How to setup an SSD enclosure to make a portable power drive

If yous recently upgraded a modernistic laptop'south PCIe NVMe internal solid-state storage (SSD) yous may exist wondering what you could do with the old one that's laying around. Turns out, you can just put into a portable enclosure and use it equally a mobile, high-operation storage solution. Recall of it similar a USB thumb bulldoze but with more than space and significantly faster data speeds. Here's how to get the job done.

Hardware and software to go the task done

• The correct enclosure: ADWITS PCIe NVMe SSD enclosure ($57 at Amazon)
• Tools you'll need: Kingsdun 14 in1 Precision Screwdriver Kit ($12 at Amazon)
• Get rid of static: Rosewill anti-static wristband ($6 at Amazon)

How to mountain your sometime SSD into a portable enclosure

Note: This guide only applies to PCIe NVMe SSDs and not SATA SSDs, which are older, cheaper, and slower. If unsure consult your PC manufacturer or use the markings on the former SSD to identify its brand, model, and type. You lot'll need a PCIe NVMe enclosure, which is more expensive, to make this work. While there are cheaper enclosures on the marketplace we establish the ADWITS ane to be the nicest looking with activeness-LEDs also.

While nearly people will buy a premade option like a Samsung T5 for an external solution, in that location is a way to re-apply the SSD from your one-time laptop. This, of course, assumes you have an one-time laptop laying effectually that you desire to take apart or you lot want to upgrade your current laptop with more than (or faster) storage.

This guide applies for faster PCIe NVMe drives, which are more than expensive than SATA drives that many older laptops utilise. On a scale from toll and speed from everyman to highest, it goes SATA > NVMe > Thunderbolt 3.

The Adwits's enclosure has great quality and tons of LEDs for some flare.

The PCIe NVMe enclosure we used is on the high-stop — effectually $57 — but at that place are others that are equally low equally $40.

Nosotros liked the ADWITS enclosure considering it looked the nicest with a premium build and it has xix LEDs that sync with disk activity to permit you know the drive is working.

The whole process takes less than ten minutes. If you are using an one-time SSD from a laptop you may demand to disable Windows BitLocker, which encrypts the drive.

Finally, due to the speed requirements, the completed bulldoze volition only piece of work with USB Blazon-A or USB Type-C ports that also support the USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gbps) protocol. While information technology seems like the drive would only run slower on a USB 3.1 Gen 1 (upwardly to 5Gbps), at least on our Surface Pro 6 and other laptops it merely doesn't work at all. Likewise, at to the lowest degree on an initial test this enclosure and bandwidth requirements volition non work with an Xbox Ane console to act as an external storage solution.

Opening the SSD enclosure

Well-nigh SSD enclosures will have two screws on the bottom that once removed requite you access to the PCIe NVMe board. That board may need to be removed, which involves undoing two more screws. We then insert the former SSD and reassemble the enclosure.

1. Apply a small Philip'due south Caput screwdriver to remove the screws from the lesser plate and put them safely aside.

   

2. With the board now exposed locate 2 more than screws that hold the board to the enclosure. Remove those and prepare bated.

   

3. Using the screwdriver, gently pry the lath abroad from the enclosure.

4. Loosen the set screw on the lath constitute near the end.

   

5. Slide the SSD into the slot and gently lower it down. Use the gear up screw to secure.

   

6. Add together the included thermal pad layer to the top of the SSD to aid with heat dissipation.

   

7. Put the SSD and lath back into the enclosure facing downwardly and secure with the two gear up screws nosotros removed earlier.

   

8. Place the lesser plate back onto the enclosure and secure it with the 2 other screws.

9. Add together the included rubber strip over the screws to hide them and add a grip to the lesser of the enclosure.

   

In one case the enclosure is all assembled you tin use either the included USB-A or USB-C cable to connect it to your laptop or PC (performance won't differ betwixt cables).

What to expect

Projected performance should autumn around 1,000 MB/southward for read and 900 MB/south for write speed for the now external SSD.

Benchmarking our new portable and external SSD.

That may exist beneath what the SSD is rated for, which could become as high every bit iii,500 MB/south for read speed, merely that is due to maxing out the USB 3.1 Gen 2 bandwidth found in the adapter. Those speeds though are still massively faster than a typical USB "ultra" pollex drive with speeds effectually just 145 MB/s for read and 56 MB/s for write.

One way to get faster speeds would be to find a Thunderbolt 3 SSD enclosure, but there are a few downsides at that place too. Currently, in that location are barely any such options on the market place and the few that do exist can cost around $200 or four times as much every bit a PCIe NVMe one. Also, Thunderbolt 3 is non astern compatible, meaning such a drive won't work on regular laptops and PCs without that technology severely limiting its usefulness.

The equipment yous need

Putting an one-time SSD into an enclosure is a very unproblematic job requiring just the enclosure and a screwdriver. If you desire to exist actress rubber you lot can catch an anti-static wristband as well.

The about baller enclosure

ADWITS PCIe NVMe SSD enclosure

It'due south not inexpensive, but it looks the all-time

There are a few cheaper PCIe NVMe enclosures on the market but the ADWITS has the nicest pattern with no less than nineteen LEDs on the board. Those LEDs not only look cool they let you lot know the SSD is powered and when information is active (blinking). The kit also includes thermal pads, screwdriver, and extra screws too making information technology a complete package.

Kingsdun 14 in1 Precision Screwdriver Kit ($12 at Amazon)

While the ADWITS SSD enclosure already has all you demand if you go a different enclosure or just need some PC tools this is a slap-up kit. It has a few screw drivers, pry tool, tweezers, and more than.

Rosewill anti-static wristband ($6 at Amazon)

Static electricity can harm sensitive PC parts, so remove the risk with an anti-static wristband. Spike it around your wrist and prune it onto your PC for peace of listen.

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Daniel Rubino

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007 back when this site was chosen WMExperts (and subsequently Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Surface, laptops, and modern computing. Follow him on Twitter: @daniel_rubino.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-ssd-enclosure

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