First And Fastest | Review of ZikeDrive USB4 SSD Enclosure
With the release of the brand new MacBook Pro M2, I was asked the same question again, which model should I buy, and which memory/storage should I choose? Since more and more laptop brands integrate memory and storage into the internal PCB. It's pretty hard for an ordinary customer to upgrade. So, I would definitely recommend upgrading your memory if you have a limited budget. And an external SSD or SSD enclosure will be an excellent choice to expand your storage and save money.
Today, we got the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure from ZIKE, which adopts a cool metal design and M.2 SSD expansion slot. It also comes with a built-in USB4 cable, which is convenient for users to carry around.
USB4
Back in 2019, the USB-IF released the USB4 specification.
It integrates the advanced technology of Thunderbolt 3. So, it has ultra-large bandwidth transmission capability and the same video expansion capability as Thunderbolt 3, and it also supports fast charging. Besides that, it's backward compatible with USB 3.2, 3.1, 3.0, 2.0 and compatible with Thunderbolt 3.
At present, USB4 can be divided into two versions, Gen2 and Gen3. USB4 Gen2 supports 20Gbps bandwidth and 16Gb/s PCIe bandwidth, USB4 Gen3 supports 40Gbps bandwidth and 32Gb/s PCIe bandwidth, and USB4 Gen3 is compatible with Thunderbolt 4.
Product Introduction
Then, let's talk about this SSD enclosure.
This ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure is designed in space silver. The aluminum alloy shell and concave stripes design can greatly improve its heat dissipation performance. The black glossy shell on both ends is made of ABS plastic, and the outer layer is protected by a transparent Eco-hardshell case.
Here is the top panel, and we can clearly observe those concave stripes. The small round hole on the left is an LED light, which will light up after connecting to power. The USB-C cable and fixing slot can be seen on the far left.
The other side is printed with "OPEN."
You can easily remove the top case using the hidden groove.
The inner side of the SSD enclosure adopts a slide rail design, and the aluminum cover can be firmly fixed.
The NVMe M.2 interface (M Key) of this SSD enclosure can be adapted to the mainstream M.2 interface SSD (2280), including the latest PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD.
Unlike most SSD enclosures, you do not need to find a screwdriver to install the SSD. Just insert the SSD and press it, and now you're good to go.
In addition, four fixing studs are reserved at the corners. It's up to you to decide if to fix the SSD more tightly.
The stowaway dual USB-C cable inside the SSD enclosure has a grip on the side, which is convenient for you to drag it from the fixing slot.
The cable is designed with a high-density braided layer, which is more wear-resistant and scratch-resistant.
The length of the dual USB-C cable is about 11cm (4.33 inches), which is not too long and suitable for SSD drives.
The USB-C connector adopts a full-pin design.
Connect the cable to the ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C. It shows the cable can support 50V5A 240W fast charging. And the data transmission speed can be up to 40Gbps (USB4 Gen3).
The length of the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure is 112.64mm (4.43 inches).
The width of the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure is 66.76mm (2.63 inches).
The thickness of the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure is 20.04mm (0.79 inches).
And the weight of the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure is 220.8g (7.79 oz).
Speed Test
The ZIKE official says it's the world's first true USB4 SSD enclosure. It adopts the new ASMEDIA ASM2464PD chipset and can support PCIE Gen4x4 (64Gbps). Even faster than Thunderbolt 3.
Next, let's test it with the latest Samsung 990 Pro 1TB SSD in two types of APPs.
First, connect it to the MacBook Pro 16'' (M1 Max, 2021) and open the Disk Speed Test.
It shows the actual write speed is about 1686.2MB/s, and the read speed is about 3110.7MB/s. Since the system and the application algorithm are different, the test results of the MacOS will be slower than Windows.
Then, keep the above test conditions and only replace the testing devices with a Lenovo windows laptop. It's equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which can eliminate the impact of the interface speed limitation.
The second application is Crystaldiskmark. The actual test speed is about 3482MB/s, and the writing speed is about 3210MB/s. The performance is close to what the official says.
Temperature Test
As we all know, the SSD will generate lots of heat when transferring data. So, we will test its temperature performance.
Put the SSD enclosure into a 25°C (77℉) thermotank and use the Samsung 990 Pro to transfer 130GB of documents from the local disk to the SSD. It takes about 20 seconds to finish. And let's use the infrared camera to collect the temperature of the surface.
The maximum temperature on one side of the SSD enclosure is about 38.2 °C (100.76℉).
The maximum temperature on the other side is about 36.8 °C (98.24℉).
Where to Use
After the above tests, let's see where we can use it.
Connect the Zikedrive USB4 SSD enclosure to the 11 inches iPad Pro (fourth generation) with the built-in dual USB-C cable. We can quickly transfer data between those two devices.
You can also connect it to your MacBook Pro to do your work, like editing, writing, and recording. The super fast reading and writing speed makes you work smoothly without obstacles.
For those Windows users, the Zikedrive USB4 SSD enclosure can also be compatible with your Windows laptops. In addition, it can also support some older windows PCs and USB3.2 Gen2/USB3.2 Gen2*2.
Except for the laptop, we can also connect it to a desktop computer, like iMac. But in this case, we need to replace the cable. We found the data can be transferred successfully, which means this SSD enclosure is suitable for MacBooks, USB-C laptops, desktop computers, iPad, and other devices, without any compatibility issues.
The SSD enclosure is small enough to put it in a pocket or small handbag. You can take it almost anywhere you'd like. Also, with the built-in USB4 cable, you'll never forget to bring your cable.
Summary of ChargerLAB
That's the review of this ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure. The aluminum alloy case and concave stripes can improve the heat dissipation performance. And the transparent Eco-hardshell case can protect the aluminum case and reduce damage from drops, scratches, dust, and water. Also, the built-in USB4 cable can be connected to your devices at any time, so you can take it anywhere you'd like.
The biggest difference between the ZikeDrive USB4 SSD enclosure and other SSD drives is that it can fully support the USB 4 standard. Most current USB4 SSD drive is combined by TBT3/4 chip and USB3.2Gen2 to PCIE(Gen3*2). But this one can be compatible with any NVME SSD, including the latest PCI-E Gen 4x4 SSD (like Samsung 990Pro). And it can also be suitable for any USB- C device, such as Mac, PC, desktop computer, iPad/tablet, game console, and other devices.
This product is currently being funding on Indiegogo, and it also has a variety of choices to choose from. You can buy a single enclosure to work with your own SSD for $109. But you can also consider buying a set, which can be divided into 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. You're free to click the button for more details.
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