's of the one used would be great to see.

I haven't actually, my own iSATA to eSATA converter bracket also output power. So I just connect drives to it directly with both eSATA and power without placing them in an enclosure at all. Letting them sit naked.

 

[Diogenes2]

eSATA cable can be plugged directly to the drive itself from my experience.

I'm confused about you saying you plug an eSATA cable directly to a drive - type A SATA connector .. They are not the same ..

The brackets you referred to earlier converts eSATA to Type A SATA on the motherboard side.

 

[taltamir]

I'm confused about you saying you plug an eSATA cable directly to a drive - type A SATA connector .. They are not the same ..

The brackets you referred to earlier converts eSATA to Type A SATA on the motherboard side.

You know what, I was wrong. I simply have an iSATA to eSATA cable which I connected to the iSATA to eSATA bracket (just to avoid having it dangling out the back when not in use and having to open the PC when I want to connect a drive).

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...to+eSATA+cable

 

[groberts101]

no they are not. Sata has an L shape.. and eSATA has a straight design with wings on the sides. That's why they make eSATA to sata conversion cables in the first place.

And IIRC, eSATA cables typically have better shielding since they generally need to be used at longer lengths.

 

[Diogenes2]

You know what, I was wrong. I simply have an iSATA to eSATA cable which I connected to the iSATA to eSATA bracket (just to avoid having it dangling out the back when not in use and having to open the PC when I want to connect a drive).

Thanks for the update.. I thought I might be missing out on an option I had overlooked.

 

[MrX8503]

Thanks for the tips!

I like the esata to sata method, but that would only work with my desktop at home. Most likely I'll be going with the USB 3 method.