The most important feature for any component in mobile computing is clearly size, since every product in the category is designed specifically with portability in mind. When it comes to portable 2.5-inch drive enclosures -- an increasingly important product segment, considering the vast amount of multimedia data notebook users often tote around -- speed comes in a close second, and durability, a distant third (you're not going to be playing football with your precious data, but you don't want it to fail to survive your next business trip). Other features such as noise isolation and finish quality are nice, but not really needed.

But now, Vantec looks to pass all these criteria in its latest portable enclosure, the NexStar 3 External SATA/USB 2.0 enclosure.

Sporting both eSATA ("external SATA") and USB 2.0 interfaces, the NexStar 3 (a revamped version of existing USB 2.0-only models) already has a leg up its older siblings by virtue of a second, far faster interface option. Concerning USB performance, Vantec had already set the bar so high with its NexStar GX desktop enclosure, that even the same company hasn't been able to match it since. Will the NexStar 3 be the product to finally top Vantec's own high-performance reputation? Can it further deliver high quality at a low enough price to meet SysOpt's high-value demands?