Zalman ZM-HE350 U3

Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 Hard Drive Enclosure Review

"The golden age of home computing" is a phrase that I use quite frequently to describe the current state of the computer hardware market. Those keeping tabs on the hardware scene over even the last five years have watched as the price of systems and components have dropped to record lows, while technology has streaked forward at break-neck speed. Powerful systems can be built for under $1,000, while solid-state drives are finally becoming affordable. Hard drives now have densities that were unimaginable and new interfaces, such as USB 3.0, can transfer large files faster than ever before. To help prove this last point, I am taking a look at Zalman's ZM-HE350 U3 external hard drive enclosure. Until USB 3.0 enclosures came to the market, I had no interest in owning an external drive. To me, they were slow and the benefit of a larger capacity over flash drives was offset by the speed limitations of the interface. But after finally breaking down and picking up a USB 3.0 model a few months ago, I am a believer! Will Zalman's offering help keep the faith, or break it? Let's check it out. The enclosure will accept any standard 3.5" SATA 1.5Gbps, 3Gbps or 6Gbps drive with the latter being scaled back to SATA II speeds.