Using Samsung Internal 500GB SSD in an External 2.5 Case

[DogNo1]

I find the prices of external SSD drives to be high so I'm thinking of putting a Samsung 500GB SSD into a SATA to USB 3 external case. I wonder if the power from the USB 3 port would be sufficient to run it. My Sony Tap 11 has one USB 3 port which is powered. It runs my Seagate Backup 1 TB drive OK. Does anybody think that it would not work? I'm only worried that it might take more power to drive the SATA than the USB 3 port puts out. Thanks.

[dave_boo]

USB 3,0 offers a maximum current of 900 mA. 5 volts x 0.9 amps = 4.5 watts. This is well over what should be required by the drive.

[keeniau96]

Should be no problem at all. I have a small USB->SATA drive adapter for external use. just a 2cm x 8cm white strip with SATA data and power plugs on one end connected by 10 cm wire to USB2 on other, cost about 200 baht at Pantip Plaza. Works perfect with Samsung 830 128GB SSD also several others. Found I have to format the SSD before connecting, just could not recognize a brand-new unformatted SSD but A-OK once formatted.

[astral]

Why not put the SSD drive in your laptop and get the benefit of the speed

Then put the laptop disk into the external case?

[Pib]

A Samsung 500GB SSD will work fine in an external enclosure box and operate from a USB 3 or USB 2 port. The Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB for example has a operational power draw of 350ma (1.75W)...a USB 2 port will provide 500ma and a USB port up to 900ma. And I can say from personal experience that the Samsung 840 EVO 500GB SSD will work in an USB 3 or 2 external enclosure as I did just that for a couple of days and in cloning the drive....but now the SSD resides inside my laptop. The Samsung Migration software that you can use to close the SSD tells you to put the SSD in an external USB enclosure so you can accomplish the clone operation.

But putting a SSD in a USB external enclosure is a waste of money because the max speed you'll be able to get is around 200MB/sec sequential read with a USB 3.0 port (a lot less with a USB 2.0 port) whereas with the SSD installed in the computer to the SATA 3 interface you'll get around 500MB/sec or more...with my Samsung 840 EVO 500GB I get around 520MB/sec sequential read using the CrystalDiskMark benchmark. Best to take full advantage of SSD by using them with an interface which can handle their speed which basically means putting the drive inside your computer which hopefully/most probably has a SATA 3.0 interface (not to be confused with a USB 3.0 interface). Use regular spinning platter hard disk drives (HDD) in external USB enclosures as USB 3.0 can handle the max speed of any HDD, even a 7200 RPM HDD.

[DogNo1]

Thanks for the helpful comments. My Sony Tap 11 has an internal 128 GB SSD that can't be changed out except for maybe the 256 GB SSD that they put in their more expensive i5 version (mine has a Pentium 3650Y which seems plenty fast.) My intention in putting the Samsung 500GB SSD in an external enclosure is to have a sturdy drive to travel with that can store my files and backups and endure the bumps that come with travel. My intention is to put it in my checked luggage.

[Clendenin]

OP, I've been using a similar setup for more than 2 years with no problems. The enclosure works just fine when connected to either USB 2.0 or 3.0

My enclosure was running a bit warmer than I liked (although some heat is certainly normal and unavoidable). To alleviate some of the heat, and likely add a bit more longevity to the life of the SSD, I did take my trusty drill and bore a few holes in the enclosure just to let some air circulate. That made a noticeable reduction in the heat. If you do that, be certain that there are no shavings left behind inside the enclosure. Even a splinter-sized metal shaving could wreak havoc.

Clendenin

[Pib]

Thanks for the helpful comments. My Sony Tap 11 has an internal 128 GB SSD that can't be changed out except for maybe the 256 GB SSD that they put in their more expensive i5 version (mine has a Pentium 3650Y which seems plenty fast.) My intention in putting the Samsung 500GB SSD in an external enclosure is to have a sturdy drive to travel with that can store my files and backups and endure the bumps that come with travel. My intention is to put it in my checked luggage.

Yea, I can understand the desire to eliminate the worry of jarring the drive too much, a problem with spinning platter type drives. I know since I have put SSDs in both my laptops I no longer worry about moving my laptops around when they are turned on or off like when I had spinning platter drives.

Since Samsung SSDs are pricier than a lot of other brand name SSDs and since you won't be able to take full advantage of the SSD full speed in a USB enclosure you might want to consider buying a lower cost brand name SDD. And I'm sure you already now SSDs are pricier in Thailand, especially 500GB or larger SSDs, than if you buy them/pick them up outside of Thailand if you can. Over the last two months I paid $245 for my Samsung 840 EVO 500 GB SSD and $220 for my Seagate 600 Series 480GB SSD...those prices include taxes and shipping to a friend's house in the U.S. Fortunately that friend was passing through Thailand a few weeks later and I picked them up from him. If I had had to buy those SSDs in Thailand I would have had to pay around Bt14,500 ($445) to Bt15,000 ($460) for them, even from that online store based in HuaHin a lot of TV posters recommend.

[ETatBKK]

I rather keep the SSD+enclosure in your hand carry with you, and load the Tap 11 into the checked baggage ( still risk of mechanical damage ). just in case, you still have the DATA with you.

cheers

Thanks for the helpful comments. My Sony Tap 11 has an internal 128 GB SSD that can't be changed out except for maybe the 256 GB SSD that they put in their more expensive i5 version (mine has a Pentium 3650Y which seems plenty fast.) My intention in putting the Samsung 500GB SSD in an external enclosure is to have a sturdy drive to travel with that can store my files and backups and endure the bumps that come with travel. My intention is to put it in my checked luggage.

[DogNo1]

Thanks, everyone. I can buy a Samsung 840 EVO 500 GB SSD on Amazon Japan for about 24,000 yen. That's what I'll do and then put both the Sony Tap 11 and the SSD in my carry-on luggage. I have so far been using an i3 Sony VAIO which is 14 inches and more than 4 pounds. The Tap 11 weighs less than two pounds! It's a full-featured Windows 8.1 machine and is just as capable as the 14 inch machine. No CD though and backup has been a pain. It must be backed up to an NTFS formatted HDD larger than the Tap 11 SSD of 128GB. I'm getting it worked out though and really love the beautiful screen.