Author: Mikhail Ivanenkov Date: December 15, 2007 Manufacturer: Eagle Tech Provider: Eagle Tech

Testing, Conclusion » Page 1: Introduction, Product Details

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Today we'll be looking at our second external HDD enclosure from Eagle Tech. The M Series differs from the W series in two ways. First, it only supports SATA drives. Second, it offers both a USB2.0 and an eSATA interface. It also features a very innovative method of installation, the first we've seen of its kind. How does it perform? Let's find out.


The unit comes packaged in a similar orange cardboard box with carrying handle.


Inside you'll find the enclosure, AC adapter, USB2.0 cable, eSATA cable, an "installation key", a vertical stand, driver/installer CD (unnecessary but included just in case) and a very thorough manual complete with color pictures and formatting instructions via Windows' Administrative Tools should you have a brand new hard drive.


The enclosure has a simple yet elegant design. Unfortunately what appears to be one large mesh grill vent is actually covered up beneath by a sheet of plastic, rendering cooling by convection almost nonexistent. While this isn't normally a problem for 7200RPM drives, stick a 10K Raptor in there and you could run into problems. There are a few holes present here and there, but their inclusion wasn't intentional.


The backside contains a power switch, AC port, USB port, and an eSATA port. The screws are there for removing the back panel, but that shouldn't have to happen unless something is wrong/broken.


Installation is quite unique and very simple. The provided "key" is really just a pin that depresses a metal lever which pops out the front panel. This panel then flips down and slightly slides out. All you have to do is put your hard drive on the tray, slide it in, then close the panel. This automatically aligns the drive with the SATA/power pins inside and pushes it back enough to make the connection. In other words, no screws required. It even works with the newer slim drives (Seagate Barracudas in particular).

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