iStarUSA xAGE-N99-SAU HD Docking Station

(4.5 star rating) Written by: William Ford

iStarUSA have come up with a new twist on an old idea with the xAGE-N99-SAU. The idea of external hard drives has been around for a while (even connecting via USB and eSATA is not a new idea). The twist is being able to just plug the hard drive directly into the device instead of having to open a case, install the drive (usually involving screws and/or mounting brackets) and then closing the case before you ever plug it into the computer. This is quite possibly the easiest way to upgrade the storage capacity of your computer.

Design

The xAGE-N99-SAU/US is a small device about the physical dimensions of a desk top pencil sharpener. It is black with a blue circular LED power indicator on the front. On the back there are a USB port, eSATA, AC power and power switch. The top has an opening that is just big enough to place a hard drive into the device and inside are the SATA and SATA power plugs for the drive. The sleeve that opens for the hard drive fits 3.5” and 2.5” drives so you can even use laptop hard drives with it.

In the Box

• xAGE-N99-SAU/US HDD Docking Station
• AC power supply
• eSATA cable
• USB cable
• 2.5” Rubber protection sleeve
• 3.5” Rubber protection sleeve

xAGE-N99-SAU Box	xAGE-N99-SAU Contents	xAGE-N99-SAU Front View

Installation

Installation is as easy as it gets. You simply plug in the power cable, plug the drive into the device, then plug the device into the computer and turn it on. Unlike other external adapters I have used, this one is capable of recognizing the hard drive even if it is new and never been partitioned before. Most devices like this will recognize a new drive through eSATA but not through the USB port, but this one does. I was able to set the drive up with a NTSC partition and format the drive with it connected via USB. I am using USB 2.0 but I don’t see why the same would not be true for USB 1.1 as well.

Features

• RoHS Compliance
• Supports 2.5" & 3.5" SATA Hard Drives up to 1TB
• Hot-Swap Capable
• Power & HDD Activity LEDs
• Plug and Play
• Dual Data Transfer Connectors
• Supports eSATA Transfer Speed up to 3Gbps
• Supports USB 2.0 Transfer Speed up to 480Mbps
• Windows, Mac, and Linux Compatible

xAGE-N99-SAU Rear Jacks		xAGE-N99-SAU Side View

Usage

The drive works wonderfully connected via USB or eSATA and transfer speeds are the same through eSATA as if it were connected internally. The greatest thing about this external hard drive adapter is that the hard drive is not encased inside so it doesn’t get hot. This means using less power as well because there are no fans needed to keep it cool. It also makes for a very quiet operating hard drive. Another thing that is really cool is that it is compatible with MAC and PC; but not just Windows PCs , it is also compatible with Linux as well. So if you own or use multi-platforms, you have no problem hooking the drive into any and all of them.

The USB and eSATA cables are plenty long enough to find a suitable place on your desk for the device. I would have personally liked the AC power adapter to have a little longer cable but it should be sufficient for most people. The package includes two rubber protection sleeves, one for 3.5” drives and one for 2.5” drives. These are designed to keep the hard drives safe but they also collect a lot of dust really fast. I had the drive running for only a couple hours and the sleeve was in need of cleaning already. The rubber used is really soft which is good for protecting the drive but it attracts dust and other small particles like a magnet.

iStarUSA xAGE-N99-SAU HD Docking Station

All-in-all, the xAGE-N99-SAU is a really great device that makes upgrading the storage on your computer as simple as plugging in a cable. Even people with little to no computer knowledge will have no trouble with this device - it is that easy to use.

Pros: Intuitive design, eSATA and USB support, easy installation.

Cons: Protective hard drive sleeves collect dust quickly.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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