When you look at the continued success of social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, in comparison with those that have faded away, such as MySpace, the main factor is obviously speed and convenience. MySpace was designed so that each user took time to create and personalize their page, while Facebook and Twitter have limited customization but allow users to share and interact with others in a much simpler and faster way. New information is fed to all followers and subscribers without the need to visit the author’s page to keep up to date. This method of sharing information and interaction is much more convenient to each individual user because it takes the least amount of effort while getting the most amount of information.
This approach should also be considered in terms of hardware design and sharing data. Wireless connectivity opens up a world of options beyond what wired transfer can provide and not be limited to one connection at a time. Granted, wireless transfer rates are not as fast as wired transfer rates with current available technology but it has reached acceptable levels for high-definition media streaming, which is the bulk of what most users expect from wireless storage. Vantec, a well-known name in storage solutions, has turned their creative focus to adding WiFi functionality to their product line, namely their NexStar hard drive enclosures.
The Vantec NexStar hard drive WiFi dock fits standard 3.5” or 2.5” drives. The NexStar WiFi dock is capable of high-speed USB 3.0 transfers as well as offering wireless support for 802.11 b/g/n standards with transfer rates of up to 150 Mbit/s. Accessible on iOS or Android devices through the Vantec WiFi App, the NexStar WiFI dock also supports Access Point Internet tethering and WEP/WPA/WPA2 security. Media playback of H.264, mov, mp4, mpv, 3gp, m4v, aac, mp3, m4a, aif, and wav are supported as well as jpeg, png, gif, tif, bmp, and tiff image files. The Vantec NexStar WiFi dock comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Specifications:
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Model: |
NST-D300WS3 |
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Device Support: |
SATA I/II/III Hard Drive |
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Hard Drive Size: |
2.5" & 3.5" Hard Drive |
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External Interface: |
USB 3.0 (Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 & 1.1) |
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Supported File System: |
NTFS, FAT32 |
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System OS Support: |
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Mobile Device OS Support: |
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Wi-Fi Interface: |
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iOS App Supported Media Format: |
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Android App Supported Media Format: |
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Material: |
Plastic |
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Dimensions (L x W x H): |
136 x 83 x 87 mm |
Product Features:
Test System(s):
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System Specifications |
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Benchmarks:
HD Tune is a benchmark used to calculate Transfer times, Access times, Burst Rate and CPU Usage of a hard drive. You can download HD Tune at www.hdtune.com. There are two versions of HD Tune, a pro and a free version. For the sake of this review, we have used the free version. (Pro Version does benchmark write speeds).
FinalWire's AIDA64 is a diagnostic and benchmarking tool. AIDA64 will be used for its Disk Benchmark tool with the test conducted using the Read Test Suite.
Crystal Mark is a disk benchmark software that features:
Download Crystal Mark
The 1 and 5 Gigabyte files are placed on the desktop then sent to the SSD/HDD. This allows the SSD/HDD to both read the file before transfer then write it to the SSD/HDD. Times are calculated in Seconds for the 1 Gigabyte file and Minutes and Seconds for the 5 Gigabyte file.
Provided by: Vantec
No compensation was received for review of this product.
Price Point
Price: $89.99 USD (Newegg.com)
Class: High-end
At $89.99, the Vantec NexStar WiFi Hard Drive Dock falls into the enthusiast category of HDD WiFi Dock.
Reviewer's Opinion
The Vantec NexStar NST-D300WS3 WiFi dock is small and lightweight, but feature wise, it is a heavy weight. The USB 3.0 transfer rates are impressively faster than typical USB 3.0 hard drive docks and the Wireless implementation is very effective. A modern home office has more than one computer, so wireless access is simply a much faster and convenient way to share data. Add the NexStar WiFi app on an iOS or Android phone and the network expands even further. Modern HDTVs, as well as media players with UPNP capability, can also easily connect to the NexStar WiFi dock and stream media. If placed strategically in a room, you certainly do not even need to move the WiFi dock around to gain access. With the inclusion of network access point functionality, each individual device can remain connected to the Internet, as well. It is practically a necessity for any modern office to have connectivity this fluid to increase productivity and workflow.
Swapping out drives is swift and easy with the use of the extra large drive-ejection button. In fact, some might find it too large and obvious, protruding about an inch off the top. The power and status LED is also particularly bright and is enough to act as a night-light illuminating a room at night. Transporting the NexStar NST-D300WS3 WiFi dock itself is not an issue as it is very light and simply just sits on top of any table with no problems staying upright due to the wide base. Additional non-slip supports underneath also ensure that it stays put.
The Vantec NexStar WiFi NST-D300WS3 dock uses an ASMedia ASM1053 USB to SATA chip and it does an impressive job, as seen in the benchmarks. This chip has its limitations, however, namely being limited to SATA 1.5/3.0 Gbps speeds. Vantec offers an alternative SATA 6Gbps version carrying the model number NST-D306WS3, which most likely uses the ASMedia ASM1053E chip, so users who want the absolute SATA 6Gbps performance should opt for the NST-D306WS3 version.
Overall, the Vantec NexStar NST-D300WS3 WiFi is a convenient little device that simplifies workflow and goes beyond the capabilities of a typical hard drive dock. Both the NexStar WiFi hardware and app were intuitive and easy to use, which made file transfers and media streams across all platforms run without any hassles. Users looking for a low-cost storage solution which can contribute greatly to small-office productivity and streamlined data sharing will find the NexStar NST-D300WS3 an essential office tool.
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