This SSD enclosure has become one of my most-used laptop accessories – here’s why

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As a laptop reviewer, I regularly test accessories that enhance the user experience. Most of the time, these are docking stations or monitors. But I sometimes come across something completely different that changes the way I use a laptop. A case in point is the HyperDrive Next USB M.4 PCIe enclosure.

It’s an interesting device. This enclosure has one use: to house SSDs and PCIe modules for data storage. With the right component, it effectively becomes a fancy flash drive. One that ensures speedy file management and, according to the company, the capacity to house machine learning accelerators. 

Why we like it

By far my favorite aspect of the enclosure is its speed. The HyperDrive is built to deliver real-world performance for professionals who frequently work with large files. To see how the accessory performs, I ran a series of tests to measure its data transfer speed.

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For this scenario, I used the Acer Swift Edge 14 as the central computer. This laptop has a Thunderbolt 4 port off to the side. Inside the enclosure was a 4TB Samsung 9100 Pro NVMe M.2 SSD. The key numbers to watch for regarding file transfers are read speed, which measures how quickly a computer can access stored data, and write speed, which measures how quickly a computer can save new files. Once everything was set up, I ran these tests with CrystalDiskMark, an open-source benchmarking tool that evaluates solid-state drive performance.

With this setup, the Samsung SSD achieved read speeds of roughly 4,000 MB/s and write speeds of about 1,300 MB/s. Those are great numbers. Accessing files felt instantaneous. It took no time at all to open the movie I stored inside the drive. The read speed also shows that the enclosure isn’t restricting the drive. It’s making full use of the Thunderbolt connection. Writing large files is equally impressive, letting users save big files fast.

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To put the write speed into perspective, here are real-world file transfers that I performed. These numbers show that the HyperDrive enclosure supports fast large-file transfers, whether they’re movies, video games, or multi-gigabyte media libraries:

• 10GB movie: 25 seconds
• 20GB movie: 50 seconds
• 22GB movie: 52 seconds
• 98GB video game: Four minutes and nine seconds
• 50GB Google Takeout files: One minute and 36 seconds

Something to keep in mind is that performance can vary. It depends on certain factors. For example, if your laptop has a Thunderbolt 5 port, you can expect even faster speeds.

The enclosure has a pretty cool design, too, combining a sleek aluminum form factor with rugged durability. When placed in its silicone sleeve, the accessory achieves an IP55 rating, protecting against dust and small splashes of water. Along the enclosure body are a series of ridges. These increase the overall surface area, helping to release heat into the air. Customers also receive thermal pads that sit on top of the SSD to absorb more heat.

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Installation is very straightforward. Pop open the top, then slide the SSD or PCIe module into the receiving slot until it clicks into place.

Who the drive is for

Typically, SSDs like the Samsung 9100 Pro need to be installed in a PC to be used. This enclosure effectively turns that drive into a USB stick, like the kind you buy at an electronics store. HyperDrive’s accessory is meant for professionals who own high-capacity, high-speed storage and need a way to utilize it. I recommend the device to videographers, content creators, AI developers, and even multimedia archivists looking to put their SSD stick to good use.

The enclosure supports multiple M.2 sizes, including 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280. On the front, the HyperDrive Next features two Thunderbolt ports: one for data transfer and one for external power-in. Certain high-performance NVMe SSDs may require an external power source to maintain peak read and write speeds.

Using the second port doesn’t boost speeds. I tried this approach, and the enclosure maintained the same high speeds mentioned earlier. If you need the extra input, it’s there, but from my experience, it’s not essential.

Who should look elsewhere?

The HyperDrive enclosure is not for the average user. By itself, it does nothing. You’ll need an NVMe SSD to make it work, and at the time of writing, average SSD prices have shot up. The 4TB Samsung 9100 Pro that I used for testing currently costs over $780. Granted, there are plenty of SSDs on sale that are much cheaper than the 9100 Pro. Still, you will need to pay extra.

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For most people, I recommend sticking to a basic flash drive, external hard drive, or cloud storage to manage files. The HyperDrive is a premium accessory built for power users.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The HyperDrive Next USB4 M.2 PCIe enclosure is on sale for $200. Buyers should carefully check system compatibility before purchasing. A key limitation is that it requires a computer with a Thunderbolt 4 port (Thunderbolt 5 is fine). Without this port, the enclosure will not work. This limitation applies to both Windows 11 PCs, Macs, and iPads — yes, the accessory works with iPads.

If you’re planning to use this accessory with Apple hardware, make sure your Mac is running MacOS 12.4 or later, and your iPad is running iPadOS 13.4 or later.