Vantec USB 3.0 Slim SATA Optical Drive Enclosure - 12.7mm (NST-520S3-BK), black

Looked high and low for an external enclosure with SATA-USB 3 for my internal Pioneer Blue-Ray writer, as my small form factor computer case would not accept standard size optical device replacement, and fortunately discovered this one. I felt USB 3 was a must requirement for speed, and for competent handling of Blue-Ray and 3D, which my graphics card and display are fully compatible for playback. Having previously purchased Vantec enclosures in the past that have served me well, I have had and envision no future problems with this one. Installation and set up are a snap. If you do run into problems (or better yet, before purchasing), you may want to check that the USB 3 ports on your computer have--or are capable of having--the necessary drivers to recognize external SATA optical drives, as surprisingly not all of them do. The horizontal/vertical option makes this unit more versatile. Flat black case is attractive and unobtrusive but probably looks best with devices like mine having black faceplates. Blue LED lights at top front are somewhat bright and some may find it a bit distracting when in use flashing.While not all that expensive, I thought the unit was slightly overpriced, even though I got the cheapest cost available at the time. I suppose given the lack of competition and the newer USB 3.0, the manufacturer and retailers know they can get away with charging a bit more.This unit is ideal for those with laptops, tablets and smaller desktops who want to add standard-sized optical devices to their system, as well as larger desktops with only one optical bay where a second optical device is desired. Otherwise, where possible--or if merely upgrading--it should prove more economical and practical to simply just replace or add the internal optical device right into your desktop. If you have an open SATA port and second optical bay, chances are you will have the necessary extra power connection, and all that will be required is a SATA cable, which costs far less, while eliminating extra desktop clutter and wiring, as well as the need to plug in a power adaptor.

I certainly see no problem with fit and finish -- is Amazon bunching reviews of different items again?Assembly of this 9.5mm Slim SATA Optical Drive Enclosure was straightforward, once you have got the original front piece off your drive, so that you can click in the nice Vantec one. There are quite good step-by-step instructions, including both text and diagrams.Every piece feels solid, and goes together so. The cables are particularly high quality. Parts are nicely wrapped, and there is even an extra of each kind of screw -- all has been thought out well.The result is certainly professional in appearance and ruggedness -- and with the USB 3.0 interface, it simply plugs in and performs very well.Nothing more could be asked, to get the laptop DVD drive you replaced with an SSD back in good service. Nice job, Vantec.

So as not to confuse anyone, this review is for the 9.5mm optical drive enclosure.Having recently purchased a desktop computer, the motherboard had insufficient SATA ports to accommodate the optical drive once I put a SSD in. As such I checked to see if they made the type of enclosure to handle those tiny little 9.5 mm drives and per tons of reviews I chose this model.The build is of superb quality. It includes some felt pads for feet, a usb 3.0 cable that has an additional male end to power the device on usb 2.0 interfaces. Installation was simple enough and the included screws hold the device in place firmly. Was genuinely plug and play, booted right up and displayed what I needed. I need to actually test a few burns on it, which I will update the review with at a later date.

This is a well-designed, well-constructed enclosure. I installed a Plextor DVD burner with no issues. Drive is recognized on a Windows 7 PC, and all functions seem OK.My main complaint with this product is the USB interface. My sample has a USB Type-A connector on its rear panel. It works fine, but it's off-standard. More troubling is the connecting cable, which has black plastic inserts in the connectors, indicative of USB 2.0. I have not run enough tests to confirm whether I am getting true USB 3.0 "super" speeds with this cable.(This might not be an issue with DVD read/write, but it could be if I ever use this box for a Blu-ray writer.) I'm going to order a USB 3.0 cable to use with this box, which negates the "coupon" discount that I was able to apply at time of purchase.Finally, my sample did not come with a front bezel -- not needed for an optical disk drive but possibly useful with other devices. However, since this enclosure is being marketed as a solution for optical drives, the lack of a bezel is not a negative.EDIT: After I posted the above, I re-inspected the connecting cable. The molded portions of the connector do have legend indicating 'SS' and '3.0'. The plugs do appear to have the requisite nine pins. Since the blue plastic is not a "requirement" it is indeed possible that this is a 3.0 cable. I have no easy way to test the cable's effect on performance.