ROG Strix Arion S500 M.2 External SSD, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 10Gbps, 500 GB capacity, USB-C to C Cable, Thermal Pads, 256-bit AES encryption, NTI Backup Now EZ software, ASUS Aura Sync

I bought this to make a fast external for my MacBook Pro. Looks great, the RGB is a nice touch and the default preset looks good so no need to install the Asus software to sync it if you don't want to. Build quality is great and feels very solid.The included sim tray tool for opening it makes this simple to take apart. One issue I did run into initially was that I couldn't close the door after installing the M.2 card. Finally figured to that there is a groove running horizontally around the middle of the thumbscrew that attaches the drive to the case. You need to line that up with the semi circular groove at the back of the M.2 and then screw it down, otherwise the screw is sitting too high (hence why I couldn't close the door. Once I'd figured that out installation was a doddle.Speeds are good, what I'd expect from the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface and works on both Mac and Windows.For reference I'm using a Samsung PM961 512GB SSD.It's a bit pricier than some of the enclosures out there but it is from a respected manufacturer, very well built and unique looking. Well worth the money.

this is the first SSD enclosure i have purchased and i am very pleased with it so far. it goes nicely with my other ROG products and works well with the ROG Ally. i am only using it to store more games so i do not have to re-download them every time i want to play something different. i have paired it with the western digital black 2tb and so far all is working nicely. i love the look of it and the case itself is very well made and has a sturdy feel to it and who doesn't love a bit of aura sync?! it also comes with a protective bumper and R hook so you can add it to your bag without loosing it. and lastly it has 2 usb cables (usb c to usb c and usb A to usb C) overall this is another great product from ASUS ROG.

This thing is the perfect enclosure to me. It's rugged and the overall build quality is superb! Speeds are awesome too and the inclusion of rgb lighting is a really nice touch. Thank you!

Solid Build Quality, easy to install, it’s made from solid metal, feels solid in hand and it should take some punishment if dropped or knocked. The ssd touches the heat sink, which then moves the heat on to the metal case so it should keep lovely and cool. I brought many cheap Chinese ssd cases and they were poor and caused issues so when I saw there was an offer on the ASUS brought it. For ssd cases you need quality and ease of use, most of the Chinese ones comes with a single piece of silicon to hold the ssd in place (not screws) ASUS has a turn bolt to fasten it in with ease and keep the ssd in place. I went for a WD Black M2, my second choice would have been a Samsung M2, both good ssd brands that are reliable.

So I should clarify, I bought this because firstly, I recently upgraded my NVME SSD to a 1TB drive, and secondly, I lost my windows/ubuntu installation boot drive. So I had a spare NVME SSD and a decent use for it. I basically thought I was spending like £20 on some LEDs, and that didn't turn out to be entirely true.Runs cool: This enclosure comes with some decent thermal pads, and the enclosure itself being aluminium leads to this dissipating heat really well, most likely a lot better than some of the cheaper options (The only other enclosure I could find with an equal spec to this didnt have pads, but for some reason had a like 1cm fan? This is very likely much better).Pretty durable: Solid, thick aluminium construction, and comes with a sort of rubber bumper that you can attach to it to keep it secure and prevent blemishes and damage from shocks and drops. Although, saying that, this thing is solid, I'm sure if it hits anything it won't be the thing that gets hurt. It does come with a cheap velcro/plastic carabiner, but I don't think this is rated for any meaningful water resistance, so please don't use that or attach it externally.Super compatible: This thing, unlike some of the other enclosures I was looking at, supports both NVME and SATA M.2 drives, and with all combinations of B+M keys, meaning chances are, it'll fit what you have, and still be useful when you want to replace the drive inside with a better/bigger/faster one. It also supports all M.2 drive sizes (That I am aware of), and also comes with a USB 3.2 USB to USB-C cable, and a USB-C to USB-C cable, which makes it able to connect to pretty much anything.Actually incredibly fast: Most of the drive enclosures that are a lot cheaper than this are only USB 3.1, or even 3.0. This thing is the highest spec it could really be right now, and for the price to spec, I don't think this is unreasonably more than anything else out there.Looks good: I honestly probably could have saved £10 by getting a similar spec enclosure, but not one that I'm happy to leave out on my desk, or enjoy looking at. The Aura sync stuff is alright in itself, but those that have ASUS machines will probably find it seamless and nice, and the LED itself is a nice, more obvious indicator that it's plugged in and receiving power correctly. The black, textured, enclosure is smooth and nice to hold, and pretty scratch/blemish proof.I have a single complaint; the "ROD STRIX ARION" writing on it is red. Really, out the box, it kind of mismatches with the RGB that its configured with, and I would have liked the option to turn the light white and have no colour on it at all, and some people might be particular about it matching their non red-black system. This is a tiny complaint though, and it probably still looks better than other enclosures out there.