Rocstor ROCPRO 900e Desktop Portable External Hard Drive

Usability

In use we found the ROCPRO 900e to be flawless. We tested all four connectivity options and while USB 3.0 was the fastest it was nice to be able to connect to eSATA or Firewire when USB 3.0 was not available.  This really came in handy allowing us to connect to the fastest interface available to us at the time. The included stand allows you to mount the ROCPRO 900e on its side for stability and a smaller footprint. As for the marketing claim of desktop and mobile for its target audience we find this a hard swallow. While the ROCPRO 900e is a portable hard drive and could be used with mobile devices, the weight, size, and power cord would make it much more difficult for mobile users than smaller devices. Indeed Rocstor offers smaller devices that would be a much better fit for mobile users. A full listing of their products can be seen here.

The ROCPRO 900e does come with a carry bag which will fit not only the drive itself but also the power cord and all of your cables. This makes the unit easier for traveling with but due to its weight we wouldn’t suggest trying to carry this around as your permanent mobile storage solution. The ROCPRO900E finds its best match on your desktop in a business or home setting.

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Testing:

As we mentioned above, we tested the ROCPRO 900e using all four interfaces. The results were as follows:

USB 3.0	USB 2.0	eSATA	Firewire 800

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As you can see USB 3.0 remains the fastest in terms of specifications. With eSATA, Firewire 800, and USB 2.0 trailing in that order. In real life use eSATA edges out the lead by a fraction. The CPU utilization as you can see is highest with USB, a factor many consumers don’t take into consideration. Compare eSATA and USB to see the difference. We do find it interesting that HD Tune believes that using this drive with USB 3.0 actually makes your CPU faster by 1%.  Obviously this is a problem with the program but other than that USB 3.0 still wins out in terms of widest flexibility and ease of use. If you co0mpare the benchmark numbers for eSATA and USB 3.0 you will see just how close they are. We believe this may be reaching the limitations of the drive and not the interface.

NOTE: We were unable to find an adequate testing program for the ROCPRO 900e to use with Firewire. Those programs we tested had issues with the latest OS and did not report the speed correctly. We will update this review when we are able to find an appropriate program.

Who This Drive is Right For?

Are you a power user who hates to wait for their data top copy or to read from a drive? Are you a consumer who intends to use this with a single computer but you want the ability to take it with you if the need arises? Want to be able to transfer data between computers in a mixed MAC/PC environment at the fastest possible rate? If you are then this might be the right device for you.

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Who This Drive is Wrong For?

If you are looking for cheap storage where speed and multiple connections are not important then this device is wrong for you. If you need a light portable device where storage capacity is not important then the ROCPRO 900e is not the right drive for you.  We suggest getting a WD Passport or small USB thumb drive as they are small, have a single interface, and are relatively cheap.

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 Conclusion

Overall we like the Rocstor ROCPRO 900e. Its multiple connection options give you the flexibility to use the fastest available connection in any situation. The enclosure keeps your drive cool and it comes with everything you need to be on the go even if it does tip the scales a bit. As you saw from our testing the ROCPRO is easily able to meet your needs in both storage capacity and speed and the lack of an external power brick that most of the full size externals come with will save you space and floor clutter.

We would like to see a Rocstor device with this much connectivity in a 2.5 form factor that is bus powered in the future. The ROCPRO 900e is currently the only device that Rocstor makes that has this level of connectivity. The ROCPRO 900e 1TB model can be found online ranging from $170 to $199 which is a bit pricy for a 1TB drive until you factor in its connectivity options and the accessories it comes with. As a one stop shop solution the ROCPRO 900e has it all, carry bag, cables, excellent construction, performance, and options. Considering it as an overall solution package the ROCPRO 900e is an excellent value and receives our TechwareLabs Silver Award.

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