A Closer Look

The case itself is really easy on the eyes having a simplistic look. The brushed aluminum finish is really pleasing with the black fins on the sides, which provide subtle accents to the rest of the enclosure. Four hexagonal head bolts can be seen on both the top and the undersides of the enclosure that keep everything held together snugly.


On the bottom you will notice a plastic "foot" in each of the four bolts. These will keep the enclosure from scratching the surface it is placed on as well as providing a means to absorb light hard drive vibrations. On the front face is a metal mesh cover along with the power and hard drive activity LED indicator. On the rear can be found the power switch and power supply jack. Also for this particular model are included the USB port as well as the faster eSATA port.


The stand is made of very sturdy plastic and is very easy to attach to the enclosure. Simply slide the sides of the stand apart and insert the enclosure aligning the fins where you see fit. Then simply slide the sides of the stand back together snapping the enclosure in a sturdy position. The footprint of the stand is plenty and keeps the enclosure balanced very well. The only thing I find odd is the color choice for the stand. Opaque brown does not compliment the enclosure at all. Perhaps black or charcoal would have been a better choice. However the stand serves its function well despite the look.

Installation

Using the included hex key tool we will unscrew the four retaining bolts from the topside of the enclosure. When removing the top panel please be careful as to not accidentally pull the LED cable that is connected to the PCB inside and possibly bending the pins.


The PCB itself is green in color and is secured to the enclosure by four small screws. Here you can get a glimpse of all of the ports as well as the connections to the hard drive itself.


In order to secure the hard drive we need to first remove the front mesh panel by lifting it straight upward and out of the grooved corners. We will repeat the process with the rear panel and lower mounting plate.


Now it is time to align the hard drive with the connections located on the PCB. Simply slide it to the rear until it is locked in place.


Flipping the entire unit over we will now fasten the hard drive to the mounting plate with the four screws that were provided to us. We will install in reverse order by aligning the rear panel with the grooves in both corners and slowly allowing it to seat itself.


With the hard drive and rear panel in place we need to reinstall the front panel the same way. Simply slide it into the grooves and allow it to seat itself properly. When installing the top panel do not forget to plug the LED cable back into the PCB. Then attach the four retaining bolts accordingly.

Finished Look