Best eSATA Hard Drive Enclosures of 2025

Kenneth Collin Avatar
Kenneth Collin
Last Updated: 31 Jan 2025

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eSATA hard drive enclosures are external storage devices designed to house hard drives and connect them to computers via eSATA interface. These enclosures offer a convenient and portable way to expand storage capacity, backup data, or transfer large files. They come in various sizes and designs, from compact and lightweight to rugged and durable. With eSATA's high-speed data transfer rate, users can enjoy faster access to their files and multimedia content. eSATA hard drive enclosures are ideal for professionals, enthusiasts, and anyone who needs reliable and flexible storage solutions.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

StarTech 3.5" Trayless External Hard Drive Enclosure Cover #TOP 1
StarTech 3.5" Trayless External Hard Drive Enclosure
ftb score rating icon 9.9
kenable eSATA and USB 2.0 Enclosure for Hard Drives Cover #TOP 2
kenable eSATA and USB 2.0 Enclosure for Hard Drives
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Syba 5 Bay SATA HDD Enclosure with RAID Support Cover #TOP 3
Syba 5 Bay SATA HDD Enclosure with RAID Support
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 eSATA Hard Drive Enclosures

#TOP 1

StarTech 3.5" Trayless External Hard Drive Enclosure

S351BMU33ET
Black
StarTech 3.5" Trayless External Hard Drive Enclosure Cover
StarTech.com 3.5" External SATA Hard Drive Enclosure - Trayless - eSATA/USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1) Hard Drive Enclosure w/UASP (S351BMU33ET)

The StarTech 3.5" HDD Enclosure offers versatile functionality, making it ideal for quick access to your data, as well as for backing up, archiving, or recovering multimedia content. With maximum compatibility, it connects via USB 3.0, allowing for fast transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps. Its easy-to-use trayless design lets you swap drives effortlessly, giving you convenience when managing your files. Plus, its compact and fanless design ensures minimal space usage and quiet operation, allowing you to focus on what matters most.

What We Like
Quick data access
High transfer speeds
Easy drive swapping
Compact and quiet design
#TOP 2

kenable eSATA and USB 2.0 Enclosure for Hard Drives

001275
Black
kenable eSATA and USB 2.0 Enclosure for Hard Drives Cover
kenable eSATA and USB 2.0 Combo Enclosure for IDE & SATA 2.5 Hard Drive

The kenable Hard Drive Enclosure offers a versatile solution for connecting IDE and SATA 2.5 hard drives. With both eSATA and USB 2.0 connectivity, you can enjoy fast transfer speeds of up to 480mb per second, making data transfer quick and efficient. This external enclosure allows you to easily access your hard drives, providing convenience whether you're backing up important files or accessing stored data. Its compact design makes it a practical choice for users looking to expand their storage options.

What We Like
Fast transfer speeds
Supports IDE and SATA drives
Compact design
Easy access to data
#TOP 3

Syba 5 Bay SATA HDD Enclosure with RAID Support

SY-ENC50122
5 Bay
Syba 5 Bay SATA HDD Enclosure with RAID Support Cover
Syba 5 Bay 2.5" and 3.5" SATA HDD External USB 3.0 / eSATA RAID Hard Drive Enclosure Support 80TB & RAID 0/1/5/10/JBOD RAID Mode SY-ENC50122

The Syba HDD RAID Enclosure supports up to five 2.5" or 3.5" SATA drives, allowing you to store a massive 80TB of data. With RAID options including RAID 0, 1, 5, and more, you can choose the best configuration for your needs, whether prioritising speed or data redundancy. The USB 3.0 interface ensures fast data transfer rates of up to 5 Gb/s, making it easy to access your files quickly. Additionally, the tray-less design allows for effortless HDD installation and removal, providing you with convenience when managing your storage.

What We Like
Supports up to 80TB storage
Multiple RAID configurations available
Fast USB 3.0 data transfer
Easy HDD installation and removal
#TOP 4

Vantec NexStar JX 3.5”/2.5” SATA Enclosure

NST-358SU3-BK
Black
Vantec NexStar JX 3.5”/2.5” SATA Enclosure Cover
Vantec NexStar JX, USB 3.2 Gen1x1, 3.5" or 2.5” SATA III HDD/SSD Drive Green Enclosure with eSATA (NST-358SU3-BK), Black

The Vantec NexStar JX offers a versatile solution for adding storage, supporting both 3.5” and 2.5” SATA III HDD/SSD drives. With a SATA III specification that maximises speeds up to 6Gbps, you can enjoy faster data transfer rates. The aluminium casing helps to cool your hard drive, while vents efficiently exhaust hot air, ensuring optimal performance. It also features USB 3.2 Gen1x1 for convenient plug-and-play functionality, allowing you to easily connect and use your drives without rebooting.

What We Like
Supports multiple drive sizes
Fast data transfer speeds
Efficient cooling system
Plug-and-play functionality
#TOP 5

Vantec 2.5" SATA to USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure

NST-266SU3-BK
Black
Vantec 2.5" SATA to USB 3.0 HDD Enclosure Cover
Vantec 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s to USB 3.0/eSATA HDD Enclosure, Black Color (NST-266SU3-BK)

The Vantec HDD Enclosure offers a convenient solution for expanding your storage. With its SATA III specification, it supports speeds up to 6Gbps, ensuring efficient data transfer. You can easily connect it to any system using USB 3.0, 2.0, or 1.1 ports, making it versatile and user-friendly. An attractive LED indicator allows you to monitor power and HDD activity, providing peace of mind. Furthermore, this enclosure requires no drivers for Windows OS and OSX, simplifying the setup process for you.

What We Like
High-speed data transfer
Easy to connect
LED activity indicator
No drivers needed
#TOP 6

CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan

cenmate
4 Bay No Raid
silver
CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan Cover
CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan for 2.5/3.5" SATA HDD/SSD With USB A/C 3.0+eSATA Cable, 3.5 Hard Drive Reader Supports 80TB Capacity(NO RAID/NAS)

The CENMATE Hard Drive Enclosure offers a reliable external storage solution, supporting both 2.5 and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs with a massive capacity of up to 80TB. You can save valuable desktop space while enjoying efficient data management. With its built-in silent fans, this enclosure keeps your drives cool without adding noise, ensuring a tranquil working environment. It features rapid transfer speeds of up to 6Gbps, allowing you to quickly access and transfer your data, which is especially beneficial for large files.

What We Like
Supports up to 80TB capacity
Silent cooling fan operation
Fast transfer speeds
Wide compatibility with devices
#TOP 7

CENMATE 4 Bay RAID Hard Drive Enclosure

cenmate
4 Bay RAID
CENMATE 4 Bay RAID Hard Drive Enclosure Cover
Hard Drive Enclosure, CENMATE 4 Bay RAID Enclosure with Fan for 2.5/3.5 SATA HDD/SSD, USB A/C 3.0+eSATA Cable, 3.5 Hard Drive Enclosure Supports 80TB Capacity, 8 RAID Modes, DAS(NO NAS)

The CENMATE RAID Enclosure offers a reliable external storage solution that supports both 2.5 and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs, allowing you to maximise storage up to 80TB. With its built-in silent fans, you can enjoy a noise-free experience while ensuring your data remains cool and secure. The enclosure also features 8 RAID modes, giving you flexibility in data management and protection. Additionally, it provides fast data transfer speeds of up to 6Gbps, making it ideal for quick backups and file transfers.

What We Like
Supports up to 80TB capacity
Noise-free operation
Multiple RAID modes available
Fast data transfer speeds
#TOP 8

CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan

cenmate
4 Bay
CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan Cover
CENMATE 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan for 2.5/3.5" SATA HDD/SSD With USB A/C 3.0+eSATA Cable, 3.5 Hard Drive Enclosure Supports 80TB Capacity(NO RAID/NAS)

The CENMATE Hard Drive Enclosure offers an excellent external storage solution, accommodating both 2.5 and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs with a maximum capacity of 80TB. This means you can efficiently save space on your devices while easily accessing your data. With built-in silent fans, you can rest assured that your drives will remain cool and operate quietly. The enclosure also boasts USB 3.0 connectivity, allowing you to transfer large files at speeds up to 5Gbps, making file management incredibly fast and convenient.

What We Like
Supports up to 80TB capacity
Quiet operation with cooling fans
Fast data transfer speeds
Easy plug and play setup
#TOP 9

Syba 4 Bay 3.5” SATA III HDD Enclosure

SY-ENC50104
Black
External Enclosure
Syba 4 Bay 3.5” SATA III HDD Enclosure Cover
Syba SY-ENC50104 4 Bay 3.5” SATA III HDD NON-RAID Enclosure – Supports USB 3.0 & eSATA Interface

The Syba HDD Enclosure allows you to support up to four HDDs, with each drive offering a generous capacity of up to 8TB. This means you can easily expand your storage needs without hassle. The Forced Convection Process enhances air circulation and heat ventilation, ensuring that your drives remain cool, which promotes stable operation and extends their lifespan. Additionally, the enclosure connects directly to DC power, eliminating the need for an A/C adapter, making setup straightforward. An adjustable cooling fan with three speed settings lets you choose the optimal cooling level for your system.

What We Like
Supports multiple HDDs
Efficient cooling system
No A/C adapter needed
Adjustable fan speed settings
#TOP 10

OWC Mercury Elite Pro External Storage Enclosure

OWC
OWCMEP944FW8EU3
0TB Enclosure
OWC Mercury Elite Pro External Storage Enclosure Cover
OWC Mercury Elite Pro External Storage Enclosure with USB 3.2 (5Gb/s), eSATA, FireWire 800/400, Enclosure Kit

The OWC Mercury Elite Pro is a versatile external storage enclosure ideal for both Mac and PC users. It supports multiple connectivity options, including USB 3.1 Gen 1, eSATA, and FireWire 800/400, ensuring you can connect to a variety of devices easily. You'll need to provide a 3.5" SATA hard drive, allowing you to customise storage capacity to suit your needs. All necessary cables are included, making setup quick and hassle-free.

What We Like
Multiple connectivity options
Customisable with SATA hard drive
All cables included
Compatible with various devices
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you connect a hard drive through an eSATA port?

Any SATA drive should work on an eSATA port. If that doesn't work though, it's a simple matter of opening up your PC case and connecting the hard disk to your mobo SATA port...

2. Do hard drives need enclosures?

Protecting Your Drive: While hard drives require greater physical protection than SSDs, it makes sense to choose an enclosure that will offer as much protection as possible for whatever drive you use.

3. What is eSATA external hard drive?

eSATA is short for external Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA). eSATA external hard drive is a type of SATA interface hard drives. It is an extension to the Serial ATA standard that can enable the SATA drives to connect your computer externally.

Editor's Notes

During our esata hard drive enclosure research, we found 93 esata hard drive enclosure products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 5,592 customer reviews through our big data system to write the esata hard drive enclosures list. We found that most customers choose esata hard drive enclosures with an average price of £90.70.

The esata hard drive enclosures are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of esata hard drive enclosures, including StarTech.com, kenable, IO Crest, Vantec, cenmate.

Written by
Kenneth Collin Avatar

Kenneth Collin graduated from Imperial College, London, at 22. He is a UX/UI designer, a web developer, and a writer, amongst others. At age 14, Kenneth programmed his first app. Kenneth's app served as a remote control for censored devices. "When I was 8, I would pick up scraps from electronics and try to rebuild or at least fix them," Kenneth said in one of his recent articles on Home repairs for top gadgets.