Antec MX-1 USB 2.0 SATA Actively Cooled Hard Drive Enclosure -
Get the performance of an internal hard drive with portability and active cooling!

I purchased this to hold an WD 750 Gig hard drive to use for backups. It works great so far, only had it for several weeks! It has its own cooling fan so being external it doesn't add heat to my mini tower which runs hot by itself. I like the abiltiy to add my own choice of hard drives to an external unit.
 
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Bought this to hold a 1TB hard drive. It needed to have an eSATA interface to connect with TiVo. Also bought the SIIG eSATA cable, (the MX-1 comes with it's own eSATA cable, but the build quality is inferior to the SIIG cable). The fan runs very quiet, & the internal gasket that the hard drive mounts against helps to dampen drive vibration. (NOTE: don't overtighten the drive screws or you will lose the benefits of the gasket)
 
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Popped in a "green" 750GB SATA hard drive and then plugged into my SA 8300HD DVR using the eSATA cable. This was a nice, simple way to add capacity to the DVR. So far, over a month later, zero problems. Very happy with my purchase, although I purchased at a much cheaper sale price.
 
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This is a very clever device. New high density drives get REALLY hot, and the heat can damage the motors, electronics and even the data. This case has a very thin fan in the bottom that draws air around the drive to cool it, and it works. The drive stays close to room temp. Problem - the cases beg to be stacked (I got 2 of them) but when you stack them the top one covers the air vents of the bottom one! AND - the rubber feet provided do not allow any space between the units, so it is impossible to stack them, wasting much shelf space. All they had to do was put one set of air holes on the side, and all would be fine. Another problem was that 1 of the 2 units had a dead fan, which could not be detected until the unit was completely assembled with my drive and run for a while and compared with the good one. A 50% failure rate is not so good, especially for such a simple device. If I did not have another to compare with, I would not have known the fan was dead and my drive could have been damaged. If you get one of these, connect the power before installing the drive to be sure the fan is working. Get it together, Antec!
 
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It's very quiet, and it has both USB2 and eSATA interfaces, which is great!
 
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I now have four of these Antec cases that I use with both my PC and my Dish HD DVR. These are simply the best; I have other types and they don't compare. Quiet, fast, and unobtrusive. Just wish they were cheaper but you get what you pay for.
 
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Great external sat case. Does it all
 
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This enclosure was pretty easy to install -- the instructions were pretty clear. It's a sturdy, high-quality enclosure. There's a fan to keep your HD from overheating, and an on/off switch so you don't have to worry about unplugging and replugging it all the time. It's definitely on the bigger side (it fits my 3.5" HDD snugly but the enclosure is bigger than that), but just fine if you're going to leave it on your desk. It even comes with a little stand so it kind of looks like a mini desktop tower.
 
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The drive enclosure looks nice and works great. One of the nicest drive enclosures I have seen. Great build quality. It was pretty easy to take apart to put the drive in ... instructions were adequate. I don't even hear the fan next to my computer.
 
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Antec strikes oil again! Excellent product, easy to install. Highly recommend.
 
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The MX1 enclosure is well built and easy to use. Delivery was quick, I installed the Hitachi 1T Desktar hard drive in this case and used the ESATA cable that came with the enclosure to hook it up to a Direct TV HR-21 receiver. You just install the drive in the enclosure, no settings or jumpers plug the cable into the enclosure and HR21 receiver, pull the power plug on the receiver then plug it back in and it will reboot on the new 1T drive. You will have to put in and programming such as season passes. You can turn the Antec MX1 power switch off, and pull the power plug on the HR21 to use the internal drive and then switch back and forth if you want, however season passes and selected recording is drive dependent. The MX1 is nice and has a big blower to keep the drive cool. It comes with a real nice power supply, USB cable, ESATA cable, stand and card adapter to fit in a desktop pc slot. Hitachi 1T Drive makes a little noise but is not loud enough to be an issue to me.
 
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This is so far the best Harddrive Enclosure I have even bought. It's super quiet yet keeps my 10000 rpm harddrive cool. It's smart too. It will turn itself off upon disconnecting the eSATA cable. Great product from Antec!
 
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After searching through all of the cases out there, I couldn't find one that was as good of a deal (for the price i got it at) as this case. A little intensive to just get the hard drive in the case so this case is not made for hotswapping or changing drives quickly inside the case. But the airflow is superb, and the 2 connectors (usb and esata, Currently using esata) is phenomenal.
 
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I purchased 4 Antec MX-1 cases over the past two months. The initial used was purchased based upon reviews and recommendations. I have used several other cases since about 2000. Currently, three of the units house 1TB Seagate ST31000341AS 32 MB Cache drives. The other one has a ST31500341AS 1.5 TB drive. The cases are quiet and extremely cool even running the large drives during continuous transfer. I have two negatives, one the instructions are not very clear and the graphics are hard to understand. The only downside to this negative is that one ends up removing more screws than is really required. The second is I would prefer a non-plastic case. I did try several aluminum cases. They did not work as well and typically ran hotter than the Antec MX-1
 
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This is the best HD enclosure I have owned (out of 5 different brands). The active cooling keeps the drive cool, but the fan is very quiet - quieter than my lenovo T60p, MacBook, or Ultra HD enclosure with fan. No problems after one month continual usage. Very satisfied.
 
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I don't think I could offer anymore of what's already been said about this fine product. This is the second one I've bought this year and group it with a Seagate 1T. Needless to say, it produce awesome results.
 
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I bought this when it was on sale for $30 and would give it all 5's if it were still that price. I've purchased a number of external hard drive enclosures and this one is the quietest and fastest - thanks to eSATA - so far. You don't hear the fan, only the muffled sound of the installed drive. I have not tested operating temperature but feel sure that with the air flow that it is as good as one can expect. Easy to assemble, just be careful to avoid pinching the LED wire between the lid retaining clips. The SATA passthru bracket works fine on the older motherboards I have. Just don't expect miracles - if your pc only supports SATA 1.5 be sure to set the jumper on the drive accordingly. One final note, I gave overall satisfaction a 4 simply due to the power brick, they are bulky and consume electricity when not in use.
 
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I guess I shouldn't admit this, but I thought something was wrong with my drive or the enclosure after trying on two computers. I really didn't want to take the drive out to check it, so I went to Antec's website and guess what?! I had neglected to flip the power switch on the back of the enclosure! Just a word to the wise. Everything works great now! :)
 
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Fans keeps it cool and aluminum keeps it right. Can't ask for more. Antec's quality name remains intact.
 
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Bought this enclosure because I needed one for SATA and since I'm a noise cautious user, this was definitely a unit I was interested in. The styling is subtle if not the sleekest around, it does its job at keeping the hard drive cool as well as noise to a minimum (although still louder than my computer). eSATA is a definite bonus. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who's looking for a silent enclosure or even those that aren't.
 
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Well made and well designed enclosure. I put a new Seagate 7200.11 500GB hard drive into it and it is very quiet and the case is cool/cold to the touch. I think the fan does an excellent job of cooling the internal parts. Only thing I would improve...eliminate the power brick and reduce it to just a simple power cable.
 
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With the ever-falling prices of external hard drives, I have all but given up on using enclosures, but this one caught my eye. With the cheap prices on some of the larger drives, which often run a LOT hotter (example: the Seagate Perpendicular Sata-3.0 7200 drives) this looked like a good option. The case is sturdy (as sturdy or better than any premade I have purchased) and is easy to open/install the drive. The "active cooling" from the good-sized fan is excellent, but still so quiet I cannot even notice it (although my office does have A/C running in the background). There is a silicone "gasket" to help with drive noise (and maybe even helps a bit with shock absorbtion?). USB 2.0 and eSata (which I am using) are good options. I am still a firewire fan, but eSata has won me over unless Firewire 800 is available. Bottom line is that this case is my favorite yet (out of 15-20 enclosures and at least as many premade externals). This is not a portable unit, it will never replace my 2.5 drives or large flash drives, but for a single drive, desktop enclosure, it is the best I have come across. A true 5 out of 5. BTW, the guy that gave this a 2 just because he couldn't fit a 5.25" drive in it needs to read the specs ahead of time and maybe invest in a newer hard drive (the 3.5" hard drive has been around since 1984 - the Bigfoot is dead!).
 
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I like everything about this enclosure. I have had two for about a year, and I just bought this one for additional storage. I haven't had any problems with them. They keep the drives very cool, with minimal fan noise. The blue led status light is there if you need to look for it, otherwise, it's hidden. I have a couple other pieces of equipment where the blue led is so blinding in low light, that I have to cover it. The enclosures are a little bigger than others I have had, but so worth it because of the cooler temperature. I've only used them as USB so far, but want to switch to eSATA. Nice to have the option and the cables are included.
 
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The only limitation is that it only supports up to 750 gb. Bigger drive like 500 or 750 gb runs hot. If you put it in an enclosure without cooling fan and ventilation, the heat may shortens its life. This drive runs quiet and cool well and is way better than anything I have seen at this price range especially it is under $25 . eSATA makes it easy for back up and faster than USB 2.0. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an enclosure.
 
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Finally a SATA enclosure that moves data fast and keeps the drive cool! My backup times dropped dramatically compared to another eSATA backup device that barely runs faster than USB 2.0 speeds. A bit pricey, but a real deal with the rebate offered when I purchased it.
 
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I had problems with the first one I received. It has a weird connection from the power adapter to the case. It looks similar to an s-video connection with very small gold wires. When I would plug it into the case, it would just fall out. It seemed like the female end was just a little too big for the male end of the connection. What was worse was that while plugging it in, one of the very thin plugs bent and broke off. Obviously it no longer worked. Fortunately, buy.com replaced the item. The second one had silver colored plugs and fit VERY securely. It has been working great ever since. I only give it a 4 because the first one had issues. The second one I received I would have rated a 5.
 
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This is the 2nd external hard drive I've owned. Like the previous one, this one had to have a fan built in. I didn't buy the same brand as my first one, because it sucked. This one has been great. I leave it on 24/7, and have it hooked up to my business computer through the esata port. It runs cool, and super quiet. You'll never know its there. I just wish they made a version of this that I could attach to my home network with an ethernet connection, so I could get rid of my sucky one. I highly recommend this to anyone who needs an external hd. You won't be disappointed.
 
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I installed a 500GB hard drive and connected the device to my DVR using the included eSata cable. It looks great, is whisper quiet, and cool! I am very happy with the results.
 
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It's a sturdy, and sleak-looking enclosure. Very quite. Works great.I liked it.
 
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This case is another winner from Antec, maker of quality computer cases that are innovative and are a cut above the rest. This design is no different. It has a solid metal frame, but is so light and easy to take from place to place. It was easy to assemble and and works perfectly for my needs.
 
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I had a heat problem with fanless external hard drive which is connected to NAS and was on all the time. After I moved the drive into Antec MX-1 USB 2.0 SATA Actively Cooled Hard Drive Enclosure, the problem went away. Also fan is almost noiseless. I don't hear any noice from 4 feet away.
 
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I have two of these now. They are very nice, probably one of the best HD enclosures available. The HD keeps cool, unit is good looking, and eSATA option is great.
 
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This will not work with a 5.25 inch hard drive!
 
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This SATA drive enclosure is excellent. My rig already consists of an Antec Sonata case and power supply and I have been totally impressed with the quality from this company. Purchasing this enclosure was one of my better choices. I have a 500 gig Western Digital in mine and use primarily for backup. It is extremely quiet and operates flawlessly. The best part is that the package came with an adapter and SATA cable that allows you to hook this up from your open SATA port to the back of your PC in an open slot via E-SATA. The L-bracket and E-SATA cable are included. With the great price and rebate, this was a no-brainer. Thanks.
 
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The product was very easy to install. It is quiet and keeps the drive cool as opposed to other enclosures I have. I can keep this running full time.
 
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Looks better in person than it does in pictures. The fan is like a ducted fan. Very quiet. The drive is installed on rubber mounts so no vibration noises. Very nice
 
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Working wonderfully so far (1mo). The case stays amazingly cool..can't even feel any heat whatsoever. Other enclosures that I am running get quite hot to the touch even with fans running. Good product so far. I would recommend.
 
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I bought a pair of these as standbys, for the inevitable failures that occur when doing a 24/7 operation. And a good thing I did, too, because the day after receiving them, one of my very good old BYTECCs gave up the ghost. Swapping the drive into the Antec was the ordinary chore, and, once done, the drive started up and has been running well ever since. As anyone knows who uses external enclosures, it is the longevity that matters, and only time will tell about that. I picked this one because bitter experience has taught me that fans are vital, and for the ESata hookup. And, as it turns out, it's a very good looking piece of equipment. All is good, all is fine.
 
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I've owned a lot of External Hard Drive Cases, and most were adequate at best. <P> Some were flimsy plastic; tricky to assemble and fragile. <P> Some were aluminum; very tight fits - watch the wires ! <P> Some still work; others died after a few months. <P> But this case ? AWESOME. <P> Any drive will find room to breathe in this case. The plastic is thick, and when assembled has a reassuring feel of strength and integrity. <P> Both USB and eSATA Cables are included (the eSATA Cable is worth nearly $10 by itself). <P> I've used this case as USB and eSATA. Having both is really handy, but the eSATA is so fast, I'm now resolved to never buy an external HD that lacks this, ever again. <P> Conclusion: A little pricey, but highly recommended.
 
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This case is just what I needed. Fan is very quiet, the drive sits on silicone so it has a lot of dampening, and the cool blue LED is a nice touch. With it's flexibility for E-SATA and USB, this gets my vote for it's fast throughput.
 
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I've bought many External Drive Cases over the years. Most were very cramped, and required great care during installation of the HD. NOT THIS ONE ! This case is roomy, quiet, Quality. It looks Sturdy; I think you could slap a Shipping Sticker on the outside and mail it. And it comes with both an USB Cable and a eSATA Cable - a $10 value alone. I hope they make this for years; I'd buy another.
 
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I previously had a Maxtor OneTouch 4 500 GB External Drive. The usb-a connector on the back of the drive broke off somehow and I was told that I could return it for a replacement, but if I wanted my data, I had to pay some insane amount of money. So instead, I voided my warranty, ripped the drive out of the OneTouch 4 enclosure and bought the MX-1. I stuck the drive in the MX-1 enclosure and it works great! It was really easy to do and cost a lot less than having to buy a new external drive. I've never written a review before, but I highly recommend this.
 
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This enclosure from Antec could not be better designed. The enclosure is solid, looks good and is very quiet. It is easy to insert your own SATA HDD and get it transferring in no time. The eSATA transfer rate is very fast and the PCI bracket is easy to install and plug into your MB. You can always use the USB cable to transfer data if using the HDD with someone else's PC that doesn't have a eSATA port. Bottom line: you are crazy to put an expensive HDD with important data into a cheap enclosure which doesn't have a fan. Use this enclosure and you will not be disappointed!
 
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I have read numerous technical reviews and this is the best value and quality for the money. It's well-built, quiet, accepts any 3.5" hard drive. It has a quiet fan inside for decent cooling. No need to buy a proprietary external backup drive setup. Just buy your favorite drive or use an existing drive. Antec also makes great cases!
 
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I enjoy my case however the harddrive in it just sucks. I would probably like it more if the harddrive actually worked. Stay away from Seagate harddrives. Otherwise the case is very quiet and the low key blue light is viewable but doesn't bother you at night if it is in your room. The case is also pretty quiet. I hardly hear the fan running.
 
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This enclosure is as good as advertised. I use it with a cable box to record and play back TV programs. Enclosure stays cool and quiet. All I could ask for!
 
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I've been searching for enclosure that has fan, quiet, easy to use and setup. This item met all the conditions. I was skeptism at first so I bought one, even read bunches of reviews from other sites. I like so much that end up buying another one. I highly recommend get this item if you need an enclosure. Best investment.
 
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I wanted to increase the storage of my DirecTV HR21 DVR by hooking up a 1TB external drive connected to the DVR's eSATA port. I tried a Kingwin external HD enclosure from Frys.com. It didn't work, and trying to troubleshoot the problem killed a lot of time and was very frustrating. I then bought the Antec MX-1 and it worked like a charm. This is a very nice HDD enclosure -- the best I've seen.
 
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Awesome features: an effective, but quiet fan, and good ventilation; eSATA with included PCI bracket (SATA to eSATA adapter) and cables (SATA for inside case, eSATA for outside); very slick finish; silicon mount for vibration dampening. This runs cool and quiet, perfect for my new 500GB Samsung drive. Criticism: aluminum plates on top and bottom seem like they are peeling at the corners in a couple places. Not noticable unless I run my finger along the edges though.
 
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The case looks good, works well, is VERY quiet, can sit horizontally or vertically with the included stand, has a large quiet fan, eSATA and USB connectivity. The only slightly weird thing is the use of an S-Video connector for the external power supply. This is my third MX-1 case (the first two are being used for HD TiVo external storage), and this one is for my computer. I really like this case.
 
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Easy to install hard drive. Availability to connect via external SATA on my desktop computer and USB for my notebook all in one enclosure with internal fan and quiet operation. I highly recommend this product.
 
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