A Closer Look
Even though it is constructed of aluminium it does have some heft to it, weighing in at just under 2 lbs. The paint finish makes it perfect to use outside of a PC case if you so choose. Each of the four bays are completely removable and lock for extra security. I will go ahead and direct your attention to the machined holes up front. The very left hole on the bottom row of each tray hides a status LED. Blue indicates power on, Purple blinking for data, fast blinking Red indicates the unit is overheating, and a slow blinking Red indicates fan failure. This is a very handy feature that will alert you to any failure events!
The bottom of the hot-swap cage has a pictogram displaying the drive layout, power and SATA ports, and the disk drive LED on/off switch.
The back of the cage has 1 power port, 4 SATA ports, a disk drive LED on/off switch, and the fan vents.
Here we can see what the trays look like when removed. The tolerances for the tray rails are close enough that it has a very solid feel to it. The quality of the cage is evident here. It’s very solid and sturdy. It would survive a drop from the desk quite easily. Installing a drive is as simple as removing a tray and screwing it down with the included screws.
Installing the hot-swap cage in a PC (or any rackmount solution) is as easy as any other full-sized 5.25″ drive. Simply slide it in, secure it, plug it in and you’re done. When installed and running the fans are quiet and not noticeable. I’ll note here that when I installed it in my drive bay it was a very firm fit requiring a few light taps to get it seated flush. Your mileage may vary.
