An interesting solution which makes it possible to envisage the use of M.2 SSD as an “external storage unit”
Akasa is a manufacturer well known to all lovers of “docks”, these solutions which allow external use of components most often intended for internal use such as hard drives, but also SSDs in M.2 format.
Independent cloning
This is the case with the DuoDock MX, which comes in the form of a box that could not be more “compact” of 93 x 93 x 132 millimeters. All dressed in white, it is elegant but, downside aesthetics, it is accompanied by a fairly bulky power supply.
The dock itself consists of a base with two M.2 ports to accommodate NVMe SSDs and a kind of cover that seems mainly there to protect the storage units and prevent them from being inadvertently manipulated .
On the front of the DuoDock MX, there is a row of LEDs provided to transmit all the necessary information and a clone button. The idea here is to not even need a computer to copy content from one SSD to another, very quickly.
“Only” 10 Gbps
If it is only a question of cloning, the DuoDock MX simply needs to be connected to the mains. On the other hand, for a more “complete” use, it must be connected to a PC: a USB Type-C port is present for this purpose.
Alas, this USB-C port is also the main criticism of the DuoDock MX. Admittedly, it makes it possible to reach a theoretical speed of 10 Gbps thanks to its USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, but while USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) solutions are multiplying, we would have liked Akasa to get up to date.
However, we can assume that the manufacturer did not want to reach such speeds in order to limit the heating of the SSDs. A small fan is provided in the base of the dock, but it would probably have been necessary to place heatsinks on the M.2s as well.
The DuoDock MX is already available, at least in the United Kingdom where it is charged the trifle of 98 pounds, or more or less 115 euros.
Source : TechPowerUp
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