Product ID: S251BU31C3CB
Here’s a great way to add ultra-fast, ultra-portable data storage to your USB-C™ enabled tablet or laptop, including MacBook, Chromebook Pixel™ and Dell XPS 12. This USB 3.1 Gen 2 drive enclosure features a built-in USB-C cable that makes it easy to connect a 2.5 in. SATA hard drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) to your computer through its USB-C port.
Portable storage with a built-in USB-C cable
This portable drive enclosure turns your 2.5 in. SATA solid-state drive or hard drive into external data storage that’s easy to take with you. Its compact, lightweight design makes it convenient to tuck into your laptop bag or carrying case.
To maximize portability, the enclosure features a built-in USB-C cable, so you never have to worry about forgetting to bring your connector cable with you wherever you go. The cable wraps safely around the enclosure while it’s not in use, to prevent damage or tangles and take up less space in your laptop bag. The USB Type-C™ connector is small and reversible, which makes for easier insertions and less risk of port damage. The drive enclosure is USB powered, with no external power adapter required, which means one less thing to carry with you.
Ultra-fast data transfer speeds
The drive enclosure connects easily to the USB-C port on your laptop or tablet, allowing you to access and store files, faster than ever. This USB 3.1 Gen 2 drive enclosure lets you leverage the high performance of the latest SSDs and hard drives. It supports data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps - twice the speed of USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1) technology.
The drive enclosure supports SATA I, II and III (up to 6Gbps) and also supports UASP for enhanced performance.
Sleek design in durable aluminum
Engineered with a sleek and durable aluminum housing, the enclosure is equipped to keep your data safe and secure wherever you go. The aluminum housing also helps to distribute heat, to assist with dissipation.
The S251BU31C3CB is backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Warranty Information | Warranty | 2 Years |
---|---|---|
Connector(s) | 1 - Connector Type(s) | USB Type-C (24 pin) USB 3.1 (10Gbps) |
1 - Drive Connectors | 22 pin SATA Data + Power (7 + 15 pin) Plug | |
1 - Host Connectors | USB Type-C (24 pin) USB 3.1 (10Gbps) | |
Environmental | Operating Temperature | 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) |
Storage Temperature | -10°C to 65°C (14°F to 149°F) | |
Humidity | Operation Humidity: 10% ~ 90% RH
Storage Humidity: 5% ~ 95% RH |
|
Hardware | Interface | USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
Bus Type | USB 3.1 Gen 2 | |
Number of Drives | 1 | |
Drive Size | 2.5in | |
Compatible Drive Types | SATA | |
Drive Installation | Fixed | |
Supported Drive Height(s) | 5mm | |
Fan(s) | No | |
Supported Drive Height(s) | 7mm | |
9.5mm | ||
Chipset ID | ASMedia - ASM1351 | |
Indicators | 1 - LED Indicators | Power and Activity |
Packaging Information | Package Height | 1,6 in [41,0 mm] |
Package Length | 7,4 in [18,9 cm] | |
Shipping (Package) Weight | 8,0 oz [226,0 g] | |
Package Width | 6,0 in [15,3 cm] | |
Performance | Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 10 Gbps |
Type and Rate | USB 3.1 Gen 2 - 10 Gbit/s | |
UASP Support | Yes | |
4Kn Support | Yes | |
Type and Rate | SATA III (6 Gbps) | |
TRIM Support | Yes | |
Max Drive Capacity | Currently tested with hard drives up to 2TB at 7200 RPM | |
MTBF | 100000 | |
Physical Characteristics | Color | Black |
Material | Aluminum and Plastic | |
Cable Length | 10,7 in [27,3 cm] | |
Max Drive Height | 0,4 in [9,5 mm] | |
Product Length | 5,5 in [13,9 cm] | |
Product Width | 3,3 in [82,8 mm] | |
Product Height | 0,6 in [15,4 mm] | |
Weight of Product | 4,4 oz [126,0 g] | |
Software | OS Compatibility | OS independent; No software or drivers required |
Special Notes / Requirements | Note | Windows 7 and earlier Windows versions do not support TRIM with USB to SATA devices. |
What's in the Box | 1 - Included in Package | USB 3.1 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD enclosure with USB-C cable |
3 - Included in Package | enclosure assembly screws | |
drive-mount hardware screws | ||
1 - Included in Package | screwdriver | |
quick install guide |
Upgrade your computer to the 10Gbps speed of USB 3.1 Gen 2, by adding two USB Type-C ports
Upgrade your computer to the 10Gbps speed of USB 3.1 Gen 2, by adding both USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports
Turn a USB Type-C port on your laptop into three USB Type-A ports (5Gbps) and one USB Type-C port
Turn a USB Type-C port on your laptop into three USB Type-A charge-and-sync ports (5Gbps) and one USB Type-C port
We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
Live Chat (opens in new window)When you troubleshoot issues with a hard drive enclosure, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
To test your setup components, try the following:
When you test the hard drive and hard drive enclosure, it is recommended that you do the following:
Note: Formatting a hard drive erases all of the data on it. Make sure that you back up all of your data before you reformat the hard drive.
Note: A formatted hard drive will not show up in Computer or My Computer until it has a drive letter assigned to it.
If your setup components support USB 3.1 but you are experiencing slower transfer speeds than you expected, consider the following:
To confirm the functionality of your USB host connection, its ports, and any other devices in your setup, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer.
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
You should not upgrade your device's firmware if you do not have any issues with the functionality of your device. The only time you should consider an upgrade is if you are experiencing a problem with the device, and you have confirmed that the firmware addresses this problem. You can confirm this is the case by reviewing the documentation included with the firmware or by consulting with our Technical Support team. Incorrectly upgrading firmware can result in diminished performance so it is best to contact StarTech.com if you would like to perform this operation.
Yes, this device supports the TRIM command. If the OS issues a TRIM command, the command will be passed to the connected device.
To determine if your hard drive will work in this enclosure, on the product page, click the Technical Specifications tab, and do the following:
USB 3.1 is the most recent version of the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. It is capable of data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, and while it can use the USB-C connector type, it can also use a variety of other connector types. To achieve USB 3.1 transfer speeds, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support USB 3.1. USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
USB 3.0 is capable of data transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. USB 3.0 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps).
USB 3.1 is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, except in the following scenarios:
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To transfer data at speeds of 10Gbps, you need to confirm that the following components in your setup support USB 3.1:
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
The included USB cable for this USB 3.1 Gen 2 device has been tested and verified to perform at USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds of 10Gbps.
USB-C is a type of USB connector that is capable of supporting the following:
If using Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C, the connection is capable of additional features. For example, Thunderbolt 3 is capable of 40Gbps of total bandwidth. For more information, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-port-capabilities.
Not all USB-C ports or devices are capable of supporting all of the features listed above, or all of the features at the maximum capabilities. If you require a specific USB-C feature, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support the feature that you require. For more information about whether your components support specific USB-C features, refer to the information provided by the manufacturers.
Before you can access a new or formatted drive in your operating system, you need to initialize it first and then create a partition on the drive. A partition defines an area of the drive to use for storing data. The partition uses a file system (for example, ex-FAT, NTFS, and so on).
Note: You typically only need to initialize a drive if the drive is new. If you cannot find an uninitialized drive in Disk Management, skip the following steps and try to partition your device.
Press the Windows key + R, type compmgmt.msc, and click Run to open Computer Management.
Navigate to Disk Management.
When prompted to, initialize your disk(s). If you are running Windows® 7 or later and are using a drive larger than 2TB, initialize the disk(s) with GPT. If you are running an earlier version of Windows, initialize the disk(s) with MBR. For more information, visit the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=hard-drives#mbr-vs-gpt.
Click OK.
Note: The following steps create an NTFS partition that uses the entire drive space. To use a different file system, select a different option in step 6.
Right-click Unallocated or RAW volume, and select New Simple Volume.
In the New Partition Wizard, click Next.
Select Primary partition.
Leave the partition size set to default, and click Next.
Assign a drive letter or leave it set to the default, and click Next.
Enter the following settings to format the partition:
The new drive should appear in Windows Explorer.
Before you can access a new or formatted drive in your operating system, you need to initialize it first and then create a partition on the drive. A partition defines an area of the drive to use for storing data. The partition uses a file system (for example, HFS+, ex-FAT, NTFS, and so on).
Mac OSX detects a drive that needs to be initialized and automatically prompts you to initialize the drive. If you are prompted to initialize the drive, click Initialize. If you are not prompted to initialize the drive and you cannot find the drive in Finder, you will need to create a partition on the drive.
Note: The following steps create an HFS+ (Mac OS Extended (Journaled)) partition that uses the entire drive space.
To create a partition on a new drive, complete the following:
Open Finder.
Navigate to Applications and click Utilities.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the new drive and click the Partition tab.
Click Options and verify that it is set to GUID Partition Table.
Enter a name for the partition.
Click Partition.
The drive should now be accessible in Finder.
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