Eagle N-Series Pro External HDD Enclosures

Manufacturer: Eagle Tech Computers
Supplied by: Eagle Tech Computers
Street Price: $22

by Dean Barker (7/15/2008) 

Introduction

As we have said here before, an external drive enclosure's success is dependent on its aesthetics, features and price.  In regards to a particular unit's aesthetics or features, beauty and function are only measured by the eye of the beholder.  Eagle Tech offers up a new unit for your consideration in the Eagle N-Series Pro External Enclosure.  The N-Series Pro keeps the same dark color scheme we saw with the Eagle Consus Enclosure.  But unlike the Consus and its solid side panels, the N-Series Pro sports mesh panels on either side of an installed drive.  These mesh panels immediately address any temperature concerns while keeping the unit passive and quiet.  The folks of Eagle Tech Computers have seen fit to shoot one of these new N-Series Pro units over for a closer inspection.  Let's get to it.

Specifications

• Application: Single Drive External 3.5" SATA-300 HDD

• Interface: USB 2.0 (480 mbps)

• Dimensions: 218 x 40 x 125mm

• Power: External Power Adapter

• Hot Swappable

• Construction: Aluminum

• Colors: Gunmetal/Black

• One year warranty

What you get

Opening up the Eagle packaging we found the expected extras as well as a couple we didn't.  The Eagle N-Series Pro Enclosure was there of course as well as a vertical stand, AC Power Adapter, a 42 inch long USB cable, instruction page, mounting screws and a driver CD with a trial version of Disk Doctor Data Recovery program.  The last is the type of thing that hopefully you won't need to "try" but sitting on a shelf as a just in case thing may be nice.  On the outer shell of the N-Series Pro was a coupon for $200 off of professional data recovery services from Disk Doctor.  Let's hope we'll never need that either.

The Unit

Eagle's N-Series Pro Enclosure certainly has a clean look.  Below is the Eagle Pro in its vertical stand and laying flat.  The gunmetal colored frame is a nice contrast to the black screen side panels.  Eagle cites these panels as addressing any thermal issues a fast spinning hard drive may encounter that is inside.  This is certainly an improvement over a completely encased system but passive cooling can only do so much.  Love that Eagle stamping into the mesh panels.

Controls are straight forward.  From right to left we have an on/off switch, power port and USB 2.0 plug in.  Nothing fancy here but keeping it simple is a great way to keep clean lines clean.

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