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Vantec NexStar GX (NST
370GX) Review
Adding
additional storage space to your computer is getting easier and easier.
It seems that now you can buy a hard drive already to just plug into an
external USB or FireWire port and you're up and running with an extra
200GB. Besides being easy to install, they are also an excellent way to
transfer large quantities of data. Prices are fairly reasonable for such
a convenience, but what about those who already have a spare drive and
want to make it portable? Vantec provides a stylish product with options
not standard on other external enclosures.
The GX is clearly pictured on the front of the
package. It's styling is quite similar to another
small computing device I've
seen lately. I wonder how much the NexStar was influenced by our friends
at Apple.
All respectable product packaging lists the contents
as well as selling points of the product. Vantec has done so in a layout
that avoids clutter, and cleanly displaying the details which set this
enclosure apart from the rest.
Opening the package we see that there is not much to
this. Vantec was kind enough to ship this ready for assembly including
having the lid off, and IDE cable folded for proper fit.
Enclosed along with the case itself is a power-cord
which includes an in-line transformer, a USB cable, an install CD, a
manual, screws and tape to attach the thermal probe.
To install the hard drive, you will need to remove the
heat-sink from the enclosure. It attaches to the GX case using 4 screws
through the bottom of the case. I started with the standard #2 Phillips
driver, and quickly discovered that I needed something smaller. I didn't
have a #1 Phillips handy, but my jewelers driver worked just fine.
Here we are ready to install the hard drive into the
heat-sink (inverted in this photo), connect the wires, and fit
everything into place.
The heat-sink is a snug fit for a 3-1/2" drive, which is good for heat
transference. Included (in the zip-lock bag) with this kit are 4 screws
to attach the drive to the head-sink, and some special tape to attach
the thermal probe to your drive.
Once the hard drive is installed in the heat-sink, it
is ready to be placed into the enclosure.
Things to note about this view:
- The two ventilation areas in the upper left and right
corners
- The PCB has space for 3 additional connectors (its possible
that future revs may have additional connections)
- I wasn't sure if there would be room between the drive and
the lid so I placed the temp sensor on the end
- Although the IDE cable was pre-bent, I did have to rework it
just a little to fit my particular install
Finis! Here we have the completed project, with
the top cover in place.
From the rear, we can see the ventilation holes on
the corners, and all the connections. Note the security slot in the
upper right, an the fan slot in the upper left.
- The power switch is here in case we want to disconnect
the drive from it's host, or just shut down the drive.
- The power connector requires both 12v and 5v so the
power connector looks much like a modified P/S2 connector. I
wouldn't suggest plugging a mouse or keyboard though.
- The fan controller is two little dip-switches. One for
Manual and Auto mode, and the second for Low and High.
- Three USB 2.0 ports out
- One USB 2.0 port in
To test out how effective the active and passive
cooling systems, I connected the unit to my laptop, and powered it
on. The NexStar was able to keep the drive sufficiently cooled when
placed on a hard flat surface. Placing the unit on a towel
effectively disabled the cooling capacity of the heat sink and the
case quickly heated to a point that the fan kicked on. I would
venture to say that this enclosure will have a hard time cooling if
the bottom of the unit does not have enough airflow. Once I removed
the towel, the case was able to restore a normal operating temp in
no time.
The fan noise is adequately quiet, even with the
fan on high. Ambient background noise is generally enough to drown
it out for all but the most critical of listeners.
Performance is about what can be expected from an
ATA100 drive on a USB 2.0 bus. However, I was curious to see what
kind of performance degradation would occur if I plugged a USB flash
drive into one of the 3 ports and ran simultaneous tests on the
flash drive and the hard drive.
The result. Notice the bump in performance from
8.5 MB/sec to 9.7 MB/sec about 87% of the way through when the test
on the flash drive completed, and the only activity left on the USB
bus was the HD test. Also notice the overall performance between
having an additional USB device on the bus in this test (8.8 MB/sec
average) as opposed to only the NexStar on the bus in the previous
test (12.0 MB/sec average).
Pros and Cons
Cons:
- This model is not designed to stand vertically
- Plugging any device into the USB ports on the case can
affect the throughput of the hard drive
- I didn't see any way to specify the temperature settings
for the fan's auto mode
- There isn't much ground clearance beneath the drive for
heatsink airflow
Pros:
- Large passive cooling heatsink which is exposed to the
outside of the enclosure keeps things moderately cool
- Active cooling to augment the capabilities of the
heatsink
- The fan has a manual and an auto mode for more
customizable cooling options
- 3 port USB 2.0 hub built in allows for multiple USB
devices to be connected to a computer with a single USB port
- Fool your friends into thinking you have a Mac Mini(R)
since its similar in size, shape and color scheme
- Security slot to help reduce the likelyhood of your
drive leaving with the next visitor
- Includes everything needed to make your IDE drive an
external USB 2.0 drive
- Very easy to assemble. Can be done in less time than it
takes to make a grilled cheese sandwich
- No software installation necessary to be up and running
Conclusion:
This is definitely a nice looking unit, and
something designed to be sitting on a desktop somewhere. Be aware
that this enclosure will require more real-estate than a typical HD
enclosure that can stand vertically. Vantec has done a good job of
preparing the case for your drive. Installation was a snap. The
cooling capacity of this enclosure is at least as good as a typical
computer case. The addition of a USB 2.0 hub is a nice touch, and
unless you're doing video-editing or gaming with the drive, you
should be fine plugging additional devices into the hub. Of course
if you're doing some gaming, you'd be crazy to use an IDE drive, let
alone an external one. All in all, I find Vantec's NexStar GX
enclosure a noteworthy product and consider it worth the money if you're
looking for style and function in an external USB 2.0 hard drive case.
MSRP: $49.95
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Club
Overclocker Rating |
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Innovation: |
9.0
out of 10 |
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Performance: |
9.0 out of 10 |
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Quality: |
9.0
out of 10 |
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Stability: |
9.0
out of 10 |
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Overclocking: |
N/A |
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Software/Drivers Pack: |
8.5 out of 10 |
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Value: |
9.0 out of 10 |
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Overall Rating
9.0 |
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Skill Level |
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Project Skill Level
(10 being hardest) |
2
out of 10 |
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