If you are thinking of getting an external hard drive (HD) but the current ones – especially the solid-state drives (SSD) – in the market are too expensive, you might want to DIY with a HD enclosure like this Benfei model.
- Price: From S$12.77, get it on Amazon
- Connectivity: USB-A, USB-C
- Compatibility: Windows, macOS and Linux
- Support: Up to 6TB 2.5-inch SDD or HDD
- Weight: 120g (with SDD)
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable | Very “plastic” |
| Easy installation | Can get quite warm |
| Convenient to use with integrated cable | |
| Supports various OS |
As its literal name implies, this is a 2.5-inch HD enclosure that comes with an integrated USB-C/USB-A cable. It supports both 2.5-inch SDD and hard disk drive (HDD) via SATA interface with transfer speeds up to 6Gbps. It is also compatible with Windows, macOS and Linux.
Ever in a scenario when you want to use the HD, but you just can’t find the correct cable? You have no such worries with his HD enclosure as it has an integrated cable. This is essentially an USB-C cable with e USB-A adapter. Thus, you should be able to use it with most computers, new or old.
Installation is as simple as it gets. You slide out the lid, insert the hard disk (SDD or HDD) into the enclosure, ensure the SATA connectivity is sure. I recommend not closing the lid first until you test the HD is working with your computer.
Out of the box, it comes with two EVA paddings for use with either SDD or HDD. Once you make sure that the HD is working with the enclosure, stick the right EVA padding on the inside of the lid and slide the lid back into place. And you get yourself an affordable HD on the go!
For this review, I installed a Samsung 870 QVO 2.5-inch 2TB SDD (Get it at Shopee and Lazada) into the enclosure. Using my 2020 Intel Apple MacBook Pro, I was able to transfer 18.1GB of photos from the laptop to the HD enclosure in mere 41 seconds.
To further stress test the HD enclosure, I transferred 802GB worth of documents, photos and videos, from a USB-A HD (connected to the laptop via a USB-C Hub) to the Benfei HD enclosure. It took 2 hours 23 minutes, and the enclosure feels quite warm. Still, it is better than being cut off during the transfer process that happened quite a lot with other HDs.
On the downside, the enclosure is quite “plasticky” and might not survive any falls. But you really cannot complain given its very affordable price tag.
VERDICT: At only S$12 or so, the Benfei 2.5-inch HD Enclosure is affordable, easy to install, and convenient to use.