SilverStone MS12-40G SSD Enclosure @ TechPowerUp
TechPowerUp’s review of the SilverStone MS12-40G SSD enclosure highlights it as a USB4-capable external solution for M.2 NVMe drives with support for up to 40 Gbps theoretical bandwidth. The enclosure uses an ASMedia ASM2464PD controller that enables USB4 and Thunderbolt tunneling and PCIe 4×4 support on the downstream port, and its aluminum body doubles as a heatsink with an embedded 30 × 30 mm fan for active cooling. In performance testing, the MS12-40G consistently approaches the limits of USB4, delivering sequential speeds near the 40 Gbps mark, making it a strong performer for high-speed external storage when connected to compatible USB4 ports on modern motherboards. The bundle includes thermal pads, a USB-C cable and a screwdriver, and installation is straightforward though it requires unscrewing the top cover rather than sliding the enclosure open.
The new SilverStone MS12-40G is a compact and lightweight M.2 SSD enclosure featuring a 40 Gbps USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 interface with fan-based active cooling, letting you give an unused M.2 NVMe SSD a new lease of life as a formidable portable SSD.
However, the review also notes that the enclosure’s cooling is not entirely sufficient under sustained heavy loads. During prolonged stress testing with sequential reads and writes, the SSD inside reached temperatures around 85 °C and thermal throttling occurred on writes despite the fan and aluminum body, and the enclosure surface itself reached around 57 °C, indicating that heat management could have been better. The MS12-40G’s requirement to undo four screws for drive installation is a minor usability downside compared to tool-less designs on some competitors. Given its price point of around 119.90 USD, the reviewer suggests it is somewhat steep relative to other USB4 enclosures on the market, but concedes that its strong raw transfer rates are close to the interface’s limits, and SilverStone’s build quality remains respectable overall. The review ultimately sees the MS12-40G as a capable enclosure for users who want the fastest possible external NVMe performance, tempered by concerns about sustained thermals and value at its price.
Related Web URL: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/silverstone-ms1...
