Akitio NT2 U3.1C 2-Bay USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C RAID Enclosure NT2C-U31AA with 20TB HDD
Overview :
Designed to house two 3.5” SATA drives, this compact RAID storage enclosure makes it easy to either increase your storage capacity, backup your data or create a high-performance storage volume for video editing. The USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface assures super-fast transfer rates of up to 10Gbps and with the USB-C connector, the NT2 U31C is compatible with USB 3.1 as well as Thunderbolt 3 computers.
- Configurable hardware RAID controller (Non-RAID, RAID 0, RAID 1, SPAN)
- SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (USB 3.1 Gen 2) interface
- Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C computers
- Supports Universal Attached SCSI Protocol (UASP)
- Backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
- Extremely compact dual-bay design for two 3.5″ drives
- Active cooling fan
- Security lock slot
SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (USB 3.1 Gen 2)
By incorporating the latest SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (USB 3.1 Gen 2) technology, the NT2 U31C is able to deliver up to twice the speed of the USB 3.1 Gen 1 and the older USB 3.0 devices. The USB-C connection is compatible with both USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 computers. At the same time, when using the included USB-C to USB Type A adapter cable, the device is still backwards compatible with the widely used USB 3.0 and even USB 2.0 technology.
Compact Dual-Bay Design
This dual-bay storage enclosure is designed to house up to two 3.5-inch SATA drives with the option to create a RAID set according to your own preferences. The small footprint makes this the ideal storage expansion for your crowded desktop.
Hardware RAID Controller
Utilizing the built-in hardware RAID controller, you can mirror the drives as a reliable backup for your important data, stripe the drives for optimal disk speeds or you can combine the drives for a large storage volume. Setting it to Non-RAID, the drives can be seen and managed as two individual disks.
Benchmark
Results will vary depending on the test environment and the drives but in order to really experience the faster transfer rates of the USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface at speeds of up to 10Gbps, it’s necessary to install two SSDs and create a striped RAID set.
For traditional 3.5″ hard disk drives, the transfer rate is limited by the disk itself. Depending on the RPM, the maximum disk speed is around 100-200 MB/s. Even when using RAID 0, the transfer rate is limited by the disk speed to around 400 MB/s, no matter if the device is connected to a USB 3.0 computer at 5Gbps or a USB 3.1 Gen 2 computer at 10Gbps.
Even though the NT2 U31C storage enclosure is not designed for the smaller 2.5″ drives, it’s still possible to install and use SSDs with a 2.5″ to 3.5″ drive adapter like the Neutrino Bridge for example.
When the device is connected to a USB 3.0 computer at 5Gbps, the transfer rate is limited by the USB interface to around 400 MB/s. When it’s connected to a USB 3.1 Gen 2 computer or a Thunderbolt 3 computer, the SSDs can run at full SATA 6Gb/s speed and deliver around 500 MB/s or around 800-900 MB/s when striped in a RAID 0 set.
Specification :
| Model | NT2 U3.1C |
| Part No. | NT2C-U31AA with 20TB HDD (10TB x 2) |
| Certifications | CE |
| FCC | |
| VCCI | |
| RCM | |
| BSMI | |
| Warranty | 2-year limited warranty |
| Case material | High quality aluminum housing |
| Application | Up to two 3.5″ SATA hard disk drives |
| Capacity 80GB – 12TB per HDD | |
| For RAID 0 & 1, two hard drives of identical capacity are recommended | |
| RAID mode | Non-RAID |
| RAID 0 striping | |
| RAID 1 mirroring | |
| SPAN | |
| Interface/Ports | 1x USB-C port supporting USB 3.1 Gen 2 (backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0) |
| Data transfer | USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10Gbps |
| USB 3.1 Gen 1 up to 5Gbps | |
| System requirements (PC) | Windows 7 or above |
| Computer with USB Type-C connector or otherwise the USB-C to USB Type A adapter cable is required | |
| System requirements (Mac) | macOS 10.12.4 or above |
| Computer with USB Type-C connector or otherwise the USB-C to USB Type A adapter cable is required | |
| System environment | Operating Temperature: 5°C ~ 35°C |
| Storage Temperature: -20°C ~ 60°C | |
| Relative Humidity: 5% ~ 95% (non-condensing) | |
| Power supply | External power supply (UL, cUL, CE, TUV approved) |
| Input: AC 100-240V, 50-60Hz | |
| Output: DC 12V/3A | |
| Fan noise level | 10.8 dB(A) |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 7.2 inches x 4.8 inches x 3.2 inches |
| 18.2cm x 12.3cm x 8.1cm | |
| Package contents | NT2 U31C storage enclosure |
| USB 3.1 Gen 2 cable (1m, USB-C to USB-C) | |
| USB 3.1 Gen 2 cable (1m, USB-C to USB Type A) | |
| Power adapter | |
| Setup guide | |
| Carton/Packing | Retail Box Size: 10.6 x 8.8 x 5.1 in. (27 x 22.4 x 13 cm) |
| Carton Size (6pcs per carton): 22.4 x 16.5 x 9.8 in. (57 x 42 x 25 cm) | |
| Remarks | This product is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 but for best performance, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 host is recommended. The USB-C to USB Type-A adapter cable is included. |
| This product is not compatible with the Surface Pro 3. |
