• CPU: Q6600
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3
• Memory: 2 x 2GB Kingston
• OS: Windows XP Home SP3
• Video Card: ATI Radeon EAH 4550
• Power Supply: Thermaltake Litepower 450W
• Case: Cooler Master Storm Series Scout Chassis

Testing:

I will start by using my 1TB backup hard drive into the docking station and then running the same tests that we always use for these types of hardware. I will begin the tests by running HDtune to find the average MB/s speed, the access time, the burst rate, and also the CPU usage. After that I will be timing how long it takes a 10MB, a 100MB, and a 500MB file to transfer to the hard drive. I will be running these tests for both the units USB and eSATA functions. I will be putting the Thermaltake BlacX Docking Station up against the Sunbeam Tech Docking Station.

USB - HDtune

USB – File Transfer Speed

eSATA – HDtune

eSATA- File Transfer Speed

In the end the Thermaltake BlacX Docking Station did well. With these tests done we can see that these two docking stations performed almost equally as well as each other. With many docking stations the way you have to eject the hard drive is to rock it back and forth until it pops out. With the Thermaltake BlacX Docking Station this is not the case, there is a handy little eject button right on the front, and seeing as how it also has a slot to hold a 2.5” hard drive and that it has eSATA this makes for one adaptable docking station.

Now let’s take a look at my final thoughts: