Introduction:

Eagle Tech L-Series 2.5" Portable External Storage System

   For the last couple of years, portable storage has been at the top of everyone's list of to-get items. For some, a simple 1 or 2GB flash media card is sufficient, but for a majority of others who need much larger storage capacities, the most practical and simple solution is a spare or even new hard drive. How do we get a spare or new hard drive to function outside the computer? Eagle Tech has come to the rescue with a slew of portable enclosures for 3.5" and 2.5" drives. In this review I will be going over a 2.5" portable enclosure from the Eagle Tech L-Series of enclosures. The ET-CS2LSU2-BK is a 2.5" SATA to USB drive enclosure with an integrated USB cable and leather case.

About the Company:

    Precision Engineering!
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Eagle Tech is a trusted supplier to many Original Equipment Manufacturers. Our extensive experience in manufacturing high quality PC components that meet and exceed customer application requirements has enabled us to grow beyond manufacturing. We are not just a manufacturer, but a high quality technology solutions provider dedicated to the modern computer users market - both mainstream and enthusiast.
We know how important your data is and we strive to provide our customers with reliable power supplies and thermally efficient chassis like PC cases and external enclosures. We constantly monitor consumer needs to ensure our product lines are always up-to-date with the latest innovations. If there is a better way to store and access your important data, we will work hard to make it happen for you - at affordable prices, rugged constructions and stylish designs.

Most importantly, everything we do is based on a culture of customer care and trust that makes it an enjoyable and hassle-free experience. We guarantee it!
 

Specifications:

  Internal Interface: SATA
  External Interface: USB 2.0
  Transfer Rate: 480mbps (USB)
  Supported Hard Drive: SATA (Serial ATA-150 / Serial ATA-300)
  Power Source: Powered USB bus (5V)
  Certification: FCC, CE Certified
  Microsoft O.S. Support: Vista / XP / 2000 / ME
  Others O.S. Support: Mac OS 9.0 or higher
  Dimension: 5.1"(L) x 3.5"(W) x 0.6"(H)

Features:

  Works with 2.5" SATA notebook hard drive
  Turn your hard drive to USB pocket drive instantly!
  Integrated USB cable (no messy wires)
  Great for business travelers or professional users
  Reinforced chassis is practically torsion free
  Supple fine grain leather
  Nickel plated for enhanced wearability
  USB bus powered (no bulky AC adapter)

A Closer Look:

Retail front	Retail rear	Contents
Top side	USB exposed	Power/HDD LED
Side view	Cable cradle	Back view

    The portable enclosure comes packaged in a small, cardboard box with a plastic bubble front showing off the product within. On the back side of the box are a list of the features, specifications, and package contents. OK, so now it's time to remove the portable external storage system from the box, and the first thing that got my attention was that it doesn't include a leather case like I thought. Rather, the leather is integrated into the front side aluminum of the enclosure. Also, on the front side above the integrated leather are two, small, oval-shaped openings which two LED's sit in. One LED is for power and the other is for hard drive activity.

    The ET-CS2LSU2-BK already comes disassembled and ready for a hard drive. The back panel is secured with two screws, and like I mentioned is already apart. For internal guts, there's not much to see other than a small printer circuit board with a 2.5" SATA connector attached and the wires from the integrated USB cable. Now for the second surprise: the USB cable. I was happy to find out that the cable is stored in the body of the enclosure, but was saddened at the overall length of the cable: it's just a mere 1 3/4" in total length. This is great for connecting to laptops, but for those getting data from a desktop computer, the supplied extension cable needs to be used to keep the ET-CS2LSU2-BK from dangling in the breeze.

Install and Testing:

Internal guts	HDD Installed	Cover and flap secured
Close up of flap	Ready for touchdown	Contact
Connected	Activity	Using the extension cable

    As I mentioned earlier, the ET-CS2LSU2-BK is already disassembled, and all that is needed is a 2.5" SATA drive and a Philips screwdriver. Simply plug the hard drive into the connector, put the back panel in place, then grab the two screws and the leather strap with the snap on it and screw everything down. The leather strap folds over the opening for the USB cable and snaps to the front of the enclosure. Since this is all that is needed for the install, now it's time for the testing.

    SiSoftware Sandra was used for testing and was provided to use from Jagged Online. The Removable Storage benchmark was used on the ET-CS2LSU2-BK to check the throughput, but results will vary depending on which drive is used, as well as speed of the end user's computer.

Conclusion:

    The Eagle Tech ET-CS2LSU2-BK external storage system has a clean, classic look that will fit into anyone's setup and accessories, from casual to business. I personally like the brushed nickel finish with the integrated leather. Installation was extremely easy and user-friendly - only two screws needed to be tightened, and I was on my way to accessing my portable drive. The only thing I thought could be improved was that the built-in USB cable was a few inches longer, so I wouldn't have to carry the extension cable with me in order to use the unit. Overall, I would have no regrets adding this product to my own collection of computer accessories, and have no qualms suggesting it as a viable portable storage solution to anyone looking for one.

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