Got a spare mSATA SSD lying around? This case from VisionTek will let you put it to use again

By Konrad Krawczyk Published April 24, 2014

Do you have a spare mSATA SSD lying around that has started to accumulate some cobwebs? VisionTek, a PC hardware firm best known for making graphics cards, has released an external mSATA SSD case that may give you a good excuse to brush those ‘webs off for good.

The case, dubbed the “mSATA mini USB 3.0 Bus-Powered SSD Enclosure (900696),” might not be graced with a memorable name, but for $30, it’ll breathe new life into any dormant mSATA solid state drives you have sitting around.

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For starters, the VisionTek mSATA SSD case is powered by USB 3.0 (as the name suggests), and includes a USB 3.0 cable to go along with the shell. The case itself is made of aluminum that the company claims is scratch resistant. Also, there’s no power adapter weighing it down: the case gets its juice from and shuttles data via USB 3.0.

In order to slide your mSATA SSD into the case, you will need to separate a couple of screws from the shell. However, VisionTek also includes a mini screwdriver with the case, so you’ll be ready to go out of the box. As you might expect, the VisionTek mSATA mini USB 3.0 Bus-Powered SSD Enclosure (900696) is tiny, sporting dimensions of 2.91 x 1.65 x 0.51 inches, and weighs only 0.3 ounces when empty.

The case is compatible with Windows XP and up, Mac OS X 10.4 and up, as well as Linux. It’s also a plug-and-play device, so there’s no need to install any drivers to get up and running. Just unscrew the appropriate screws, slot in your mSATA SSD, close it up, and plug it into your Mac/PC.

The VisionTek mSATA mini USB 3.0 Bus-Powered SSD Enclosure (900696) retails for $29.99 directly from the company’s site.

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Computing Editor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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