Whether your office consists of a cliff on the edge of a mountain, or a small room in the corner of your house, having the right external hard drive enclosure is extremely important when storing your files and keeping them as secure as possible. We recommend the ORICO External Hard Drive Enclosure as it is compatible with almost all major opperating systems, is extremely easy to set up, and has a professional design.
Best Overall: ORICO External Hard Drive Enclosure
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The ORICO External Hard Drive Enclosure is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7; Vista 7, 8; XP; Linux; and Mac OS 9.1, 10.2 or above. It supports most 3.5 inch SATA I, II, III HDD or SSD up to a maximum of 12TB. This hard drive enclosure comes equipped with a USB 3.0 HDD external enclosure, a 12V/2A US powder adapter, a USB 3.0 data cable, a warranty card and a user manual. It also has a blinker that informs you of hard drive activity.
This enclosure is perfect for a home office. To use the ORICO External Hard Drive Enclosure all you need to do is plug it in. There are no drivers or complicated installation techniques required. It reads and transfers data at a rapid rate of up to 5Gbps, which is an excellent feature for anyone who needs to transfer data quickly.
This powerful hard drive enclosure is made from ABS plastic, which means that it has a high melting point, and metal, which ensures that your data is protected within a durable casing. To reinforce the enclosure, it has a shock-proof sponge installed inside to further secure the hard drive in a safe and protected space. This also helps with noise reduction. This enclosure comes in black and clear colors. Although this enclosure comes equipped with many positive features, some user feedback has been that it can overheat through prolonged use as there is no built-in properties to help with heat dissipation or ventilation.
Best Value: Sabrent 2.5-Inch Hard Drive Enclosure
The Sabrent 2.5-Inch Hard Drive Enclosure is great for individuals who work at home or in an office. It can connect any Serial ATA (SATA) or SATA II hard drive that is 2.5 inches through a USB 3.0 port on your computer. It is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 or 1.1. This enclosure supports Mac OS X and higher and Windows 7, 8, 9, XP, and Vista, which makes it perfect for almost everyone to use.
Setup for this hard drive enclosure is quick and easy. In fact, it configures automatically as soon as you to plug it in. When the Sabrent external hard drive enclosure is connected to a USB 3.0 port, it can transfer data quickly at 5Gbps. When it is connected to a USB 2.0 port, it's rate of transfer shifts to 480Mbps. This device is also hot-swappable, which means that you can disconnect it safely while your laptop or desktop is still powered on. This saves an abundance of time when sharing data amongst multiple devices.
This enclosure comes in a sleek and professional design, and you can choose between a black unit or a clear unit. It weighs 6.4 ounces and measures at 4.9 x 3.1 x 0.5 inches.
Some users report that although this hard drive enclosure is tool-free, it is hard to open as the clips that keep it shut are hard to grab and snap open without breaking them.
Best Durability: Silicon Power Armour A30 Portable External Hard Drive
The Silicon Armour A30 Portable External Hard Drive is extremely durable and is deemed shock-proof through U.S. Military drop-test standards. In fact, it passed drop-testing from 3 meters of height. Its casing is made from silicone materials, with extra consideration placed on the interior to ensure that this enclosure can resist damage from being dropped or crushed. The Armour A30 is also scratch and dent proof as its surface is protected by a hexagonal pattern covering.
Measuring at 5.3 x 3.4 x 0.7 inches, this device is perfect for individuals who work outdoors or in a high-impact career as it comes equipped with features designed specifically for easy use and storage on the go. The USB 3.0 interface allows you to transfer large files quickly and effectively. Another plus is that it is compatible with PC, Mac, Xbox, and PS4.
The Silicon Armour A30 Portable External Hard Drive comes with a 3-year warranty with complete technical support, so you don't have to worry about losing your files due to damage or malfunctions. Some users report that downloading and installing the inital software can be difficult for anyone who is unfamiliar with computers as it includes a lot of steps.
Best Aesthetics: Inateck Aluminum USB-C RAID HDD Enclosure
The Inateck Aluminum USB-C RAID HDD Enclosure is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 and above as well as Mac OS 10.11 and above. It also supports Macbook Pro 2016 and any device that has a type C port. It supports four modes including RAID0, RAID1, JBOD, and NO-RAID.
This enclosure is compatible with USB 3.1 and backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0 . Another plus is that this device guarantees that data is transfered steadily and efficiently at a rate of 10Gbps. It comes equipped with two cables that are 1 meter long in length. The cables consist of a USB-C to USB-A cable and a USB 3.0 to USB-C cable.
You don't have to worry about this device overheating as its design ensures that heat is efficiently ventillated. The Inatek external hard drive enclosure can be charged with a standard Android charger, which is great for anyone who has uses an Android cellphone or other Android devices. This enclosure is visually appealing and is made of alumium alloy with LED features. It measures at 5.6 x 1 x 3.6 inches, and it weighs 15.2 ounces.
User feedback has been that it does not always fit a 2.5-inch drive, especially if it is a Western Digital drive. You must first remove some of the plastic in order to make it fit.
Bottom line
Understanding which external hard drive enclosures offer features that cater to your needs is pivotal when choosing the right device. Ensuring that your hard drive enclosure can keep up with your lifestyle and the demands of your work will keep your data safe and secure.
For any individual who works in a home office, we recommend the ORICO External Hard Drive Enclosure as it is compatible with most major opperating systems, has a sleek design with two different color options, and is incredibly easy to set up.
