Thursday, May 21, 2015

ICY DOCK Twitter Memorial Day Giveaway (5/19/2015 to 6/01/2015)

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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

ICY TIP: Optimize your 5.25" external device bay with ICY DOCK ExpressCage SSD / hard drive enclosures


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Optimize your 5.25" external device bay with ICY DOCK ExpressCage SSD / hard drive enclosures
Power users are on another level from the rest --they're the people that demand the most for their purposes. A Toyota Prius wouldn't satiate their needs for an off road expedition through the difficult terrains of the safari, and likewise a small budget computer won't satisfy their computing needs. A high performance system isn't cut out for power users unless it can deliver the storage needs of that user. They're the individuals that require high capacity hot-swappable SSDs and complex RAID configurations while at the same time maximizing storage density for a smaller system footprint. It’s no surprise that these features are all important when a power user decides on which components suit them best, and it's no surprise that ICY DOCK is usually on that list. Power users' care about performance and in many cases paying a little bit more to achieve better performance is preferable. The ExpressCage not only give you the performance you need, but also gives you a better user experience. Best of all, it has a very affordable price point for all the features it offers.
Both ExpressCage MB322SP-B and MB324SP-B utilize the generic 5.25" external bay but they're far from generic. The ExpressCage features our innovative ExpressTrays which shortens installation time to where it's just as fast as having a tray-less design with the added stability of having a tray. To install a 2.5" SSD / HDD with ExpressCage is simple. Place the SSD or HDD onto the tray and make sure the built-in screw thread passes through the mounting holes of the drive and then slide the tray into the enclosure. Once the tray is fully inserted, the soft pad in the enclosure pushes the drive so the screw thread bites the mounting hole which secures the drive. The ExpressTray blends flexibility with stability, making it perfect for applications that require a lot of drive swapping but also requires some drive stability such as mobile storage systems or pre-built systems. It is also great for power user looking for high density hot-swappable 2.5" bays.
 
ExpressCage MB322SP-B - 2 x 2.5" SATA/SAS HDD/SSD to 5.25" Mobile Rack w/ 3.5" HDD/Device Slot
 
The ExpressCage MB322SP-B converts a 5.25" external bay into dual hot-swappable 2.5" bays and it also gives you an extra 3.5" slot for a 3.5" hard drive or a 3.5" device. There are tons of configurations you can do with MB322SP-B. For example, you can have 2 x 2.5" SATA III SSDs in RAID 0 for intense applications or games, and put an 8TB HDD in the 3.5" slot for storage. Alternatively you can put an ICY DOCK MB992SK-B SSD mobile rack so you can add two more SSD in RAID 1 for backup. The 3.5" bay can be used for any 3.5" device such as card reader, fan controller and USB hubs. If you would like to know more about MB322SP-B click HERE to see the product page.
 
ExpressCage MB324SP-B - 4 x 2.5" SATA/SAS HDD/SSD to 5.25" Mobile Rack
 
Looking to upgrade more 2.5" SSD drives to your system? Do you have some 2.5" drives on hand with no enclosure to support them? No problem! The ExpressCage MB324SP-B converts a single 5.25" into quad 2.5" SSD / HDD bays with hot-swappable function. You can use it as a JBOD enclosure and mix it up with your SSD and HDD collection, or use it for the RAID setup such as RAID 10, RAID 5 or RAID 0 + 1. No matter what you do, the ExpressTray allows you to quickly install or swap the drive within seconds. Click HERE to learn more about MB324SP-B.
 
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us by email at tech@icydock.com or through our Live Chat (M-F 9-5pm PST)
 

Monday, May 11, 2015

ToughArmor MB998SP-B Review by storagereview.com

Icy Dock ToughArmor Series Backplane Cage for 5.25" Bay


MAY 11TH, 2015

by Tucker Mindrum

The backplane cage from Icy Dock, which is part of their new ToughArmor Series, allows up to eight 2.5” SSD or HDD drives (up to 7mm height) to be consolidated into one 5.25” bay. This product aims to save space, reduce workspace clutter, and provide a reliable means of building a workstation or compact server. It would be best used in a gaming rig, home server, HTPC, or any non-RAID JBOD storage setting. Icy Dock has equipped this device with Medical & Military standard housing, promising to protect drives and maintain function through a wide range of environments......Read full artilcle

Thursday, May 07, 2015

ICYRaid MB662U3-2S and ICYCube MB561U3S-4S Review - posted by pcper.com

ICY DOCK ICYRaid MB662U3-2S and ICYCube MB561U3S-4S Review


Author: Allyn Malventano

Date: April 15, 2015

I was impressed with the build quality of these two drive enclosures. They are reasonably durable and should have no issue safely containing drives. Their solid anodized aluminum shells are not bad to look at, either. The ICYRaid has simple hardware RAID features easily selected by a rear panel switch, making configuration a no brainer. The ICYCube only operates as a JBOD unit, meaning those desiring RAID are going to have to rely on software-RAID features of their OS (as well as the corresponding performance hit when using a software RAID through a single external interface link).


Awards

ICYRaid MB662U3-2S Product Page: http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=160
A nice, simple two bay RAID enclosure that is quiet and easy to configure.
ICYCube MB561U3S-4S Product Page: http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=172
Good build quality, but limited on features for such an expensive device.

ToughArmor MB996SP-6SB and ICYBento MB559U3S-1S Review - posted by pcper.com

ICY DOCK ToughArmor MB996SP-6SB and ICYBento MB559U3S-1S Review

Author: Allyn Malventano

Date: April 6, 2015

These two ICY DOCK products were well made and innovative. The metal housing the trays of the ToughArmor were extremely durable, and the ICYBento is a nice looking and very capable 3.5" external enclosure. We will be looking at more ICY DOCK products soon, so stay tuned!

Awards

ToughArmor gets my Editor's Choice as the best 2.5" x 6 to 5.25 hot swap device available.
ICYBento MB559U3S-1S Product Page: http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=145
The ICYBento is a nice looking and capable external enclosure, but many lower cost options are available.