Computing on Demand PC News & Reviews
iStarUSA is a company that I have become a big fan of over the years. They manufacture products that are higher than standard quality and pay attention to the people buying and using their products. iStartUSA has released a 4-Bay trayless RAID box and at first glance, it is sexy. The need for affordable and easy storage solutions is a quest that many of us have been on; let’s see if the v7AGE420-ES can compete.
The v7AGE420-ES utilizes a tool-free technology for easy installation, locking doors to prevent accidental removal, a sleek design, and an eSATA port for connectivity. The enclosure has a sturdy feel to it and it doesn’t weigh all that much. This design allows for a strong construction and a reduction in overall gravitational activity. The front of the unit is garnished in a black plastic bezel with matching doors and accompanying each of these is an activity LED that changes from blue to purple. Each of the 4 bay doors are constructed of a durable plastic and the latching mechanism seems sturdy enough. The lock on each of the doors gets the job done and doesn’t require you to remember where you hid a key. You can simply turn them with your thumb nail, a quarter, a key… you get the point.
The front bezel is also home to a slew of other LEDs ranging from Power, Errors, eSATA Link, eSATA ACC, the HDD activity LEDs (numbered from 1-4 instead of 0-3), and another set of 4 LEDs that I haven’t figured out the purpose of yet. The v7AGE420-ES has an internal SIL3726 controlling card, weighs about 8lbs, has dual 60mm cooling fans and a poorly placed power button. You don’t need to worry about OS compatibility because you must connect through an eSATA controller that allows for port multiplying. Remember though, your disk partition size may be limited by your OS.
