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Vantec specialist accessories and external devices presents NexStar HX, a box designed to accommodate a conventional hard drive desktop PC format 3.5''.

It has diverse connectivity because it can be connected through the USB 3.0 interface compatible with USB 1.0 and 2.0 or eSATA thus allowing high speeds. With its 80mm fan can be switched off and the aluminum shell, the Vantec NexStar HX focuses on cooling. In fact, the American brand takes seriously the fact that the majority of failures for this type of equipment are due to excessive temperatures.

The Vantec NexStar HX has an internal interface compatible with SATA 1.5 and 3Gbps standards even if it does not prevent it hard to accommodate the newer standards such as SATA 6Gbps available en masse. Thus the NexStar HX will he be able to convince with its sleek design, with noble materials and its interfaces faster?
Presentation Nexstar HX

Its dimensions of 18 cm to 14 cm deep and 5.5 cm wide it can take place on all desktops as well as laptops bags for example. The Vantec NexStar HX features a 80mm fan can be switched off to ensure optimum temperatures of the internal components. A wise choice when you know that the vast majority of failures are due to unsuitable operating conditions for this type of device. It requires an external power supply to operate and it is shipped without HDD.

Outside

The Vantec NexStar HX does look great thanks to the use of aluminum for the black side panels and front and rear plastic. Rounded edges enhance the aesthetics of the case and even improve its overall finish. On the front, only a central border shows a blue light indicating hard drive activity. On the left side, a honeycomb grille leaves reflected the fan. The connection takes place on the back where we find one off switch, an eSATA connector, a switch dedicated fan, a USB 3.0 port and external power connector. It would be even more appreciated if the quality of the plastic and the buttons had been as good as the rest of the housing. Above as below, exhaust vents improve air and we see that the edges of the plastic used on the front is not better camouflaged on top.

Inside

The printed circuit black NexStar HX is of good quality even if some capacitors alignment is not perfect. Recognizes the ASM 1051 controller Asmedia responsible for managing the storage media and interfaces. This is actually a USB to SATA bridge with a bandwidth of 5Gbps while only support up to 3Gbps is supported for the hard disk. Again we would have preferred to take advantage of the Compaq Presario CQ60 even for classical recordings, the interest is very limited.

Bundle
The Vantec NexStar HX comes with external power supply, user's manual, cables USB 3.0 and eSATA. Mounting NexStar HX Mounting a hard drive in the Vantec NexStar HX requires the use of a screwdriver to remove a side panel. By cons disk fits into the slot reserved and will be maintained by two fixed side supports and another on top with a hinge. This setting mechanism is effective even if deserved a slightly more elaborate design, worked better and easier. In the state of things, you should avoid too many assembly and disassembly may wear prematurely elements of the case. Indeed, the space reserved for storage is quite narrow and we need to be especially careful during installation.

Performance By connecting the eSATA NexStar HX our test platform equipped with a Marvell controller, we achieve excellent rates including using a SSD for rates beyond 200Mb / s. With a conventional hard drive, the flows are also very good with more than 120MB / s. In USB 3.0, eSATA speeds are equivalent to a magnetic hard disk. By cons with an SSD, the flows are a bit worse than eSATA with an average of 175Mo / s. In all cases, there is excellent flow can enjoy the best of a storage unit.

Consumption, noise and temperatures

The NexStar HX is efficient in terms of power consumption because it is limited to 5 watts at rest and only a hard drive up to 12 watts, which corresponds to that found he had been placed in a PC internally. We also measure the impact of the use on the fan noise causing an increase of 2dB what makes NexStar HX equipment discreet but still audible. Even if the NexStar HX is not equipped with vibration damping system, the hard drive noises remain contained because it is only 35dB we measured a fan m¨¨tre.Le NexStar HX is it effective and allows it to lower temperatures significantly? While at rest the temperatures do not change the fan is running or not active, you gain three degrees. Suffice to say that its effectiveness is limited and frankly that his presence is incidental. It therefore especially delight fans of light and sound devices.

Conclusion

The aluminum goes well the outer casing Vantec NexStar HX. It benefits from a good design, quality finish some small although some minor defects could be corrected. The HP Pavilion DV6 brand is well conceptually speaking loaded incorporating a fan to reduce the temperature of the hard drive. We would have found it more useful by using for example a 10000 rpm hard drive such as Western Digital Raptor heating much. But this type of device is not really justified in this case. Because through the use of a more conventional hard drive, the temperature readings show that the dissipation is very correct via passive cooling. Available for fifty euros although its distribution in our country is Spartan, it remains a very good choice because of its aesthetic quality or luxurious but especially thanks to its performance more satisfactory. It will delight fans before any device oriented "tuning."