Final Thoughts
The Enhance Technology T4H CR Desktop RAID storage system wasn’t the runaway hit that I was expecting it to be. On paper though, with it’s impressive array of connectivity options and OS transparency, I was really expecting this to be the hot ticket when it came to external storage. Instead, I was impressed with some aspects, but really disappointed with others.
On the impressed side, I really thought the build quality was top notch. The handle on top wasn’t some after thought and it really felt secure. All the drive bays were precision pieces and slid in and out with no problems. I particularly liked the strong spring used in the quick release mechanism, ensuring that one day, you will be able to eject your disk. The key lock feature was also a nice touch to prevent a drive form being popped out. If this happens, the array requires another seven hours to rebuild that disk. I also liked the fact that every cable you need was included so you can take advantage of all the great connectivity options.
Now it’s time to get disappointed, but we’ll start slow. One thing that sort of bugged me was the fact that the main door, which is a very nicely machined piece by the way, was not lockable. Instead, two thumb screws are used to secure the door, however, this still leaves the control panel open for tampering. To complete the security solution, this needs to be lockable. There was also nowhere to stick a security lock to attach this thing to something, so someone doesn’t take it by the quality handle and run off with it.
Finally, I really have to rip on the performance. Now, I do realize that RAID 5 does provide exceptional data security, and if you want something that you know won’t die and take all your data with it, then this is a great feature. However, coupled with that is the hideously long 7 hr build time, initially, and subsequently when you replace a drive. Also, the performance lagged behind a single drive so much that I really started to wonder if something was wrong, but in its defense, the specifications do say that 80 MB/s is the maximum speed, but that’s still way slower than a single drive.
This brings me to my final area of criticism. I figured, well, for a… I don’t know… at $500 for the box with no drives, this would be a fantastic addition for anyone who wants a very secure way to store their stuff, but wants something speedier than a Network Attached Storage system. Well, it is faster than a NAS, but this is no $500 box. I checked around and found out that this enclosure, bare bones, hits the streets at over $1000. This puts it into NAS territory WITH drives.
Now granted, you do pay for the quality and it is a quality product, but something inside me hurts when I hear that you’re laying down a grand for this, but I guess for some, that pain is worse if you lose all your data. If it knocked my socks off in performance, I’m sure I could get over the pain, but it doesn’t.
Pros
- High quality build
- Multiple connectivity options via Firewire, USB 2.0 and eSATA
- OS Transparency makes setup a breeze
- Multiple RAID modes to suit your needs (if not using 1 TB drives)
- Performance was a mixed bag in testing
- Slower than a single drive in all tests
- Front door does not lock and there is no way to secure this device with a laptop lock to prevent theft
- The price hurts
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