Until now, Antec has only specialized in computer chassis and power supplies. But with the increasing demand for external hard drive enclosures, Antec has finally taken a step into uncharted territory and released their very first external HDD enclosure.
Just as nature can be cruel, the business world can be just as cruel.
Eat or be eaten is one of the timeless phrases that seems to be uttered
by big businesses around the world, and the computer technology
business is as cruel a market as any. The rapidly decreasing hard
drive costs have made owning hundreds and hundreds of gigabytes of data
more affordable than ever before. With lower HDD costs, more and more
people are looking to get an external hard drive of some kind. For the
do-it-yourself crowd, buying an inexpensive OEM hard drive to pair with
an external enclosure is one of the easiest ways to get set up with a
portable storage solution for backup or mass file storage. This has
obviously led to introduction of more and more external hard drive
enclosures from some familiar manufacturers like Thermaltake, Cooler
Master, Vantec, and Enermax. You will notice that one well known
manufacturer of similar product ranges has been left out of this list.
Until now,
Antec
has only specialized in computer chassis and power supplies. But with
the increasing demand for external hard drive enclosures, Antec has
finally taken a step into uncharted territory and released their very
first external HDD enclosure.
The Antec MX-1
external enclosure might be late to the game, but Antec wasn't about to
roll over and let the external HDD market eat them for dinner. With
the fashionably late entry, the Antec engineers were able to take their
time and actually design a new product from the ground up and not have
to rush development by leaving out certain desirable features.
Speaking of features, let's take a look at what the Antec MX-1 has to
offer:
Feature
| Specification
| Author's Comments |
| Hard Drive Compatability | 3.5" SATA 1.5/3.0 Gbps (up to 750GB capacity)
| No
PATA IDE hard drives for the MX-1! And you can forget about trying to
use one of those fancy new 1TB drives, nothing over 750GB allowed!
|
| External Data Connections | USB 2.0, eSATA | USB 2.0 is very easy to use and widely compatible. eSATA is just as fast as an internal SATA connection.
|
Cooling System
| Active cooling by Antec blower (20 DbA)
| Active
cooling helps keep the hard drive cool, resulting in increased
reliability and stability. 20 DbA is a virtually silent sound pressure
value. |
Construction
| Plastic and Aluminum with carbon-glass filled frame | Plastic
is light weight and inexpensive, aluminum is light weight, strong, and
good looking. The carbon-glass frame wraps around the outside of the
enclosure adding an extra bit of strength. |
Physical Dimensions
| 2.25" (5.7cm) H, 5.75" (14.6cm) W, 8.7" (22cm) D | Not the smallest enclosure around, but relatively compact considering the features (like active cooling).
|
The MX-1 has a lot of great features on paper, but let's take a closer look and see how it really performs!
The
retail MX-1 package is a fairly sizable cardboard box displaying the
product in question as well as the many highly touted features of the
enclosure.
Inside
the retail box is a generous assortment of cables as well as a simple
printed user manual. The majority of the manual is all simple drawings
and no words. So if you like pictionary, then you'll love trying to
"read" this! The MX-1 comes with the necessary power cable and
converter brick as well as an internal SATA to eSATA PCI-mounted
bracket, eSATA data cable, and USB 2.0 data cable. You have everything
you could need to get up and running and actually use every feature and
connection available on the MX-1.
Also
included is a stand to hold the unit vertically. The stand is of one
piece plastic construction with four no-slip pads on the bottom and two
other small pads on the inside edges where the MX-1 rests.
In
use, the stand actually works quite well. I was pleasantly surprised
to find it held the MX-1 very firmly in place and felt very stable even
with a 320GB drive installed. So if you are looking to make the
footprint of the MX-1 as small as possible, using the stand will take
up a mere 3.125 inch strip of your desk space without compromising
stability.
The
top of the the MX-1 is relatively bland, except for a small vent
spanning the width of the rear edge. The black anodized brushed
aluminum panel really helps to add a touch of elegance to what would
otherwise be very bland.
Flipping
the unit on edge, we can see the bottom panel, which is also
constructed of the same brushed aluminum, but also features four pads
to keep it from sliding around on your desktop. The fact that you can
easily use the MX-1 in a horizontal or vertical orientation is very
nice. I prefer to have it sit horizontally because it is much more
stable, but the option to securely mount it in a vertical position is
nice when you need every inch of desktop space you can get. From this
angle in the picture above, you can also get a good look at the all one
piece "carbon-glass frame" that wraps around the MX-1. I'm not sure
how much extra strength this little addition actually adds, but all I
can tell you is the MX-1 is built like a tank; this thing does not
flex, bend, warp, or rattle at all.
At
the rear of the MX-1 we find all of the available external
connections. From left to right in the picture above, we have the
power connection, USB data connection, eSATA data connection, and
on/off switch. The connections are all recessed into the back of the
unit just a bit, so if you are looking down at it from the top it might
be kind of hard to see where they are without lifting up the back of
the MX-1 just a little bit. The only other issue I had here was with
the power switch. It has a very "loose" feel to it, like the rocker
cover is just going to fall off any second. While it obviously stayed
put and worked just fine, I still don't like the "cheap" feel of it.
The rest of the MX-1 is impeccably designed, though I wish Antec had
found a little more reliable switch to use here. But until I actually
have a real problem with it, I can't complain too much.
Something
that sets the Antec MX-1 apart from most other external HDD enclosures
is the active cooling system. The picture above shows the
empty internal hard drive tray with the built in blower fan. During
use, the whir of the spinning hard disk drive was always louder than
the blower fan. It wasn't until I was in a completely silent room and
switched the enclosure on that I could hear the fan. But even then, it
was barely audible and only lasted a brief moment until the hard drive
itself was able to spin up to speed. You shouldn't have to worry about
this fan unless it starts to fail and may possibly produce a more
audible grinding noise (like any failing fan would produce). Also take
note of the white strips along the edges and around the screw holes.
This is a very soft silicon rubber that helps reduce the vibrations and
noise produced by the hard drive as well as cushion it from external
abuse (like accidentally dropping the enclosure short distances).
The
blower is designed to pull cool air into the MX-1 through the vents at
the top and down over the hard drive inside. Then the fan exhausts the
heated air out the bottom rear of the unit. This is a very efficient
way to keep the internal drive cool with constantly circulating air
without adding a lot of extra physical size to the unit.
The
picture above shows the inside of the MX-1 with the hard drive tray
removed. All that is left is a simple wiring system that powers the
small blue HDD activity LED in the front. You can also see the exhaust
vent opening at the rear of the casing (below the cutouts for the
external connections).
The
first step to installing a hard drive in the MX-1 requires you to
remove the only screw found on the exterior of the unit (which is
located at the front edge of the bottom panel).
Once
the screw is removed, you will then be able to remove the top panel.
So flip the enclosure back over and slide the top panel toward the
front of the enclosure, then lift it up and off.
Now
that you have made it inside the MX-1, you will be greeted with a scene
that should look something like the picture above. Your next step here
is to remove the two screws holding down the hard drive tray (labeled
A). With those two screws removed, carefully slide the tray toward the
front of the enclosure to free it from the plastic clips holding it
down and you should then be able to lift it out. But don't go yanking
it out just yet! There are two small connectors located on the edge of
the PCB. The red and black wired connector is the power for the blower
fan (which is all connected to the HDD tray, so it doesn't need to be
removed). The other connector with green wires (labeled B in the
picture above) supplies power to the small blue HDD activity LED. You
will need to detach this connector in order to completely free the HDD
tray from the body of the MX-1. You can remove the connector before
unscrewing the two screws, but I actually found it easier to unscrew
the HDD tray and lift it up a little because it was then easier to get
at the very small connector to disconnect it. If you try to disconnect
the LED wires with the HDD tray still firmly secured inside the MX-1
body, it is a very difficult endeavor.
With
the HDD tray finally removed, you can now actually install the drive.
Simply place the drive flat on the white silicon-rubber pads and slide
it back so the fixed SATA power and data connections on the MX-1's PCB
line up and fully connect with the appropriate connections on the hard
drive itself.
Now
you need to very carefully turn the HDD tray over (with the HDD still
connected to the PCB). Remember that the hard drive is held down to
the HDD tray only by the small SATA connections on the PCB, so make
sure to hold the drive firmly in place on the tray as you flip it over
or you risk the drive falling off and breaking the SATA connections!
With the tray successfully overturned, locate the four drive mounting
screws that came included with your MX-1 in a small plastic bag.
Screw
these into the four holes you see lined with the same white silicon
rubber pads. These screw holes will line up with the four mounting
holes located on the bottom of the hard drive and securely attach it to
the MX-1 HDD tray.
Now
that you have the hard drive securely fastened to the HDD tray, you can
reinstall the HDD tray by simply retracing your steps to remove it.
Start by placing the tray back inside the body of the MX-1 and
reconnecting the LED wire harness. Then slide the HDD tray toward the
back so it locks into place with the plastic clips. Now replace
the two HDD tray mounting screws you removed earlier and you have
successfully installed the hard drive into the MX-1. All that is left
to do now is replace the top panel onto the top, flip the whole thing
over, and screw in the last external screw to secure the top panel in
place; this completes the installation process and returns the MX-1 to
its original state (except with a hard drive installed).
To test the Antec MX-1
For testing the Antec MX-1, a 320GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 drive was installed into the main system and benchmarked, then removed and installed into the MX-1 to be benchmarked.
The
chart above shows the performance of the 7200.10 Barracuda drive
installed internally directly to the SATA connections on the
motherboard as measured by HD Tach.
With a measured random access time of 13.4ms, average read of 65.6
MB/s, and 253.2 MB/s, it is evident that this is a very
high-performance hard drive so it will be interesting to see if the
interface of the MX-1 causes any loss of performance...
But
after running the same test on the same system with the same data on
the drive, it is obvious that there is only an insignificant
performance difference between an internal SATA drive and an external
eSATA connection on the MX-1 enclosure. A random access time of
13.6ms, average read of 65.7 MB/s, and 236.4 MB/s burst speed shows
that performance of the same drive in the MX-1 is very good compared to
the internal connection. Now let's take a look at the USB 2.0
interface performance...
The
situation here is obviously much less than ideal compared to the eSATA
connection. The random access time is still very good at 13.5ms, but
the average read (37.3 MB/s) and burst speed (37.7 MB/s)) leave a lot
to be desired. That is the price you have to pay for being able to
transfer data over the widely compatible USB interface. It should now
be apparent that having an external enclosure connected via eSATA is
much more desirable than the traditional USB connection. Thankfully
the MX-1 features both interfaces, so you can choose between a fast
eSATA connection when at a computer with such capability, or fall back
on the USB interface when using a computer that limits your connection
options.
Pros
- Active cooling is quiet and keeps the drive's temperature under control.
- Construction is extremely sturdy and reliable.
- Allows for stable vertical and horizontal use.
- Very classy looks that are not likely to be out of place in practically any setting.
- Soft silicon-rubber under drive and around drive screw holes to reduce vibration noise and help protect against small shock.
Cons
- Front power/activity LED is very difficult to see under almost any lighting condition.
- Drive installation is somewhat of a lengthy process (good thing you don't have to do it often).
- Currently available for about $60, the Antec MX-1 is certainly not easy on the wallet.
Our Recommendation
From
the moment I retrieved the MX-1 from it's protective foam, a smile
slowly worked its way across my face, as I knew I was holding a
winner. This thing is constructed like a tank but looks like an
elegant piece of technology. The list of features extends from the
outside appearance and construction materials to the very inside with
silent active cooling and vibration dampening layers around the HDD. I
think the eSATA connection is the greatest gift to external enclosures
since they have been in production, as it is fast and easy to use. The
inclusion of a USB 2.0 port is a necessary evil in order to improve
compatibility with older machines and laptop computers.
There is
really so much to like about the MX-1, it's hard to find something to
frown upon. The only things that didn't get me excited about this
enclosure were the "cheap" feeling on/off switch in the back and the
high price tag. The higher price is somewhat justified because of the
great construction and features of the enclosure, but the MX-1 is one
of only two or three priced above $50 compared to other similarly
featured products. The lengthy drive installation process was also a
little stifling. But I can't really complain much because the typical
user will only have to do it once. Overall, it is worth the hassle as
the Antec MX-1 is a great product and well worth the wait. I sure hope
the engineers responsible for the MX-1 are relaxing on a tropical beach
somewhere because they deserve it! If you are looking for an external
enclosure that is sure to outperform and outlast the typical products
and look good doing it, then the Antec MX-1 should be at the top of
your short list.
Other Reviews of Note
Its always nice to
have more than one opinion on a component before you spend your hard
earned money. For one, We may see something others missed, or vice
versa. As with all reviews published at HardwareLogic, we'll not only
give you our recommendation, but also point out some reviews from some
other great sites around the web.
Bjorn3d
Virtual-Hideout
TweakNews
XSReviews
Silent PC Review
XYZ Computing
