INTRODUCTION

   Even though USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1 - 5Gbit/s) is probably the most popular external drive connectivity right now due to the fact that most motherboards released in the last decade or so have it there are faster ones aimed towards professionals and enthusiasts. I am of course referring to USB 3.2 Gen 1x2, 2x2 and Thunderbolt 3 which can reach theoretical speeds of up to 10Gbps, 20Gbps and 40Gbps respectively. Certainly, as many of you already know USB 4.0 (or USB4) is pretty much right around the corner and since it's also based on the Thunderbolt 3 standard you can expect it to deliver similar speeds of up to 40Gbps. For now, however Thunderbolt 3 products seem to be the "safest" choice and one such product is the latest TB2-T3 NVME SSD External Enclosure by Yottamaster.

   Yottamaster is a professional high-end storage brand, that aims to provide professional-grade storage solution for individuals, small and medium enterprises worldwide.

   The TB2-T3 External SSD Enclosure is part of Yottamaster's Y-Cube series line of products and features a rather compact anodized aluminum enclosure which houses an PCIe 3x4 M.2 NVMe (2280 B/M-key form factor) slot based on a electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) PCB. The Intel JHL6340 Thunderbolt 3 controller (Intel certified) used for this specific model can support speeds of up to 40Gbps and is also compatible with USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1x2 controllers. Thanks to a piece of copper foil paired with heat-dissipating silicone the aluminum body of the TB2-T3-GY acts as a passive cooler (heatspreader) which can keep the temperatures of any M.2 SSD in check. So, time to see what the Yottamaster TB2-T3 is all about.