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Minisopuru 40Gbps NVMe SSD Thunderbolt Enclosure Review
Premium High-Speed Storage with a Minimalist Design
The Minisopuru NVMe Enclosure allows you to harness the incredibly fast speeds of the latest NVMe solid state drives. With read and write speeds up to 2,800MB/s via its Thunderbolt port, it can transfer large 4K or 8K video footage faster than traditional external SSDs.
While compact and durable thanks to the aluminum alloy shell, the enclosure offers effective cooling to enable sustained peak performance. It features plug-and-play functionality for simple installation and broad compatibility with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux systems.
Best For
- Video editors, gamers, engineers – anyone working with huge files that needs fast access
- People who want high-speed external storage in a durable and portable design
- Those with modern, minimalist workspaces
Considerations
- Enclosure speed depend on your NVMe SSD and host ports. Ensure your SSD and computer ports match the enclosure’s speeds to achieve full performance potential.
- Premium price but delivers matching performance
Our Verdict
The Minisopuru Enclosure delivers excellent real-world transfer speeds with the latest SSDs. The premium aluminum design is built to last while looking great. Installation takes moments and it works instantly with no extra software.
It’s on the pricey side but provides professional grade performance.
The Minisopuru NVMe SSD enclosure is an excellent choice if you need incredibly fast external storage to transfer, edit, or backup large files and are willing to pay a premium price for premium performance.
I love this enclosure and will be using it as my daily driver for external storage needs. Minisopuru also includes two thermal pads for additional cooling capabilities – a really nice extra touch.
Table of Contents
What is an M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure?
For those unfamiliar, an NVMe SSD enclosure is a device that may need a bit of explaining. NVMe stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express, which is a high-speed solid state drive (SSD) protocol that allows for incredibly fast data transfer speeds.
An M.2 SSD is a type of solid state drive that uses the small, rectangular M.2 connector standard – typically you’d buy these separately.
M.2 SSDs can be installed directly into a desktop computer or laptop’s motherboard, or inserted into an NVMe SSD enclosure to allow using them as fast external storage.
An NVMe SSD enclosure is an external device that allows you to take advantage of these fast NVMe drives by connecting them to your computer or laptop via Thunderbolt or USB ports.
The enclosure houses an NVMe M.2 SSD inside and uses a Thunderbolt or USB interface to connect to your system. This allows you to use the speed benefits of NVMe drives externally.
So rather than having to install the NVMe drive directly into your system, an NVMe enclosure lets you experience NVMe speeds by plugging the enclosure into your computer.
If you deal with large files like high-res video, NVMe enclosures are a great way to add super fast external storage.
Specs
Connectivity
- Thunderbolt port for fast 40Gbps speeds
Speed Performance
- Read/Write speeds up to ~2,700 MB/s (these speeds were tested by Minisopuru using a Samsung 980 EVO NVMe SSD)
- My Kingston NV2 was limited to 700MB/s write speed and ~2500MB/s read speed, but I’ll get a new NVMe SSD and update this article
Design & Portability
- Compact size – 3.96 x 2.05 x 0.55 inches
- Lightweight – 0.25 lb
- Aluminum alloy casing for heat dissipation
- Very easy to carry around
Compatibility
- Works with MacBook Pro/Air (macOS 10.3+)
- Compatible with Windows 7/10/11 and Linux
- Supports 2280 form factor NVMe SSDs of up to 8TB. Requires M or B&M keying for NVMe PCIe SSDs.
- 2280 refers to the physical dimensions – 22mm wide by 80mm long, a common size for M.2 SSDs.
- The M and B&M keying refers to notches on the SSD connector that match up with the enclosure’s socket – M keys are typically used for NVMe PCIe SSDs while B&M keys allow both NVMe and SATA. This enclosure requires PCIe NVMe SSDs with either M or B&M key configuration.
Key Features
- Includes 1-year warranty
- Thunderbolt 4 cable included
- Thermal padding for additional cooling
What’s in The Box
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Minisopuru Enclosure | Made of aluminum, with a sleek and modern design. |
Thunderbolt 4 Cable | A Thunderbolt 4 certified cable for connecting to your computer. |
Small Phillips Screwdriver | A small cross-head screwdriver used to unscrew and open the enclosure. |
Screws & Extra Screws | The necessary screws to install an M.2 SSD inside the enclosure. Extra screws included. |
Rubber Mounts | Rubber mounts/plugs help brace and secure the M.2 SSD inside the enclosure. An extra mount is included. |
Thermal Pads | Two heat conductive pads that transfer heat from the SSD to the aluminum housing to prevent overheating. |
Manual | An instruction manual covering how to install an SSD and use the enclosure. Note: The font is extremely small. |
Installation
If this is your first time setting up a NVMe SSD enclosure, don’t worry. Setting up your Minisopuru NVMe SSD Enclosure is a straightforward process that you can complete in just a few steps, without the need for any additional tools aside from the included screwdriver.
Here’s how to get your NVMe SSD ready to use with the enclosure:
1. Unboxing and Preparation
Begin by unboxing your Minisopuru enclosure and lay out your components on your workspace. You should have:
- the enclosure
- a rubber mount/plug
- a thermal pad (just one, the other one is extra)
- the included screwdriver
- your NVMe SSD, which is not included, and you have to purchase separately.
2. Opening the Enclosure
Use the screwdriver to remove the screws from the enclosure. This will allow you to access the internal slot for the NVMe SSD.
3. Installing the NVMe SSD
Take your NVMe SSD and insert it at a 45-degree angle into the slot inside the enclosure. Once it’s properly aligned, press it down gently.
Secure the end of the SSD with the rubber mount by fitting it into the notch at the end of the SSD and then into the corresponding hole on the enclosure’s board.
4. Applying the Thermal Pad
The thermal pad comes with thin transparent plastic films covering the adhesive surfaces.
Take just one thermal pad, peel these protective films off, then place the exposed pad directly onto the top of the NVMe SSD.
The pad will draw heat away from the high-speed SSD during intense operation and transfers it to the aluminum enclosure to prevent overheating. This allows the enclosure to maintain fast 40Gbps speeds. Without the pad, the SSD may throttle, reducing speeds, destabilizing performance, and shortening its lifespan.
How often should you change the thermal pad
The thermal pads included with the Minisopuru enclosure should reliably last 2-3 years under normal usage.
Watch for any drops in performance, as this can be a sign that you need to replace the thermal pad.
5. Reassembling the Enclosure
Before closing the enclosure, make sure the lid is right side up. The correct orientation will have the screw holes slightly recessed to accommodate the screw heads flush with the surface.
Put back the lid and use the screwdriver to reinsert and tighten the screws without over-tightening.
6. Finalizing the Setup
With the SSD securely installed and the enclosure closed, you’re now ready to connect it to your computer.
Use the included Thunderbolt 4 cable to link the enclosure to a USB-C (ideally Thunderbolt 3 or 4) port on your computer.
7. If Your NVMe Is New It May Need Initializing
After setting up the Minisopuru enclosure and connecting it to your computer, if the SSD is new, you’ll likely need to format it before use. To do this:
- Open ‘This PC’ on a Windows computer or ‘Finder’ on a Mac.
- Locate the new drive, which should be recognized but unformatted.
- Right-click on the drive icon (Windows) or control-click (Mac), and select ‘Format’ from the menu.
The user-interface and exact steps might differ slightly depending on your operating system, and you may have various file system options like NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for Mac.
Select the your preferred file system, provide a name for your drive, and begin the formatting.
Performance
During my testing of the Minisopuru NVMe SSD Enclosure with a MacBook M1 using the Blackmagicdesign Disk Speed Test, I achieved a write speed of 770.2 MB/s and a read speed of 2522.3 MB/s.
These results, especially the write speed, are limited by my current NVMe SSD model rather than the full capabilities of the enclosure.
Based on the enclosure’s specs and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity with support for up to 40 Gbps throughput, I estimate its maximum write speed to be around 2700 MB/s with an appropriate high-performance NVMe SSD installed.
My current NVMe SSD seems to be bottlenecking the performance and preventing the enclosure from reaching its full potential write speeds.
I’ll upgrade to a faster NVMe SSD model and will update this guide with the new speeds.
Build & Design
The Minisopuru 40Gbps NVMe SSD enclosure has a minimalist, sleek design that looks great with metal Mac computers.
The aluminum case is very small, which feels really cool, considering the high speeds it enables. It has a neutral metal color that resists fingerprints and fits pretty much anywhere.
The clean lines and subtle branding give it a modern, sophisticated style.
The design feels like it balances form and function well – it’s built to optimize high-speed NVMe SSD performance without compromising on looks.
Overall the Minisopuru NVMe SSD enclosure feels like a premium device.
Brand, Support & Community
Minisopuru is brand that was started at the end of 2021. They specialize in laptop docking stations and other computer accessories. We reviewed one of their docking stations in addition to the NVMe SSD enclosure.
In 2022, Minisopuru started selling products.
Based on my experience so far with the brand, I trust them. From what I’ve seen, Minisopuru seems very involved with their products and customers. For example, for their docking station they provide extensive support materials on their website and product listings – things like documentation, tutorials, and FAQs.
They seem to have a very hands-on approach, that I think will help Minisopuru continue growing their business. Overall, they have made a positive impression on me so far.
The Minisopuru community is likely growing but still new. Since they are only 1-2 years old, their community hasn’t matured yet. However, it is reassuring that they are moving quickly – sending out products for review and building a community.
This means you can find reviews and ask questions if you have any problems. I expect their community will continue to grow.
Price & Value
The Minisopuru NVMe enclosure does come at a premium price – however, it offers premium quality, fast speeds, durable and heat-dissipating materials, and a compact, aesthetically-pleasing design.
So while the upfront cost is high, you get superb performance and build quality that makes the investment worthwhile if it fits your budget.
Essentially, the price tag reflects the impressive quality, capabilities and lifecycle you can expect from the Minisopuru NVMe drive enclosure.
Warranty
Minisopuru ensures that users have a risk-free experience with their 30-day money-back guarantee and 1 year warranty.
