Kingwin DM-2535U3 Dock Master Review

Introduction:

Portable hard drives have always been a popular concept among computer power-users and casual users alike. For a while the only viable means to achieve portability with a hard drive was to either buy a pre-built external hard drive or throw an existing hard drive in a special enclosure. Hard drive docks however are a fairly new phenomenon. Taking a bare hard drive and sliding it into a simple dock for quick hot-swap connections is a very desirable concept. Recent docks have used USB 2.0, eSATA, or a combination of the two for convenience.

Kingwin, who is best known for their power supplies, and general case & computer accessories, have been producing hard drive docks since the beginning of the trend. Today with the release of the higher-bandwidth USB 3.0, Kingwin has updated their docking station line with the Dockmaster DM-2535U3. The advantage to USB 3.0 is its backwards compatibility with any previous USB standard along with its new, higher bandwidth connection. The Kingwin Dockmaster DM-2535U3 is attributed with having high data transfer rates and a simple plug and play experience, let’s see if it lives up to its hype.

Closer Look:

The Kingwin Dockmaster comes in a fairly hefty cardboard box that should protect it from any shipping and handling damage. On the front you get a basic list of features and a clear picture of the dock itself. Around the back you get more views of the dock, and a detailed list of features and specifications.

Opened up, the box is divided into two sections; the dock and the accessories box. The dock itself is wrapped in plastic to keep it scratch and scuff free until you open it. Inside the accessories box you’ll find a USB 3.0 cable, manual and AC Adapter.

With the packaging and accessories out of the way we’ll move on to the dock itself.