Page 4 - Conclusion
So as to answer the question we've all been waiting for. Is the Thermaltake Silver River II a 'riced' up version of its predecessor? In my opinion, that answer is yes. Okay, maybe 'riced' is not the perfect word, because 'riced up' things are usually distasteful -- in this case, Thermaltake has spent a good amount of time on the design of the enclosure making it quite a nice piece of art. There are also quite a lot of nice features with this enclosure. The sliding HDD tray makes it possible for any 3.5" internal HDD to be installed with ease. The stand allows the enclosure to be placed nicely and securely in a vertical position. The unit also gives two connection options including USB 2.0 and eSATA for maximum flexibility. The overall feeling and build of the enclosure is also quite sturdy and durable. Lastly, the JM 20446 SATA to USB 2.0 bridge makes the Silver River II fairly fast for an USB 2.0 peripheral. However, the Thermaltake Silver River II does have many areas to improve on. First off, USB 3.0 is a must upgrade at this point. The vertical positioning stand is a bit annoying in that it does not physically attach itself to the enclosure, forcing the user to hold both the stand and unit when moving it or even repositioning it. Also, the HDD tray seems to hit the inner walls of the enclosure making the tray to be seemingly flimsy and not well designed. Lastly, as a portable external drive -- one used in traveling -- I would not recommended it because of the insecure and moving parts in the enclosure. However, with the price of around $34.99 USD at press time, this enclosure is fairly economical. If you are looking for something a bit more performance orientated, you are going to need to look in a different direction that would most likely take a larger hit on your wallet. So, if you are leaning towards an economical 3.5" external HDD enclosure that is still stylish with commendable build quality, then lean no further!
Thermaltake provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
Like style? Well, the Thermaltake Silver River II has the style that you want, just don't tell us enthusiasts that there ain't USB 3.0.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look, Installation
3. Test System, Benchmark Results
4. Conclusion
