ICY DOCK ICYBento MB559U3S External HDD Enclosure Review

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Whether you use them for backups or transferring data between devices, external enclosures are one of the must-have solutions for every user. With advances in technology, enclosures in today's market feature very quick eSATA and USB 3.0 options, and at times they even feature Thunderbolt.

The ICY DOCK ICYBento is a slim form factor 3.5" external enclosure, with USB 3.0 and eSATA connectivity. The ICYBento enjoys an aluminium design to aid in heat dissipation, while being fan-less to minimize noise. Compatibility extends to modern Windows operating systems and Mac OS 9+.

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The first thing I noticed when unboxing the unit was the extensive care in which the enclosure was packed. Above, you can see each component has been boxed individually, and labelled accordingly.

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Scope of delivery for the ICYBento gives us USB 3.0, eSATA cables, power adapter, and reading materials.

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The front of the enclosure tucks away the release button for the aluminium arm that ejects the tray. To the left is a white LED activity indicator.

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The tray for the enclosure comes protected with a plastic bar holding the spacing. When installing your drive, it's important to remove this first.

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The back of the enclosure houses the USB 3.0 and eSATA ports. Additionally, you will find a locking slot, and button for flipping the feet out under the enclosure.

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Here, we have our first test results from our read testing. Keep in mind we are using a Seagate 600 Pro SSD via USB 3.0 to test the performance of the enclosure. Above, you can see the ICYBento peaked just above 250 MB/s.

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Write speed of the ICYBento peaked at 250 MB/s.

The ICYBento enjoys great build quality via the aluminium enclosure, while maintaining a slim form factor, only slightly bigger than the 3.5" drive you would install. The fan-less design aids the noiseless office, while the aluminium tray offers a bit more durability over traditional solutions.

Performance of the enclosure was quite good for its intended use. Using any modern 3.5" HDD should leave you with native performance with both eSATA and USB 3.0.

In addition, the drive tray used with the ICYBento is interchangeable with other ICY DOCK products, including the MB876, MB45X, and MB561; giving you the freedom to swap drives between enclosures with ease.

MSRP of the ICY DOCK ICYBento is set at $62.99, with a three-year warranty.

PRICING: You can find the ICY DOCK ICYBento for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The ICY DOCK ICYBento MB559U3S-1S retails for $97.94 at Amazon, and theICY DOCK ICYBento MB559U3S-1SB retails for $62.78 at Amazon.

Canada: The ICY DOCK ICYBento MB559U3S-1S retails for $99.65 at Amazon Canada, and the ICY DOCK ICYBento MB559U3S-1SB retails for $73.74 at Amazon Canada.

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