Antec MX-1 External 3.5" Enclosure

INTRODUCTION

If you have seen one enclosure then you have probably seen them all, right? Is there anything that can make the Antec MX-1 stand above the multitude of external hard drive enclosures that litter store shelves and online merchants like blades of grass on a prairie? To fast forward to the conclusion the short answer is, yes. Unless price is the numero uno consideration the Antec MX-1 should be at the top of anyone’s shortlist. Read on to find out just what makes this enclosure so special!

The MX-1 is aptly named, as surprisingly it is Antec’s first and currently only foray into the HDD enclosure market. Feature-wise, Antec takes great care to stress that the MX-1 is actively cooled, definitely a good start out of the gate. The average hard drive can easily reach temperatures of 40-50c if left out in the open air, while inside a case active hard drive cooling is a must. Antec’s choice to equip the MX-1 with both an eSATA and USB 2.0 connectors gives it the potential to perform just as fast as an internal SATA hard drive, while giving it the portability to easily go anywhere. No eSATA port? No problem, an eSATA -> SATA pass through PCI bracket is included in the kit as well. 
 

Antec: The Company

The year was 1986. Starbucks had only a few stores. Don Johnson was actually cool. The average PC had less memory than today’s cellphones. And in Fremont, California, a little company named Antec was born. Antec’s first employees never imagined that their upstart firm would rise to the very top of the high-performance computer components industry. But rise it did. And rather swiftly, too.

So what can Antec do for you? That depends on who you are. If you’re a computer user, and you’d like to upgrade your existing computer or build a new one yourself, we’ve got the computer cases, power supplies, cooling fans, lighting components, and accessories that you need. If you’re a system builder or VAR, we’ll help you deliver reliable and cost-effective systems to your customers. And if you’re a retailer, we’ll help you reach an explosively growing market: namely, “do-it-yourself” computer users who enjoy building and upgrading their own computers.

How do we do all this? Our product lineup includes a wide variety of unique computer cases, such as the elegant Veris series of Media PC cases and accessories, ultra-powerful Performance One series, sturdy Server line, and the cost-effective New Solution Series. Our world-class power supplies – including the Neo Power, TruePower Trio and EarthWatts lines – have won countless international awards for their reliable performance. Our flexible rackmounts are ideally suited to the demanding ISP, telecom, and networking markets. And for those of you who’d like to add a little visual flair to your computers, we offer an eye-catching range of fans, lights, and other PC accessories.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Dual output interface - USB2.0 and eSATA (external Serial ATA) allows you to transfer data up to 480Mbps or 3Gbps respectively
• Support up to 750G SATA hard disk drive
• Unique HDD cooler brings fresh air in and around the HDD for maximum cooling to protect your valuable asset
• Two layer (plastic with aluminum) structure upper and lower covers to absorb HDD and fan noise
• Carbon-glass filled frame to reinforce the strength of the whole enclosure
• Built-in silicone pad to absorb HDD noise
• Included USB cable, eSATA cable, and eSATA bracket to convert internal SATA to eSATA
• Stand included
• Very quiet fan operation - under 22 dBA
• Noise Level: 20 dbA with the blower on inside the enclosure
• Supports Windows 2000 / XP / ME / VISTA 
• Dimensions: 21.9 x 14.6 x 5.7 cm

The above specifications list is directly from Antec's product page. The only point of contention is while the fan indeed runs silent, the given "20 dbA" noise level is entirely dependant on the drive installed in the enclosure. Selection of a quiet drive will ensure the enclosure remains inaudible except to an audiophile's sensitive ears, while use of a noisy hard drive will only yield a noisy enclosure.