Reddit reviews UGREEN 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure, USB C 3.1 Gen 2 to SATA III 6Gbps for SSD HDD 9.5/7mm External Hard Drive Disk Case w/UASP Compatible with WD, Seagate, Toshiba, Samsung, Hitachi, PS4, Xbox, Router

The T5 was actually Samsung's first drive with their 64-layer TLC, which is also used in the 860 EVO and the last revision of the 850 EVO. It also uses the dual-core MGX controller found on the smaller SKUs of the 850 EVO. This is coupled with the ASMedia ASM235CM bridge chip which is found in many SATA-to-USB3.1 Gen 2 enclosures (example) as opposed to the older ASM1351 found on some cheaper adapters (example). So it's a solid device all-around but, yes, you could DIY.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=usb+c+3.1+gen+2+enclosure&qid=1567783860&s=gateway&sr=8-2

First thing that popped up on amazon searching “3.1 gen 2 usb c enclosure”

What you could do is buy a sata to usb controller and use it as external ssd

Like this one for example(not saying it is a good or bad one)
https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD?crid=22F5QGENSI1BK&keywords=sata+enclosure&qid=1536216308&sprefix=sata+en&sr=8-1-spons&ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa&psc=1

I use the 1TB MX500

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077SF8KMG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=mx500%2B1tb&qid=1558360546&s=gateway&sprefix=mx500&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&th=1


With this case

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ssd+case+3.1&qid=1558360533&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Yep. It's not too expensive and really fast. The Enclosure was from Amazon.

UGREEN Festplattengehäuse 2,5... https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07D2BHVBD?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


I'm im Germany, so you might have to search around.

Ok. SSD in an enclosure for temp work. HDD for storage.

Got a Samsung 860 QVO 1TB. Its a cheaper 1TB drive while still being higher quality. Because its not complete mission critical info (meaning it not something like stored photos, old stored files, ext) ill keep you with the QLC flash. Goes with an USB C enclosure that you can just plug in separately from the HDD dock.

Got a 4 drive bay. This is all USB 3.1, but USB 3.1 can handle even the SSD without an issue. Also Thunderbolt docks are expensive.

Going for a 6TB WD Blue drive for 3 reasons:

1: I've known WD drives to be very reliable and of high quality.

2: Value wise, its good to go with the 6TB drive.

3: Adds more expandability.

24TB of storage total whenever you get to buying all 4 drives.

About $416 total assuming you get one 6TB drive.

WD 6TB HDD: https://www.amazon.com/WD-Blue-1TB-Hard-Drive/dp/B07MYKZGVX/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=WD%2BBlue%2BHDD&qid=1566355052&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

1TB Samsung SSD: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Inch-Internal-MZ-76Q1T0B-AM/dp/B07L3D19MY/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=samsung+1tb+ssd&qid=1566355016&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Enclosure for SSD: https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=2.5%27%27+hdd+enclosure+2.5+usb+3.1+USB+C&qid=1566354545&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Cable for SSD (USB-C TO USB-C USB3.1): https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Powerline-Delivery-Including-Matebook/dp/B01EMIIFCU/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=usb+c+to+usb+c+cord+anker+3ft+USB+3.1&qid=1566354820&s=gateway&sr=8-2

HDD bay: https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-SATA-Hard-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B078YNYG6T/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=USB+3.1+USB+C+4+bay+enclosure+HDD&q

This is the exact housing I use. It comes with a usb cable to plug right up to your xbox. It even comes with a coupon!

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SSD Housing

I just got one. They really do make a difference, especially if your system memory is getting full.
I got away with spending only $75 for 480GB

Be careful though.

I saw a lot of no name chinese knockoffs at $50 that I would not trust.

Your most cost effective route is to get a drive and a $10-$20 enclosure separately.

Last month i got mine on sale for $12 off.

Amazon.com: SanDisk SSD PLUS 480GB Internal SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s, 2.5"/7mm - SDSSDA-480G-G26: Computers & Accessories
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-480GB-Solid-State-SDSSDA-480G-G26/dp/B01F9G46Q8/ref=pd_gwm_cr_simh_1?pf_rd_s=blackjack-experiment-1&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pd_rd_wg=T9fbq&pd_rd_r=ST92QT0JTXTFGHM7V1SR&pd_rd_w=xHntF&pf_rd_r=C3ZYYCCWR3Q3EDR2MGBC&pf_rd_p=4330ddf3-ae16-472e-a2ae-05b619e5e749&pd_rd_i=B01F9G46Q8

And

Amazon.com: UGREEN USB C Hard Drive Enclosure USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C to SATA External Hard Drive Disk Case Adapter Housing for 9.5mm 7mm 2.5 Inch SATA I II III, PS4, HDD, SSD, 6Gbps Fast Speed UASP Tool Free: Gateway
https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?keywords=external+drive+enclosure&qid=1566190374&s=gateway&sprefix=exterlan+drive&sr=8-13

I buy loose SSD/HDD and then use an enclosure to house them.

Something like this... https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D2BHVBD/

I don’t think my ageing SATA3 to USB cable does it anymore.

If it’s a MacBook Pro then you can upgrade internally.

If it’s just a MacBook then you can’t do the internal upgrade because it’s soldered on.

If you can’t, I would recommend buying an external enclosure and a SSD or HDD to put into it.

For example: USB Enclosure

I did something similar a few years ago (plugged an external drive that required a power supply into a universal adapter that was set at the wrong voltage). As u/MG47 mentioned below, it only blew the SATA to USB board.

What I did was I broke the shell open and removed the actual HD (it was just a regular hard drive it was a slightly odd size, a few millimetres thicker than a regular 2.5" HD) and have been using it for several years since that happened.

At first, I bought an HD case similar to this and just inserted in the bottom half and used it without the top part of the case (because it was too thick). Later I needed a secondary HD for a HTPC, so I just slapped it in that and have been using it for a few years as a sort of cold storage in the HTPC for stuff I don't access regularly.

What size storage did they want?


Just buy an enclosure - UGREEN USB C Hard Drive Enclosure 2.5 inch Hard Disk Caddy https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pmkPDbSRE1S5N

And put a drive in it - Seagate 1 TB BarraCuda Pro 2.5 Inch Internal Hard Drive (7200 RPM, 128 MB Cache, SATA 6Gb/s, Up to 160 MB/s https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D99KFPL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PnkPDbH1DPY47

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=2.5+enclosure+usb+3.1&qid=1570992005&sprefix=2.5+enclosure&sr=8-3

The only compatibility issue you could run into replacing your hard drive with a new one is the size. There are 2.5" sata drives and there are 3.5" sata drives. Desktops can take both formats (usually) and laptops can (usually) only take 2.5". I've never seen a sata SSD in the consumer marker that wasn't in the 2.5" form factor. You're fine. Just make sure you also prepare a windows 10 installer USB so that you can install Windows on the SSD. You could also invest in something like this ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ ) to put the old hard drive in so that you can access/copy/backup the data from it.

Is it a 2.5 or 3.5? You can get a cheap enclosure that will do it like this (for 2.5 drives) https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/

That would work and that is a pretty good dollar per gigabyte ratio compared to other external SSDs but it's not an amazing deal or anything. A more cost effective way to do it is to buy an SSD built for internal use such as this Western Digital Blue SSD and pair it with an external drive enclosure like this one on amazon. There are many different models of 2.5 inch drive enclosures so feel free to shop around for one that looks good to you. Just make sure it supports USB 3.0 (or 3.1 ideally) and SATA III for the best speed. As for the USB 3.0 cable, the one that comes with the enclosure should be fine. The only quality factors to consider when buying a USB cable I know of are distance and ruggedness. Since you probably aren't going to have the drive tens of feet away, the only real factor to worry about is durability, however most well reviewed cables should be good in this regard. This one looks promising. USB 3.0 is a standard so anything labeled USB 3.0 will work to that standard.

Couldn't I just use one of those external enclosures instead?

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https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?keywords=ssd+enclosure+usb+3.1&pd_rd_i=B07D2BHVBD&pd_rd_r=5852f5bd-1c35-412f-8e5f-8eb0b5b7c724&pd_rd_w=bjUEE&pd_rd_wg=eesFe&pf_rd_p=64aaff2e-3b89-4fee-a107-2469ecbc5733&pf_rd_r=6FJEW9Y2EFKTBKVXA117&qid=1562071687&s=gateway

How about something like this instead? No need for an enclosure perhaps:
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-10Gbps-Adapter-Cable-Drives/dp/B00XLAZODE/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=SATA+to+USB+Cable&qid=1565235845&s=gateway&sr=8-10

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-SATA-USB-Cable-USB3S2SAT3CB/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=SATA+to+USB+Cable&qid=1565218171&s=gateway&sr=8-3

But I guess if you think an enclosure is better, I'll probably grab this one:https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Enclosure-External-Adapter-Housing/dp/B07D2BHVBD/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=SSD+external+enclosure&qid=1565214839&s=gateway&sr=8-4And just tape over the LED or somethin'

I think enclosures support TRIM while SATA to USB adapters don't but it sounds like no one uses/gives a fuck about TRIM anymore. I imagine both of those solutions should work.