Following up a string of successful Kickstarter campaigns, we’ve got our hands on the DockCase M.2 SSD enclosure that packs some impressive performance and functionality. With support for USB 3.2 Gen 2 and hardware protection for power loss, it’s a high-performing enclosure with some safety features for crucial data. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details.
DockCase SSD enclosure: Overview
One of the biggest features is the hardware power loss protection. DockCase has two different models for differing levels of protection. The DSWC1P-5 offers five seconds of protection, while the DSWC1P-10 offers 10 seconds to keep the drive powered on in case it is accidentally unplugged. Early bird pricing is currently available on the Kickstarter campaign at $69 for the five-second version and $79 for the 10-second protection.
The DockCase SSD enclosure comes with a USB-C to USB-C/USB-A cable and a small screwdriver to remove the heat sink backing and install an M.2 SSD into the case. Neither case comes with an M.2 drive. Those will need to be added separately.
On the side of the enclosure is a single button dubbed the D button that can be used to cycle through information displayed on the screen.
For my testing, I’m using a WD_Black SN750 in the 10-second protection case.
Design
Much like DockCase’s USB-C hub that we reviewed on 9to5Mac, the SSD enclosure features a stylish design with a screen on the top that can show in-depth details about the SSD that is installed.
On the back or bottom is a heatsink. This heatsink can be removed with a single screw. Under that cover is all of the hardware including the mounting point for the SSD drive.
The DockCase SSD enclosure supports both m.2 NVMe & SATA SSD with mounting points for a variety of sizes of drives.
Also visible inside the body is the supercapacitor that holds a charge to keep the SSD powered up in case of power loss.
DockCase SSD Enclosure: Video
Protection
The big differentiating feature here is the PLP power loss protection. Protecting data on a portable drive is important, and DockCase is taking it to the next level with the built-in supercapacitor. When installing the SSD, the supercapacitor is the large purple cylinder that is visible on one end of the enclosure.
The screen will display how long until the full protection is ready and when the drive is unplugged, the screen will count down until power is lost. Combined with heat dissipation, DockCase is claiming the SSD enclosure to be the world’s safest.
Screen
On the front of the enclosure is the screen that displays a variety of info about the SSD installed. Under the SSD information page, the screen shows the name of the drive, capacity, unsafe shutdowns, remaining life, total power-on hours, and more.
Cycling through the displays by holding the D button on the side shows partition information as well as an overall status screen.
How are the speeds?
With support up to 10Gbps or 1050MB/s via USB 3.2 Gen 2, the drive should give some great performance.
On my PC which has a USB 3.1 port, I was getting up to 848 MB/s read and 912 MB/s write which is great for an external drive.
Similarly, on a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro, I was getting about 780 MB/s write and 812 MB/s read. To get the full 1050 MB/s speed, DocCase recommends using an Intel/AMD Windows laptop.
DockCase SSD enclosure: Accessories
DockCase also offers a protective silicone case for either drive if you want a little more protection from drops. Additionally, it offers some M.2 SSDs as add ons if you don’t have one to supply.
9to5Toys’ Take
There are plenty of other portable M.2 SSD enclosures available like the ASUS ROG Arion, which is much more affordable at $55, but it doesn’t offer the same protection as the DockCase enclosure. It’s also not as sleek. So if protecting your data is an extra priority, it might be worth it to spend a little bit more on the DockCase SSD enclosure.
A 1TB G-Drive SSD from Western Digital with similar speeds will run about $190 full-price and is currently on sale for $160.
Right now, there are some extra savings on Kickstarter. The five-second protecting enclosure can be backed for the early bird price of $69 and the 10-second drive for $79. A five-second protection enclosure with a 1TB SSD add-on will total $200. A 2TB 10-second kit will come to $328.
Delivery is estimated for April of 2022, and with a few successful Kickstarter projects under its belt, I imagine that DockCase will be able to hit the estimate. While the DockCase offers unique protection and info with the onboard screen, similar performance can be had for cheaper. If you’ve had issues with SSD drives losing info in the past, though, then grabbing a DockCase SSD enclosure with extra protection might be worth that extra price.
Back DockCase SSD enclosure on Kickstarter
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