Introduction:

   Mass storage is all the rage these days and the most popular form of adding massive storage to a pre-built machine is by using an external hard drive enclosure. With simple installation taking only seconds, and the ability to be used on virtually every computer from the last 7-10 years via a USB connection, external hard drive enclosures offer the end user the ability to expand their storage space with ease. Simply add hard drive and plug in to correct port. That's it. 

   Today I'll be looking at a new line of external hard drive enclosures from Kingwin Inc marketed as the Z1 Series and they're available in blue, red and black finishes. These particular hard drive enclosures accept 3.5" hard drives and connect to either USB 2.0 or eSATA on your computer. Let's take a look at the features.

Features:

Specifications:

Packaging & Contents:

Blue Front	Black Front	Red Front
Package Rear	What's Inside	Inside the White Box

   The retail packaging is your standard fare with a clear front to see the product and color. Inside is a cocoon of plastic protecting the enclosure and a small white box with all your cables and even a tiny screwdriver for your convenience.

A Closer Look:

   The Kingwin Z1 enclosure is a full aluminum shell wrapped around a plastic tray inside with plastic chrome end caps. The nameplate on the side is mirrored and let me tell you it's a perfect mirror. Taking pictures of these units with all the chrome and mirror on them was a challenge. Overall the unit feels solid though I'm not crazy about the feet (chrome stand). It's plastic and inconsistent on how well it holds the unit. It was nice and tight on one of the units and wouldn't hold itself on at all on the other two. When (if) the stand doesn't hold, it makes it a two handed operation to move the unit because the stand just sits there when you grab and lift the enclosure. I would have liked to see a more secure attachment on this.

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