Designed for any capacity 3.5" ATA hard drives

Slide open design for easy hard drive installation

Supports USB2.0 & USB1.1 connections

Supports IEEE 1394A FireWire connection

Works with both Mac and PC computers

Aluminum body for excellent heat dissipation

Active LED indicator for power and data access status

AC adapter included

List Price: $49.00

I purchased this enclosure looking for an external storage solution for both a backup solution and to free up space in my computer. The enclosure met my requirements of having both USB 2.0 and Firewire. Also the design and style of the enclosure suited my taste for simplicity and function over form. The case is made of aluminum with the exception the for front and rear panels. The case feels sturdy and solid, and can take some wear and tear when traveling. The aluminum also doubles as a heat sink from the drive to keep it cool.

The assembly of the drive is very straight forward. Remove the screws for the front panel and slide the top off, connect the IDE and power cables, which feel secure in the drive and does not seem likely that it would fall out during any use. There is just enough room to fit the drive in and close it back up without much hassle. There are four holes on the underside and the case comes with 4 flush screws to secure the drive into place.

The operation of the enclosure is reliable and quiet. There is no fan inside the case, so the only think making a noise is the hard drive itself. The connection speeds are slightly less than advertised, but I have yet to find an enclosure that keeps that promise. Copying a series of large files is no issue on the firewire port. Using the USB interface provided some issues with large files, but not with smaller documents.
A few minor details that I would have liked to see in this case are slightly larger rubber feet to allow for more air flow under the case. Also Macally has not completely embraced the SATA revolution with lot of its drives. I would like to see a SATA enclosure with Firewire connections.

Needless to say this is a reliable enclosure, not flashy with LED hover lights, fancy cheap plastic casings that would break if you knock it on a desk or in a bag. On the Geek Scale I would give this case a solid 8 out of 10.