Comparison Maiwo K104A vs Maiwo K10435

Form factor of the drive for which the enclosure is designed.

These accessories are made for standard internal drive form factors: 3.5", 2.5" (often compatible with both simultaneously), as well as M.2 SSD. Here are the features of each of these options:

— HDD 3.5". The 3.5-inch form factor is the traditional form factor for internal drives in full-sized desktop PCs. Therefore, internal enclosures for this form factor are used exclusively in PCs or servers, being too bulky for laptops; moreover, most of these enclosures are chassis-"sleds" (see "Purpose"). External solutions are bulkier than models designed for 2.5", but due to the lack of strict size limitations, high-capacity drives for such enclosures are noticeably cheaper than miniature counterparts of the same capacity. It's also worth noting that most 3.5-inch drives are traditional hard disks (or hybrid SSHD devices), with SSD modules in this form factor being virtually nonexistent.

— SSD or HDD 2.5". The 2.5-inch form factor was initially created as a "laptop" form factor, and most drives in modern laptops correspond to it. Therefore, internal enclosures of this form factor are primarily intended for laptops; the classic version of such an accessory is an adapter for installing a drive in an optical drive slot. This variant hasn't gained much popularity in PC models — modern desktops...usually have not only 3.5-inch but also 2.5-inch bays for drives; for several reasons, 3.5" solutions are more convenient as quick-release "sleds" (see above). However, internal enclosures of this form factor are produced for servers, with multiple slots; they also usually represent chassis-"sleds." As for external models, 2.5" enclosures are significantly more miniature than 3.5" equivalents, but drives for them are more expensive per gigabyte of capacity (especially in large volumes).

— SSD or HDD 2.5"/3.5". Models that accommodate both form factors. The meaning of this marking depends on the specific type of enclosure. In external models and docking stations (see "Type"), it usually implies the ability to install a drive of either form factor into the enclosure, at the user's choice. Generally, the bays or slots in such models are initially designed for 3.5", with special brackets used to secure 2.5-inch drives in these slots (note that there may be fewer brackets in docks than slots). The same construction is applied in internal models for servers and in chassis for PCs resembling "sleds" (see "Purpose"). However, in PC models, there's another variant — adapters for placing HDD/SSD drives on 2.5" in 3.5" form factor slots; these accessories are also included in this category.

— SSD M.2. A form factor developed specifically for miniature internal components, including solid-state drives. M.2 peripherals range from 12 to 30 mm in width and from 16 to 110 mm in length, connecting through a namesake port. Enclosures of this form factor are characterized by compact sizes. In turn, internal models most commonly represent laptop solutions for installing SSDs in an optical drive slot. However, there's also a rather specific variant — devices for PCs that allow connecting M.2 drives into a PCI-E slot (similar to a separate sound card or another expansion board).
It's important to note that M.2 connections can be made either via PCI-E or SATA; for more details see "Drive Interface," here we note that this aspect and compatibility with a specific drive should be clarified separately.

The maximum storage capacity supported by the pocket. In models with multiple disks/SSDs (see "Drive Slots"), this item indicates the largest total volume supported by the device; by dividing this capacity by the number of slots, you can determine the maximum allowable capacity of each individual drive.

The limitation on the maximum volume is relevant mainly for external models, including docking stations (see "Type"). This is due to the fact that fundamentally different interfaces are used for the drive and for connecting the pocket itself in such models (most often SATA and USB, respectively, see above for details). For the normal interaction of such interfaces, an electronic controller is required; and the larger the volume of the installed drive (s) — the higher the requirements for the performance of such a controller.

Note that, other things being equal, supporting large volumes is more expensive, and capacious drives themselves are not cheap. Therefore, when choosing according to this indicator, it is worth considering real needs, and not chasing the maximum numbers.

The type of power provided in the design of the pocket.

This parameter is relevant only for external models (in internal solutions, power is determined solely by the connection interface). The options could be:

— USB. Powered by the same USB port used for the main connection. The advantage of this option is obvious: it allows you to do without unnecessary wires and use the pocket regardless of the presence of sockets (which is important, for example, when working with a laptop on the road). At the same time, the power of USB power is generally low, and besides, it directly depends on the version of the connector (see "Connection"). So for pockets with several disks, this option is not suitable in principle. In other cases, you should pay attention to compatibility when connecting to a USB connector of an older version than is supported by the pocket. For example, a model with USB 3.2 gen1 can be physically connected to a USB 2.0 port without any problems, but it may not have enough power for normal operation. However, more modern versions (USB 3.2 gen1 and gen2) practically do not have such compatibility problems.

- Power Supply. Powered by a separate PSU, usually plugged into a power outlet. These pockets are bulkier and less mobile than USB-powered models, they can't work without power outlets nearby, and the extra wire is a bit of a hassle. On the other hand, the power supply is capable of delivering mor...e power than USB, and this power is constant and does not depend on the version of the port to which the drive is connected. So many stationary models use just such a power supply; and for external pockets for two or more drives, this is generally the only available option.

The presence of a cover in the delivery set of the pocket.

The cover is supplied only with external portable models (see "Intended use"). The functions of such an accessory are traditional: it protects the device from dust, moisture and other troubles during storage and transportation, and can also be used to store additional items such as a connection cable or an external power supply. At the same time, covers are usually more convenient and functional than impromptu packaging. They can be made of different materials, each option has its own advantages: soft materials allow you to compactly fold the case when it is not needed, hard materials better protect the contents from bumps and shocks.