Vantec NexStar 2.5″ HD Enclosure

Compact package but some drives may not fit – Joe

SUMMARY: Compact, but some drives may not fit.

The good guys at Vantec were nice enough to send a sample of their external USB 2.5″ hard drive enclosure, the Vantec NexStar.

The NexStar features

• USB 1.1 and 2.0 compatible
• Provision for separate DC 5 volt power source, if needed
• Cable with two USB connectors, if needed for powering the HD
• Carry pouch, install Cd and manual

The unit is very slim – only 12mm high – and very compact:

The PCB is compact and attaches directly to the HD:

The drive is held in place by two very small screws:

You need a small Phillips head screwdriver for these, such as the kind you get in a jeweler’s pack.

To test out the unit, I tried two drives; an IBM Travelstar (DBCA-206480) and a Toshiba (MK2110MAT). Here I found a problem – the IBM did not fit in the sleeve:

I looked down into the sleeve and saw a small foam strip; figuring that maybe this was the problem, I managed to remove it and tried again – no luck. This was not the problem. At the bottom of the sleeve is a small tab:

It seems that this tab hits the IBM just right so that it prevents the drive from fully enclosing. I compared the two

and perhaps the screws at the base are just high enough to prevent it from fully closing.

I used both drives with the NexStar and had no problems.

Vantec’s NexStar is a very nice, slim package for an external 2.5″ hard drive. The manual that ships with it covers installation and even formatting for various OS’s. The only caveats I have is that some drives may not fit (not good) and the screws are so small that losing one is a distinct possibility. If you plan to change drives frequently, this can be a concern.

Thanks again to Vantec for sending this our way.

Email Joe