Review on Black Vantec NexStar DX USB 3.0 External Enclosure for SATA Blu-Ray/CD/DVD Drive by Sandra Edwards

I was about to squeeze the FireWire 800 / 400 / USB-2 enclosure when I spotted this one. I knew I would be sacrificing speed now because my 3 year old Apple MacBook Pro only has USB-2. The reason I wanted USB 3 is because even Apple seems to be phasing out the FireWire port, as evidenced by the new MacBook Pro lineup with Retina display. (At least the 13-inch model I was eyeing.) So I actually made my mind up about future compatibility/speed, and I'm glad I did. I installed an LG WH14NS40 Blu-ray DVD burner in it. The combination works perfectly. The installation took only 5 minutes. Some people have complained that the USB 2 version isn't deep enough for some drives, but this drive has no issues with the LG burner. Space for larger drives. (See user uploaded photos.) No additional brackets are required and a total of 6 screws are included: 4 to attach the drive of your choice and 2 to attach the backplate. Speaking of the back wall. it is made of plastic. Likewise the front panel. The middle section is made of solid aluminium. I don't mind if the front panel is plastic as it probably needs the flexibility to slide discs through. This is a very tight fit. But the rear plastic just feels wrong. It includes a full-size connector (included) (another bonus as many drives have a proprietary externally powered connector) as well as a powerful on/off switch. No ports other than a single USB 3 port This kit also includes a USB 3 cable. The fan is a bit noisy but not the least bit annoying. It expels a lot of air. The blue LED on the front is big and bright. Many turn it off. Not me. It's an attractive blue color and I can see some people resenting it, but I still don't have a full-time drive. I'm worried about the bright area because there's a gap next to it that looks like it shouldn't be there. The gap is 1-2mm and affects the overall fit and finish on the front. If this is an intentional air gap for cooling, then the Vantec has done a miserable job. ) The case works perfectly. It also has a fair price. I would have no hesitation in recommending this to a friend. (Actually, I already have one.) Specifications: Model: NST-530S3-BK Device Support: CD+ROM/R/RW, DVD+ROM/RW Blu-ray Device Size: 5.25 inch Internal Interface: SATA External Interface: USB 3.0 Power supply: built-in power supply Material: aluminum Dimensions: 252 x 172 x 49 mm