#Thermaltake blacx duet driver osx serial
#Thermaltake blacx duet driver osx windows

Those speeds jumped dramatically when I hooked up the BlacX to a USB 3.0 port. With the BlacX connected via USB 2.0, HD Tach reported a burst rate of 35MB/s and the same speed for sustained reads. All USB 2.0 transfers were tested with the motherboard’s built-in USB ports. My MSI X58 motherboard predates the USB 3.0 spec, so I popped in a TransImp USB 3.0 PCIe card to give the system some SuperSpeed ports. This is my drive of choice when performing backups, and I was curious to see the impact of USB 3.0 on a relatively slow hard drive. To test the BlacX’s performance, I snapped a Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB into the docking station. It’s a real shame to see such a clunky wall wart bundled with a device that’s sure to be one of many connected to a power bar. Also included is a power adapter that’s large, unwieldy, and virtually certain to block at least one adjacent outlet. Thermaltake ships the BlacX with a USB 3.0 cable and a couple of silicon sleeves to provide a measure of protection for your favorite 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives. When coupled with increasing capacities and a rise in the volume of data folks want to move around, it’s easy to see why SuperSpeed USB has become an intriguing option for many.ĭocking stations like the BlacX are pretty simple devices, and they don’t require much in the way of additional accessories. That said, today’s hard drives are still more than fast enough to take advantage of the extra speed offered by USB 3.0. We’ve yet to see an external drive fast enough to push the limits of USB 3.0. Thanks to protocol overhead, USB 2.0 transfers typically top out around 37MB/s. Real-world transfers are likely to be much slower than those theoretical peaks, though. USB 2.0 maxes out at a paltry 480Mbps, while the USB 3.0 spec supports transfer rates up to 5Gbps. The USB 3.0 specification promises a dramatic speed increase over its predecessor.

#Thermaltake blacx duet driver osx serial

Dubbed the BlacX 5G, this docking station boasts a SuperSpeed USB port and compatibility with both 3.5″ and 2.5″ Serial ATA hard drives. With that in mind, I was excited to get a chance to check out Thermaltake’s latest BlacX. Unfortunately, it’s rare to find eSATA connectivity built into the systems I encounter when dealing with friends and family.Īs USB 3.0 slowly began to pick up steam in the latter half of 2010, I wondered if my docking station might be due for an upgrade. Transfers over eSATA are definitely much faster than over USB 2.0.

My particular BlacX dock offers USB 2.0 support as well as a speedy eSATA port that matches up nicely with the external Serial ATA connector on my main rig. Indeed, docking stations have become so popular in recent years that we’re starting to see them integrated into enthusiast enclosures. Being able to swap drives easily is particularly handy if you have several you want to connect, especially if one has just been pulled from an afflicted system. Over the last few years, I have used a Thermaltake BlacX docking station for all my external needs, both personal and professional.

#Thermaltake blacx duet driver osx windows

For these scenarios, it’s handy to have an external hard drive available to back up MP3s, videos, and documents before wiping the seething pile of viruses intertwined with the system’s Windows installation. In my experience, the malware infestations that prompt tech support requests have usually progressed to the point where it’s simpler and more efficient to re-install Windows than to spend hours rooting out the problem while I eat my weight in Doritos. If I can’t get the job done remotely, I’ll show up and take care of things in person. After a few of those, I decided to bite the bullet and help out whenever possible. However, it can also fast-track you to a tracheotomy or a front row seat in an ESL class. I’ve always hated saying “no” to a pal, so when I am called upon to aid a friend with his ailing system, I usually feign a choking fit or pretend that I can’t speak English. Being a “computer guy” usually entails helping out friends and family with all manner of computing issues, such as failing hardware, sluggish networks, and, most commonly, malware-infested machines.