ACARD's dual 2.5-inch RAID enclosure is slim, hungry for power

If you're looking for an odd, yet usable storage solution, perhaps ACARD's Mirror Smart Mini is the thing for you. The device uses two 2.5-inch SATA drives side by side in a small enclosure; the drives can be mapped as a hardware-based RAID 1 array, or can be used as separate devices. The aluminum casing plugs into your system using USB 2.0, but unfortunately requires an AC adapter for power, thus making it slightly less awesome than we want it to be. Regardless, if you're moving around a lot and need a backup option, you might have found your $69 answer.

[Via Everything USB]

[bethel03 @ May 1st 2008 4:21PM]

Awesome deal for 70 bucks! Think this will be pretty hard to keep on the shelves.

[phanbouy @ May 1st 2008 4:23PM]

don't round up 69, that's just ... buzzkill

[nxtiak @ May 1st 2008 4:24PM]

It'd be more compact if they have the drives on top of each other and not side by side.

[Jandalf @ May 1st 2008 4:27PM]

Maybe this way keeps 'em cooler...

[phanbouy @ May 1st 2008 4:28PM]

Jandalf the Jray?

[bethel03 @ May 1st 2008 4:28PM]

I totally agree, it would be more practical in a top-bottom form, but from the website it seems like they are marketing more towards notebook users and this would seem to fit under a notebook nicely in a carry bag.

[tiuk @ May 1st 2008 6:29PM]

There are plenty of two-drive enclosures that have the drives stacked (Maxtor and WD come to mind).

[Kevin @ May 1st 2008 4:28PM]

no raid 0? Weak!!

[bethel03 @ May 1st 2008 5:01PM]

Please correct me if I am wrong (just did a search on RAID0) but isn't all data lost on RAID0 when a disk fails? To me this isn't good when you are using the device for backing up important documents. RAID1 provides full redundancy so your data is not lost if a drive fails, this is perfect for backing up files.

[Lattyware @ May 1st 2008 5:44PM]

Yes, but with RAID0, you get speed, and with RAID1 you loose space. There are plusses and downsides to both. Shame you can't use either.

[phanbouy @ May 1st 2008 5:51PM]

yeah, RAID 1 is loose. it's been around.

[wizzle @ May 1st 2008 6:18PM]

true, RAID0 is faster, but only for writing. reading performance is still (theoretically) doubled in RAID1. the main disadvantage is disk space.

[antiver @ May 1st 2008 4:38PM]

Yeah, what's with the lack of RAID 0?

[Wolfticket @ May 1st 2008 5:27PM]

RAID-0 would be pointless, as USB-2 is the speed-limiting factor even with a single disk. JBOD would be the same speed but double the storage.

[wizzle @ May 1st 2008 6:22PM]

@Wolfticket

not quite true. usb 2 is spec'd at 480Mbit ~ 60MB/s. i don't know where you'd find a single 2.5" drive that even peaks at 60MB/s.

this is a pretty decent solution for portable video editing.

[David Doran @ May 1st 2008 4:39PM]

I'd like to see 2 velociraptors in one of those, (removed from their heatsinks of course) that'd be sweet!

Why no esata version tho?

[Carl M @ May 1st 2008 5:30PM]

How many notebooks have esata connectors?

If you want esata, it probably wouldn't be too hard to bypass the USB circuit in the unit and attach a sata-to-esata cable to each drive.

[w00t @ May 1st 2008 4:39PM]

Make it raid 0 and firewire and it'll be interesting!

I've got bus powered 3.5" firewire drives so it's easily possible!
Using a full size drive on a laptop with no external power is great :)

[BlowURmindBowel @ May 1st 2008 4:45PM]

Phanbouy, why only two comments? There are still plenty of other comments for you to reply to...

[phanbouy @ May 1st 2008 4:46PM]

huh? i didn't catch that, i was having a mind blowing dump. you'd be impressed

[waffles @ May 1st 2008 4:50PM]

inb4 courics comment

[toxicpiano @ May 1st 2008 4:52PM]

Reminds me of a sandwich toaster.

[Steventm @ May 1st 2008 6:21PM]

There is a better example of a hard drive toaster. Search "Vantec NexStar SATA Drive Dock toaster". Sadly, the pop-in, pop-out toaster has only one slot for a hard drive.

[phanbouy @ May 1st 2008 6:01PM]

ACARD's hungry like the wolf

[pedigreechums @ May 1st 2008 7:34PM]

I've had the chance to use this product already here in the UK and I was very impressed with the way it performed, it was very fast over usb even with 5400rpm drives. Easy to setup, one touch backup, sleek design and good build quality and firmware is always updated if necessary from Acard.

You will need to check if it includes the drives though as the one i tested didn't have any in.

It has it's uses as a nice warm mouse mat too!!!

[Aaron @ May 1st 2008 8:14PM]

From the linked product page: "The user can store important data into this external RAID1-protected storage.Once a single hard disk drive is crushed, the redundant feature of Mirror will keep the full set of data intact in the other disk."

This sounds great, because I had always feared what would happen if one disk in my array got crushed.

[jonathan @ May 1st 2008 10:14PM]

gotta pick one of these up....looks perfect!!!

[proxymoron @ May 2nd 2008 3:19AM]

my nuts are in raid1 configuration. i keep all my important files there.

this looks good but would hardly fit in my jeans.

[Jeff @ May 2nd 2008 3:22AM]

RAID1 is about providing high availability, not backup robustness. It's almost completely pointless to use for backup- 2 separate drive enclosures would be much safer as they can be stored separately.

This is a product looking for a solution.

[badbob001 @ May 3rd 2008 1:39AM]

@Jeff,

RAID1 in itself is not backup, but RAID1 in an external drive for *copies* of laptop files is more robust than a non-RAID1 external drive, wouldn't you agree? Even if the device was not used for backup, would I be wrong to think my files would be better protected from drive-failure when stored in this product compared to being stored in the single-drive on the harddrive?

[jonathan @ May 2nd 2008 12:01PM]

...Now if i could only find someone to purchase one from!!!...:-)

[John @ May 2nd 2008 1:01PM]

Does this RAID1 your notebook internal harddrive? Or is it raiding an external drive?

[Dean @ May 2nd 2008 3:37PM]

You can buy these here http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=17444

as for no raid 0, whats the point with just a USB connection, maximum your going to get on USB is around 30mb/s dont believe the hype quoted above of 60mb/s thats just a joke.

the unit comes with choice of JBOD or Mirror, throw in a couple of 300gb drives ( current 400 and 500gb 2.5" sata drives are 12.5mm and wouldnt fit), and youve got a nice little backup. size wise its alot smaller than youed think 163mm (W) × 16mm(H) × 163mm(D) , lots of coloured lights too and looks pretty snazzy on the desk

[jonathan @ May 5th 2008 8:34AM]

Anyone know of a US retailer that is selling these? I cant seem to find anyone except meritline and they dont have just the unit....I really dont want to order this from another country...

[dadego @ May 15th 2008 3:04PM]

Here is where I got mine....well....my wife's...:-)

http://www.ezcopysmart.com/

[peter @ Jul 18th 2008 1:04PM]

ACARD is great. i got mine at www.consumerdepot.com