Dockcase Explorer Edition Pro review: convenient and steady - AppleInsider

AppleInsider whitethorn gain an affiliate committee connected purchases made done links connected our site.

The Dockcase Explorer Edition: M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure Pro is simply a sleek and astute SSD enclosure with capable speed, with an added spot of information extortion that astir enclosures don't have.

Drive enclosures mostly conscionable screen your drive, guaranteeing your information volition beryllium physically harmless from electrostatic shock. Some are ruggedized, protecting them from falls, sometimes water, and impacts.

The Dockcase Explorer Edition Pro, however, specializes successful the integer information of your information with a 10-second powerfulness nonaccomplishment extortion (PLP) feature, and a tiny LCD surface that displays a wide assortment of accusation implicit 5 antithetic menus.

The screen's main paper displays the PLP complaint status, the SSD successful the enclosure, the beingness of the SSD, and partitioning details. To power menus, clasp down connected the achromatic fastener connected the broadside of the enclosure and merchandise to prime a menu. Double-tapping this fastener besides rotates the surface 90 degrees.

The archetypal paper goes successful extent connected the SSD information, specified arsenic name, serial number, unsafe shutdowns, powerfulness cycles, and work and written units successful gigabytes. The 2nd paper goes successful extent connected the partition information, specified arsenic format and quantifying the fig of partitions.

The 3rd paper allows you to prime your language, footwear mode, SSD delay, and more. The 4th and last paper is simply a strategy monitor, showing powerfulness and somesthesia arsenic the enclosure runs implicit time.

The Enclosure Pro comes with a screwdriver, screw, 2 washers, and USB-C to USB-C/USB-A cable, with a manual for installation of a NVMe SSD. There was nary accusation connected however to run the screen, but arsenic it is connected Kickstarter we urge that connected afloat release, further acquisition beryllium fixed to customers, truthful they tin utilize the astir important diagnostic of the enclosure.

M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure Pro - Product Specifications

The Enclosure Pro is simply a flashy but manageable device. It stands retired with its solid casing, accompanying screen, futuristic detailing, and tiny size, convenient capable to acceptable successful your pocket.

The casing measures astatine 5 inches long, 1.51 inches wide, arsenic good arsenic 0.56 inches thick. The enclosure weighs conscionable 3.35 ounces.

It tin past a autumn from your pocket, but with its solid casing and aluminum frame, the Enclosure Pro whitethorn not beryllium the champion prime for unsmooth conditions, and should ideally beryllium kept successful a unafraid spot successful your pouch oregon bag.

Connectivity and Speed

The thrust connects to a Mac oregon iPad implicit USB-C utilizing USB 3.2 Gen 2 supporting up to 10 Gbps connected its superior port, and arsenic a Type-C 15W auxiliary powerfulness proviso larboard successful lawsuit of insufficient powerfulness from the USB port. A Thunderbolt larboard and cablegram suffices for the superior larboard for some information and power.

The enclosure comes with a USB-C to USB-C/USB-A cablegram for transportation to antithetic devices without hassle.

We utilized a 2TB FireCuda 520 M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD and macOS for testing. Dockcase claims 1,250MB/s work and constitute speeds, but investigating utilizing Blackmagic Disk Speed Test showed realistic speeds of astir 778 megabytes per 2nd write, and 844 megabytes per 2nd work erstwhile connected to a Thunderbolt 3 larboard connected an M1 MacBook Air and akin numbers erstwhile connected to a Thunderbolt 3 larboard connected an M1 Max MacBook Pro.

These trial results spot the Enclosure Pro successful a spot faster than but person to a SATA SSD than a Thunderbolt NVMe thrust successful presumption of speed. Frankly, contempt the manufacturer's claims, it is astir what to expect successful a 10 gbit/second enclosure. We'd similar to spot the last merchandise scope its claimed velocity — if it can.

As for investigating the PLP feature, erstwhile a Finder transcript is complete, that doesn't mean the drive's cache is empty. All it means is that macOS has completed the constitute to the drive, and immoderate cache. So, if a thrust loses each powerfulness instantly aft the Finder reports the transcript is complete, the record won't beryllium wholly copied arsenic the RAM cache connected the thrust is speedy but volatile, and volition bare erstwhile the powerfulness drops, careless if the information has been moved to the flash media oregon not.

To trial this, we unplugged the thrust instantly aft the Finder reported completion of a transcript of 25GB and 32GB video files to observe if the constitute completed without USB-C power. The powerfulness nonaccomplishment extortion kicked in, and was palmy successful completing the transcript connected some tests, arsenic the files were not truncated, and passed a checksum.

Almost there

The Enclosure Pro is simply a bully prime for those heavy acrophobic for their NVMe SSD's wellness and longevity, making it specialized for delicate information. Its easiness of usage and versatility marque it appealing from everything betwixt idiosyncratic usage and video editing.

Current single-bay NVMe SSD enclosures scope from $20 to $60, but Dockcase is the lone institution to consistently instrumentality astute screens and PLP exertion successful their enclosures, justifying their terms tag.

However, the slower-than-claimed work and constitute speeds bounds the convenience of the instrumentality arsenic a NVMe enclosure.

Dockcase Explorer Edition Pro - Pros

Dockcase Explorer Edition Pro - Cons

Score: 3.5 retired of 5 — astatine existent speed

Where to bargain

The The Dockcase Explorer Edition: M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure Pro is presently disposable for acquisition connected Kickstarter for $79 and up, estimated to present successful February 2023.

The task is afloat funded. It is inactive a Kickstarter, though, and determination are nary guarantees connected delivery. However, this is not Dockcase's archetypal project.