14 DAY TRIAL // One of the biggest problems with many desktop cases is that they have only drive bays compatible with 3.5-inch storage devices. And while some have one or two 2.5-inch ones, many still don't. That's where converter cases come in.
Admittedly, with the newest generation of enclosures they aren't as needed, since all high-end gaming cases have either the 2.5-inch special cases we mentioned, or special mounting systems that support both form factors.
Some even have what it takes to house 1.8-inch devices, even though they're usually found only in laptops, and most of the storage devices in that size are, oddly enough, HDDs not SSDs.
Still, mid-range cases might lack 2.5-inch drive support, so Icy Dock has lived up to its name and created a “dock” that will compensate for the size difference.
The EZConvert Air Lite MB482SP-3B
In a nutshell, it's a drive cage that has room for a single storage unit and allows it to be safely and securely installed in a standard 3.5-inch bay.
The case has support for the SATA 6.0 Gbps interface, meaning that even the fastest SSDs will work at full power through it.
Which is to say, you don't have to worry that the 550 MB/s performance of your SandForce controller-based drive will be stifled, because it won't happen.
The drive case also has perforated vents, for good airflow, as well as an open air design at the top. The fact that the converter is mostly made of stainless steel turns it into a sort of heatsink as well.
Furthermore, the Icy Dock EZConvert Air Lite MB482SP-3B has space for a single drive and can support SSDs of 7mm to 15mm heights. Finally, it uses bottom mounting screw holes.
Availability and pricing
The Icy Dock EZConvert Air Lite MB482SP-3B hasn't been given a price yet, not in the press release anyhow, but availability should ramp up soon enough, so retailers will let you know if you're in the market for something like this.
The company sees the product not only in consumer systems, but in enterprise computers as well, since it makes it easy to “upgrade” all 3.5-inch bays in a case / blade server without changing the whole chassis. Good for when you need to change your infrastructure from a focus on capacity (where HDDs still reign supreme) to quick read/write performance.
Now we're wondering how long until Icy Dock releases 5.35-inch bays converters. You can fit four 2.5-inch SSDs in them if you're careful enough.
