Posted on: 15.03.2011 01:00:00
The Sharkoon QuickPort XT USB 3.0 PLUS is actually quite a capable device. If only it had a SATA 2 controller, I imagine it would be flawless. However, for the price that Sharkoon are asking (£35~ online), it is actually a very quick device. It is also far quicker than any USB 2.0 HDD interface I have ever used, and, let’s face it, no one will be using the QuickPort XT as an interface for their super-fast SSD’s, but rather a selection of hard-disk based drives. Personally I would use this for backing up my main PC every couple of weeks.
The ability to quickly remove the HDD from the dock means that it would be easy to take with you if you wanted to keep a copy of your valuable data with you for safe-keeping (e.g. if you were going away for a week and were concerned about the risk of a fire burning through your valuable data!).
Additionally, due to the simple slot-in nature of this dock, it could serve as an interface for a vast number of hard drives if you happen to keep multiple routine backups.
The speed of this device means that it is a significant upgrade from any current USB 2.0 interfaced caddy or dock. So let us get this right for the price of this device, you get a USB 3.0 dock and a USB 3.0 card as well, that can’t be bad can it?
Pros
- Much quicker than USB 2.0
- Good build quality
- Fairly good noise reduction (through rubber feed on base) should reduce hard drive noise
- Easy to use power switch
- Backwards compatible with USB 2.0
- Comes with USB 3.0 card for those that don’t have USB 3.0 onboard
Cons
- Could do with a SATA II interface for those really seeking maximum speed (but this is only relevant if you’ve got a stack of SSD’s you want to backup onto!)
Reality Check: if you’re in the market for a USB harddrive dock, then you may as well splash out on this one – it is much quicker than any USB 2.0 dock, and isn’t too pricey.
Reviewed by Snubbsy
Thanks to Sharkoon for supplying the product for review