Conclusion

I was very impressed with both of these Mediasonic enclosures. They both exude a refined aura that starts with their sleek and stylish exterior and continues with their exceptional performance. While there were a few minor annoyances like no printed instructions, most people should be able to easily overlook such small blemishes in light of such great abilities. The only thing these enclosures really lacked was an all metal cladding. While their is room for improvement, most buyers should find that either one of these enclosures will suit their needs admirably well.


Mediasonic HUR1-SU2 (USB 2.0)

Any enclosure’s value cannot be based on how nice it looks or what material it is made out of, or even what accessories it comes with. Rather it has to be able to justify itself in the only way that matters: its performance. This enclosure is very fast considering its USB interface and while it does have some minor annoyances, its performance and ease of use does more than make up for it.

With an online retail price of less than $80 this enclosure is a Damn Good Value, and if it does break when its older you know that your data is still safe and will require only a modest investment to get it back. All in all, this is one heck of an enclosure for the price.

Pros:

- Price
- Ease of Use
- Good front information display
- User replaceable fan
- Very good performance
- Quiet operation
- No software required
- Can use any standard 3.5” SATA Hard Drive(s)

Cons:

- Partially plastic body
- No printed instructions
- 1 year warranty





Mediasonic HUR1-SU2FWB (Firewire)

This enclosure is fast. There is no other way to put it. It is F-A-S-T but unfortunately this increased speed comes with a increased retail price. With an online retail price of nearly $150, or double that of the SU2 model, it is harder to justify this added expense. If this enclosure was an all-metal enclosure and came with better cables, or even if it came with some networking ability it would be a lot easier to justify the large price difference between it an the USB 2.0 model. Granted, we know that the extra on-board Firewire chip increases the price but at nearly double the price of the USB 2.0 model, I would recommend this model only to those looking for heaps of speed.

The biggest weakness that this enclosure has is that it requires FireWire 800 to reach its full potential and unfortunately very few PC’s come with 1394b. As it stands most PC users will never be able to use it to its full potential, and that is a shame. However, if you already have FireWire 800 and have invested the necessary $50 - $100+ for a 1395b PCI card then this unit would certainly be a good investment. The same can also be said for anyone with an Apple computer. There is also the issue of Mediasonic providing next to no reinforcement for the 1395b plugs so we got constant disconnects when using the unit in an upright position.

Pros:

- Ease of Use
- Good Front Side information display
- User replaceable fan
- Amazing performance
- Quiet operation
- No software required
- Can use any standard 3.5” SATA Hard Drive

Cons:

- Price
- Requires FireWire 800 for full speed
- Plastic body
- No printed instructions
- 1 year warranty
- Sturdier cables should be included
- Orientation / stability of FireWire ports