Comparison AgeStar 3UBT8 vs AgeStar 3UB2P

General type of enclosure for storage drives. Nowadays, these devices are mainly divided into external and internal, but there are also more specific varieties, such as docking stations and cases. Here is a detailed description of each option:

— External. Models used outside the cases of PCs/laptops, designed to convert internal drives into external ones. Enclosures of this type perform two main functions. Firstly, they allow connecting HDDs and SSDs with an "internal" interface, such as SATA, to an external port, most often USB. Secondly, the enclosure provides convenience in storage and transportation and offers additional protection to the contents from dust, moisture, and other adverse factors. Such a device can be useful, for example, on a business trip where you need to carry a lot of work materials: you can remove the hard drive entirely from the computer and keep it with you, using it as an external drive. Another application example is a working HDD or SSD left over from an old system that is not needed inside a new computer: such a drive with an external enclosure can be a good (and definitely cheaper) alternative to a new device solely for external use.
Note that although most enclosures of this type are portable, there are also stationary models; see "Purpose" for more details.

— Internal. Enclosures des...igned for installation inside the case of a PC, laptop, or server. They can perform different functions depending on their specialization (see "Purpose" for more details). For instance, in laptops, enclosures are used to install internal drives in non-native slots. In PCs and servers, the specificity of such devices is somewhat different—they are often used to enable quick transfer of drives from one case to another. However, there are also solutions that function as adapters—specifically, for installing 2.5" drives in 3.5" slots and for connecting M.2 format SSD modules in PCI-E slots for expansion cards. Note that the drive interface in internal models usually corresponds to the connection interface (see below)—simply put, the same interface is used to connect the drive to the enclosure and to connect the enclosure with the installed drive to the computer. But again, exceptions can occur—such as the mentioned M.2-PCIe adapters.

— Docking Station. A special variety of external enclosures mainly intended for stationary use. The main difference between "docks" and regular external enclosures is that instead of full compartments for drives, only bays for connection are provided—in the form of indentations with connectors. Thus, drives are installed on the docking station like on a stand, and in such a setup, they remain almost completely open. The main advantage of this design is maximum simplicity and speed of replacement; therefore, it makes sense to use docks in cases where frequent changes of installed HDDs/SSDs are needed. One example of such use is professional diagnostics of internal drives: instead of constantly placing each "patient" directly in the case or in a traditional external enclosure, it's easier to use a dock. Also, note that docking stations often provide several slots for drives at once, and individual slots may have the ability to be reconfigured for different form factors (see "Drive Slot" for more details).

— Case. Standard cases for carrying drives; they serve no other function beyond storing the contents and protecting them from dust, moisture, and other adverse factors. As a rule, cases resist dirt well, but their shock resistance may vary, and it is most often low—if this aspect is important to you, it is worth clarifying separately.

General purpose of the pocket.

Note that different types of such accessories (see above) are divided according to their purpose. External pockets are categorized as portable and stationary, while internal ones are divided into models for laptops, for PC chassis, and solutions for servers. This parameter is generally not specified for docking stations and cases: the former are originally intended for stationary use, while the latter, by definition, are portable.

Here's a more detailed description of the options relevant for external pockets:

— Portable. Models designed for frequent movement from place to place and even for use on the go (for example, connecting to a laptop while traveling). Most modern external pockets fall into this category, as external storage devices, which these pockets are an alternative to, are mainly made portable. The specific features of such accessories can vary, but they are all compact enough and designed for only one internal drive, receiving power from the same USB port they connect to (see "Power").

— Stationary. External pockets intended to remain in one place and not meant for frequent relocations or use on the go. These models are significantly less common than portable ones; most of them are fairly large constructions designed to...hold two or more drives and often represent a kind of "NAS servers without network functions." However, there are single-slot models that differ from portable counterparts by having a stand to position the pocket vertically (saving space on a desk), and powered by a PSU.

In turn, internal pockets for different purposes have the following specifics:

— For laptops. This variety is usually designed for installing drives of the 2.5" or M.2 form factor into the optical drive bay (CD/DVD) — due to the compact size of laptops, this is often the only possible way to install an additional drive.

— Chassis. Pockets intended for standard desktop PCs. Note that the term "chassis" traditionally refers to a specific variety of such pockets — known as Mobile Rack, or "sleds". The main purpose of these accessories is to allow quick transfer of drives from one enclosure to another. Their construction includes two parts: a base that mounts in a 5.25" slot on the case, and a removable cartridge where the drive is installed. To prevent theft or unauthorized physical access, "sleds" can be equipped with a lock that blocks the removal of the drive. Such devices are quite rare today, mostly used with disk arrays and in certain specific circumstances — for example, to take a drive containing materials with you at the end of the workday or to lock it in a safe for confidentiality. Another type of pockets for PCs is adapters for installing drives in non-standard slots. A classic case is using a 2.5" "laptop-sized" drive in a 3.5" bay of a desktop case, but nowadays a more specific variant can be found — using an M.2 SSD as a PCI-E expansion card (see "Form factor" for more details).

— For server. Server systems often deal with large volumes of information that require high reliability and/or access speed. In light of this, most pockets for this purpose are designed for multiple drives (from two to six), allowing for necessary volumes and RAID arrays of different levels if needed. Built-in RAID support (see below) is not found in such devices — it's simpler and more sensible to organize it through the server itself. It's also worth noting that these pockets, by the way to install disks, are usually "sleds" (see "Chassis" above), providing added convenience, allowing, for example, quick swapping of a failed drive in a RAID array. Server pockets may use specialized interfaces like SAS, although traditional SATA is more popular.

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 main material from which the body of the pocket is made.

— Plastic / rubber. This category includes models that use plastic and/or rubber in the construction of cases. The specific ratio and features of the use of these materials are different: the body can be all-plastic, have rubber lining at the ends to increase impact protection, be completely covered with rubber, etc. And in covers (see "Type"), these materials can also be supplemented with others — such as EVA, neoprene or even cloth. Anyway, plastic / rubber cases are found exclusively in external models, including docking stations. Such pockets are somewhat inferior to metal pockets in terms of strength and reliability, but they are cheaper, and in normal everyday use, the mentioned difference is not critical.

— Steel. Cases made of metal are most often made of steel, but there are other options (for example, aluminium alloys). In the inner pockets, only this option is found — this is due to a number of features of such accessories. As for external models in this design, they are much stronger and more reliable than plastic ones, besides, the metal case creates an additional feeling of solidity. The downside of these advantages is the higher price.

The number of separate slots for drives provided in the design of the pocket, in other words, the number of drives for which this model is designed.

In addition to models for one slot, nowadays you can find more capacious solutions — for two drives, or even more. Such "multiplying" is found in three types of devices. The first is large-format pockets for stationary purposes (see above), operating in the format of separate storages for a large amount of data. Such models may support RAID arrays (see above) and other special features. The second type of devices with more than one slot are separate docking stations (see "Type") with similar functionality. The third type is server models (see "Purpose") with an internal installation; they again allow the organization of arrays, but by means of the server itself.

Note that external devices with one slot can be powered from the USB port, but several drives in this case inevitably require a separate PSU (see "Power").

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.