Product: ICY DOCK MB122 Internal SATA Hard Drive Enclosure
MSRP: $50
Supplier: ICY DOCK
Author: Nick (neb1211)
Date:

Internal hard drive enclosures are a must-have for anyone who frequently swaps out hard drive or requires hot-swappable hard drives.  They also allow for added storage capacity when all of the 3.5” bays in a case are used.  Today we are going to take a look at ICY DOCK’s new SATA internal enclosure, the MB122.

Packaging

Features:

• Drive Fit : Hot Swappable SATA I or II
• Device Fit : 1 x 5.25″ device bay
• Internal drive security, exchangeability, expandability and maintenance capabilities
• Advanced drive monitoring system built internally w/ LCD visual & audio indicators
• Stylish faceplate with aluminum cooling body
• Warm air outtake fan cooling of drive
• Safeguard key lock capable of power control to disable data accessibility from others
• Compact size version in SATA is available for limited depth integration

Installation:

Installing the MB122 into my case was a snap.  After I installed the MB122 into my Centurion 534 case, I moved to installing the hard drive into the MB122 tray.  This was simple to do as well and was much like the installing a hard drive into an external enclosure.  The last step of the installation process was to insert the tray into the internal enclosure and latch it into place.  There is the option to lock the tray in place if desired but everything will work fine if the tray is not locked.  The total time to complete the installation process was around five minutes.

The MB122:

Unlike a few of the cheaper internal enclosures on the market, the MB122 is made almost completely out of aluminum with only the front bezel and the very back of the unit being made out of plastic.

The LCD on the front of the hard drive tray ads a nice touch to the enclosure.  It features a blue backlight and is easy to read when viewed at no more than a 45 – 60 degree angle.  The LCD is able to display the temperature of the hard drive.

The tray from the MB122 is interchangeable with ICY DOCK’s MB452 external enclosure.  This allows the internal hard drive to be converted into an external hard drive in a matter of seconds.  The tray can be hot swapped in and out of the MB122 so you don’t even have to shut down your computer.  This is extremely nice for someone who wants the performance of an internal SATA drive while still having the flexibility of an external hard drive.

One of the biggest disadvantages to the MB122 is probably the price.  However, other devices with the same features as the MB122 are all priced around $50.  The MB122 is a fine example of “You get what you pay for.”

Conclusion:

The ICY DOCK MB122 is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a high quality internal enclosure.  While the MB122 is one of the more expensive internal hard drive enclosures on the market, the MB122 features an LCD screen and is constructed almost completely out of aluminum, something the cheaper internal enclosures usually lack.  ICY DOCK clearly designed this product with both performance and flexibility in mind since the hard drive tray can be hot swapped out of the computer and put into the ICY DOCK MB452 external enclosure.

Maximum CPU gives
The ICY DOCK MB122 Internal SATA Hard Drive Enclosure

4.5 / 5

Pros:

+ Mostly made out of aluminum
+ Tray interchangeable with MB452
+ Hot swappable
+ LCD in front bezel

Cons:

- Price