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Thunderbolt 3 M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosures
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@EugW
I've returned to this thread because I'm ready to take the plunge. I was hoping there may have been some developments in the market. I think the reality is there won't be much new happening around TB3 for my MBA M1. New enclosures will most likely arrive with TB4 and TB5 in mind.
I have pretty modest needs. External file storage expansion for a fairly novice type of user. My concerns had been with thermals and power management. If I've read the latest posts on the thread correctly, it seems the idle power management has shown to be better when connected to a dock or hub. (In my case, it'll be an old Startech dock.)
My question, if you don't mind: it seems you are using Hagibis and Qwiizlab enclosures. Which is your favourite? (I'll probably be going for 4TB of NVMe, if it makes a difference.)
Thanks.
I've returned to this thread because I'm ready to take the plunge. I was hoping there may have been some developments in the market. I think the reality is there won't be much new happening around TB3 for my MBA M1. New enclosures will most likely arrive with TB4 and TB5 in mind.
I have pretty modest needs. External file storage expansion for a fairly novice type of user. My concerns had been with thermals and power management. If I've read the latest posts on the thread correctly, it seems the idle power management has shown to be better when connected to a dock or hub. (In my case, it'll be an old Startech dock.)
My question, if you don't mind: it seems you are using Hagibis and Qwiizlab enclosures. Which is your favourite? (I'll probably be going for 4TB of NVMe, if it makes a difference.)
Thanks.
If it's a USB 3 dock, I wouldn't recommend it since the speeds will drop dramatically. It needs to be a Thunderbolt dock.
My Hagibis and the Qwiizlab are basically identical aside from the branding and the material used for the thermal pads. (I'm not sure which thermal pads are better, but the materials are a bit different.) This is not surprising considering it appears neither of these companies actually make this product. It appears the original manufacturer is Colorii.
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Colorii will sell these to you for just US$36 each... if you're willing to buy 1000 units.
The one spec difference is that Hagibis states it only supports up to 4 TB, but Qwiizlab says 8 TB. However, I'm not sure why this would be the case, as both of mine have the same motherboard with the same controller chip, and in fact, have the same controller firmware revision as well.
Thanks @EugW , a perfect explanation.
I will be using a StarTech Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station, TB3DK2DPPDUE. It should work, but obviously I will only get TB3 speeds.
I'm happy with the 'risk' I'll be taking on temperature, based on what I've read here. It'll be placed in an under-desk cage with about 10cm of clearance in all directions and not next to anything else producing much heat. (I'll add a ceramic plate if necessary - I know this is your set-up from photos you've posted.) Would the lower TB3 connection speed lower the temperature?
I'm curious to know about docks and hubs allowing the device to idle when not in use or the Mac is asleep. There seems to be more chatter about this now. Is it something that typically happens by default or is it very much dependent on the specific dock / hub?
I've summarised my choices as follows:
1. Colorii MC40 / Qwiizlab ES40UR / Hagibis MC40
2. OWC Express 1M2
3. Targus HyperDrive EcoSmart
In the UK, a Colorii / Qwiizlab / Hagibis is about $65, the OWC is $150 and the Targus is about $100.
There seems to be quite a bit of talk about the OWC. It's available on pre-order for shipping next week. People say it's the best, but I have no idea about the reliability of these comments. I'm a complete novice.
The Targus one is interesting. I stumbled across it. It may not be relevant to Mac. However, it's interesting because it's the first one I've seen from a reputable / mainstream manufacturer and it's also the first one to be available from a good retailer in the UK.
Would you consider the OWC or Targus? Really appreciate your help.
I will be using a StarTech Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station, TB3DK2DPPDUE. It should work, but obviously I will only get TB3 speeds.
I'm happy with the 'risk' I'll be taking on temperature, based on what I've read here. It'll be placed in an under-desk cage with about 10cm of clearance in all directions and not next to anything else producing much heat. (I'll add a ceramic plate if necessary - I know this is your set-up from photos you've posted.) Would the lower TB3 connection speed lower the temperature?
I'm curious to know about docks and hubs allowing the device to idle when not in use or the Mac is asleep. There seems to be more chatter about this now. Is it something that typically happens by default or is it very much dependent on the specific dock / hub?
I've summarised my choices as follows:
1. Colorii MC40 / Qwiizlab ES40UR / Hagibis MC40
2. OWC Express 1M2
3. Targus HyperDrive EcoSmart
In the UK, a Colorii / Qwiizlab / Hagibis is about $65, the OWC is $150 and the Targus is about $100.
There seems to be quite a bit of talk about the OWC. It's available on pre-order for shipping next week. People say it's the best, but I have no idea about the reliability of these comments. I'm a complete novice.
The Targus one is interesting. I stumbled across it. It may not be relevant to Mac. However, it's interesting because it's the first one I've seen from a reputable / mainstream manufacturer and it's also the first one to be available from a good retailer in the UK.
Would you consider the OWC or Targus? Really appreciate your help.
"The Targus one is interesting."
Going by the HD5001GL code it's a Hyper product, rebranded by Targus.
Also available from numerous other retailers.
Not very good reviews, reports of it running hot, etc.
Going by the HD5001GL code it's a Hyper product, rebranded by Targus.
Also available from numerous other retailers.
Not very good reviews, reports of it running hot, etc.
Thanks guys. Does anybody have any suggestions on NVMe. I've seen the comments about WD Black, Lexar NM and Samsung Evo Plus. They all seem like good options.
However, this is just file storage expansion for me and I'm looking for best value because everything will be backed up with TimeMachine to a spinning disk. Any suggestions on what sort of indicators I should look for to ensure I don't pay for more than what I'll need with TB3. Is it the MB/s rating? Thanks!
However, this is just file storage expansion for me and I'm looking for best value because everything will be backed up with TimeMachine to a spinning disk. Any suggestions on what sort of indicators I should look for to ensure I don't pay for more than what I'll need with TB3. Is it the MB/s rating? Thanks!
I got there in the end, after looking at this all day. I'd be really grateful if someone would do a quick sanity check on this for me.
I'll be going with the Qwiizlab ES40UR, Colori MC40 or Hagibis. Are these the right models? @EugW kindly mentioned there is a sale on AliExpress tomorrow, so I'll go with whichever is the cheapest.
www.alibaba.com
www.aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com
For NVMe, I've opted for Crucial T500 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CK2TC9XQ?th=1 (Samsung 990 Pro or WD SN850X as backup if this Amazon deal gets pulled)
I'll order some Fehonda pads. Any suggestions on the thickness needed for Qwiizlab / Colorii / Hagibis?
I can't believe the junk I would have bought if I hadn't read this thread and people hadn't been so helpful. Thanks!
I'll be going with the Qwiizlab ES40UR, Colori MC40 or Hagibis. Are these the right models? @EugW kindly mentioned there is a sale on AliExpress tomorrow, so I'll go with whichever is the cheapest.
Colorii Mc40 Silver Usb 4.0 Ssd Enclosure Nvme 40gbps Hard Drive Case Aluminium For Mac Mini M4 Asm2464pd - Buy Usb 4.0 Ssd Enclosure usb4 Enclosure mac Mini M4 Usb4 Enclosure Product on Alibaba.com
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Qwiizlab Fanless 40Gbps USB4 Thunderbolt External SSD Enclosure with Aluminum Heat Sink Chasiss, Supports M.2 NVMe SSD up to 8TB - AliExpress 7
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com
Hagibis 40Gbps USB4 M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure With LED Display USB4 Cable for Thunderbolt 4/3 USB 3.2/3.1/3.0 B+M M-Key SSD Case - AliExpress 44
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com
For NVMe, I've opted for Crucial T500 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CK2TC9XQ?th=1 (Samsung 990 Pro or WD SN850X as backup if this Amazon deal gets pulled)
I'll order some Fehonda pads. Any suggestions on the thickness needed for Qwiizlab / Colorii / Hagibis?
I can't believe the junk I would have bought if I hadn't read this thread and people hadn't been so helpful. Thanks!
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Thanks. Which enclosure do you use? Any heat problems?
I could only find the faster P41s and they are a little pricey compared to WD SN850X and Crucial T500.
I've now decided I'll probably go with the slightly cheaper SN770. I'm on a MBA M1 and I could be mistaken, but a few searches suggested my internal storage would be comparable to some NVMe in the ~5,000 MB/s range. I only need this for file storage.
2x Acasis TBU-405 and 1x Maiwo-1695
They both hover ~42C, and never breach 50C, even when performing intense file transfer.
I've found that the PCIe Gen3x4 speeds of the P31's are more-than sufficient for every-day use.
They act just like another Folder on my Desktop.
Photos&Code; no video over -> Here
@splifingate thanks. I've bought the Qwiizlab enclosure and I'm waiting for it to arrive. I've been doing a bit of research and it seems the best TB3 performance will be ~2,300 MB/s write and ~2,500 MB/s reads. This was with Blackmagic.
Interestingly, this was also benchmarked with a faster Sabrent SSD, where its performance seems to have been throttled by TB3:
Crucial P3 2TB M.2 PCIe Gen3 NVMe, 3500MB/s
SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD 2TB Gen 4, 7100MB/s
WD Blue SN570 2TB High-Performance M.2 PCIe NVMe (3500MB/s)
The annoying thing is the prices for these older SSDs hasn't really fallen. It's a case of getting more performance for the same money with the newer SSDs, so I'll probably go with WD SN770, which is about the best priced ~5,000 MB/s I can find. I suppose it will be somewhat future proofed if I get a Mac with TB4/TB5 at some point down the line.
It seems PCIe Gen4 will make little difference versus Gen3 with TB3. I was also surprised to read the slower SSDs do not run any cooler, but I'm no expert.
Interestingly, this was also benchmarked with a faster Sabrent SSD, where its performance seems to have been throttled by TB3:
Crucial P3 2TB M.2 PCIe Gen3 NVMe, 3500MB/s
SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD 2TB Gen 4, 7100MB/s
WD Blue SN570 2TB High-Performance M.2 PCIe NVMe (3500MB/s)
The annoying thing is the prices for these older SSDs hasn't really fallen. It's a case of getting more performance for the same money with the newer SSDs, so I'll probably go with WD SN770, which is about the best priced ~5,000 MB/s I can find. I suppose it will be somewhat future proofed if I get a Mac with TB4/TB5 at some point down the line.
It seems PCIe Gen4 will make little difference versus Gen3 with TB3. I was also surprised to read the slower SSDs do not run any cooler, but I'm no expert.
USB 4 - Kioxia XG8 4 TB / Hagibis:
Thunderbolt 3 - Kioxia XG8 4 TB / Hagibis:
Kioxia XG8 SSD Review: A Satisfactory OEM SSD
Delivers client needs with sufficient speeds
I wouldn't worry too much about peak sequential speed, unless you have a specific need for that - like 8K video editing or whatever. Probably what is more important for a lot of people is random read/write speed. Also, consider if you need DRAM or not.
@EugW That's very interesting. Thank you.
As I've been looking at SSDs to go with my Qwiizlab in the post, I was almost beginning to rue not buying a SanDisk Extreme Pro all-in-one at ~2,000 MB/s.
I now feel much more confident in the decision I've made. I'm not an IT person. I think your data also confirms my belief that WD SN770 is my best option ($110 for 2TB, PCIe Gen4, ~5,000 MB/s) and I'm unlikely to ever achieve max performance with TB3. Those Kioxia SSDs are very expensive for my needs (at least here in the UK).
Thanks again.
Edit: just noticed WD SN770 doesn't have DRAM, so it'll be Crucial T500 or WD SN850X.
As I've been looking at SSDs to go with my Qwiizlab in the post, I was almost beginning to rue not buying a SanDisk Extreme Pro all-in-one at ~2,000 MB/s.
I now feel much more confident in the decision I've made. I'm not an IT person. I think your data also confirms my belief that WD SN770 is my best option ($110 for 2TB, PCIe Gen4, ~5,000 MB/s) and I'm unlikely to ever achieve max performance with TB3. Those Kioxia SSDs are very expensive for my needs (at least here in the UK).
Thanks again.
Edit: just noticed WD SN770 doesn't have DRAM, so it'll be Crucial T500 or WD SN850X.
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Did you use extra thermal pad(s)?
I'm just about to buy one for the same enclosure.
Are your temperatures okay?
My NVMe enclosure is out for delivery. I'm wondering about the ingenious ways other may have chosen for where / how to place it on their desks (with heat management in mind)?
I have a storage cage hanging from the back of my desk. I'm going to place it in there on a ceramic plate and leave at least 15cm clearance to any other low heat accessories.
I have flat fronted, metal legs to the desk. Attaching it to one of those was about as imaginative as I got. I'm a bit of a worrier, so I ruled it out because I'd always be worried about it somehow falling off and setting the carpet on fire!
I have a storage cage hanging from the back of my desk. I'm going to place it in there on a ceramic plate and leave at least 15cm clearance to any other low heat accessories.
I have flat fronted, metal legs to the desk. Attaching it to one of those was about as imaginative as I got. I'm a bit of a worrier, so I ruled it out because I'd always be worried about it somehow falling off and setting the carpet on fire!
Don't get too hung up with the fastest SSD's etc as well - they will all be bottlenecked by the interface so you won't get anywhere near max speeds with any SSD regardless. So whether its 4000MB/s or 7000MB/s does not matter unless it is being installed directly inside a computer. What you need to consider more then speed is reliability. So choose a reliable manufacturer.
All my drives are either OWC Aura (as they came pre-installed) or Samsung 990 Pro. Never had any issues and I've been using them years!
All my drives are either OWC Aura (as they came pre-installed) or Samsung 990 Pro. Never had any issues and I've been using them years!
I went with the SN580 2Tb for $110 in the end. Seemed a very good deal. I don't need screaming performance with an M1 / TB3 connection.
I'll probably have some more questions about thermal pads if the Qwiizlabs isn't thick enough 😁. Disappointing to see the only way of getting reasonably priced Fehonda pads is via AliExpress slowmail.
Thanks for all your help guys. I'll let you know the results when it's installed.
I'll probably have some more questions about thermal pads if the Qwiizlabs isn't thick enough 😁. Disappointing to see the only way of getting reasonably priced Fehonda pads is via AliExpress slowmail.
Thanks for all your help guys. I'll let you know the results when it's installed.
No extra thermal pad, just the one included with the Hagibis.
Temp is 50 at idle when room temp is about 27C I'm staying in Singapore which is quite humid and hot.
I'm using a small quite noctua fan which help reduce the temp to 37.
Following some of the advice found here, I purchased a Hagibis 40gb TB4 enclosure. It arrived a couple of days ago. The thing constantly disconnects from my MB M4 Max... Samsung Magician also doesn't recognize my Samsun 990 Pro. Really disappointed in this enclosure. Is there a better alternative I can go for?
Strange, and sorry to hear that. Do you happen to have a different USB 4 or Thunderbolt cable to test? Also, did you try another port?
The Hagibis is USB4, not TB4.
You can get an actual TB5 enclosure now, so go for that since your Mac supports it.