INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Tablets and large smartphones (some even look like tablets) have taken a very large share of the market and according to analysts that number will increase many times over in the following years. Personally i use smartphones as intended and that's just for calls, checking my emails and surfing the web when i have no other choice and as for tablets well i don't really like using them that much and in all likelihood that will not change until manufacturers actually make tablets powerful enough to compete with laptops. Still laptops, tablets and smartphones alike use Wi-Fi connectivity and due to the limited storage capacity of the last two (tablets/smartphones) and the increasing data storage needs it was just a matter of time before someone introduced a Wi-Fi enabled external HDD enclosure in the market (much like the Kingston Wi-Drive but quite cheaper in regards to $/GB). Well Patriot did exactly that and so today we will be testing their GAUNTLET NODE Wireless Enclosure for 2.5" HDD/SSD.

 

   Established in 1985, Patriot Memory builds a full range of memory module and flash memory products, offering a perfect blend of quality and value. Patriot products include Extreme Performance (EP), Signature Lines (SL) and Flash Memory solutions (FM). Commitment, focus on innovation in technology, product quality, and customer satisfaction are the key enablers of our future success. Patriot's development and manufacturing facility are located in Fremont, California USA and Taipei, Taiwan. Our manufacturing segment is composed of a highly skilled production staff and multiple production lines optimized for modules, giving Patriot the ability and resources necessary to provide a full line of memory module solutions. We understand the value of designing and responding quickly and intelligently to the rapid changes inherent in the memory module industry. This commitment to R&D enables us to deliver the best quality memory modules powered by the latest innovative technology.

  

   Patriot currently has two Gauntlet Node versions available in the market, the standalone version which you can use with an 2.5" HDD/SSD of your choice (and which we have here today) and one fitted with an 320GB 5400RPM HDD. The Gauntlet Node also features both USB 3.0 and 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n connectivity so even if you don't wish to use it all the time with the WiFi turned on you can still use it via USB. Unlike normal USB usage however in order to use the device via WiFi you need to own an iOS/Android compatible device (Kindle Fire included) and install the Patriot Connect app available through App Store, Google Play and Amazon Apps something which actually simplifies things a lot. Patriot also claims that you can connect the GAUNTLET NODE to a total of 8 different devices something which sounds quite amazing although the real question is to how many devices you can simultaneously stream HD media at. Another great feature is the built-in rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery which gives the GAUNTLET NODE autonomy for a total of up to 5.5 hours (of course you can also use it while plugged into the power socket). So let's see whether or not the GAUNTLET NODE delivers on all the things it claims.

 

  

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much like most external HDD enclosures the Gauntlet Node arrived inside a small box with a product picture, its main features and the App Store and Google Play logos at the front.

 

 

Pretty much every available feature is listed on the two sides of the box.

 

 

 

A few words about the product along with the specifications list and the bundle contents are placed at the rear.

 

 

 

The Gauntlet Node is safely placed inside the box with the rest of the bundle right beneath it.

 

 

Aside the Gauntlet Node wireless enclosure inside the package you will also find an USB wall power adapter, 2 power tips (EU/UK), micro USB to DC power cable, USB to Micro USB cable, installation guide, quickstart guide and several mounting screws and spacers.

 

 

  

THE GAUNTLET NODE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Size-wise the Gauntlet Node is quite small measuring just 139mm in length, 24.4mm in height and 86.2mm in width.

 

 

We placed the Gauntlet Node right next to an 2.5" HDD to show everyone just how small it is.

 

 

At the top of the drive we see 3 activity LEDs, one for the battery (when it needs to be recharged), one for the WiFi (whether it's on/off) and one for the power (On/Off).

 

 

The USB 3.0 host port, power on/off button and the DC power input are all placed at the right side.

 

 

A very convenient battery life meter is placed at the front of the device.

 

 

The product serial number, barcode and MAC address are placed on a small sticker on the belly of the device.

 

 

The Gauntlet Node opens very easily, just slide the base towards the front and that's it (until you secure it with screws).

 

 

To install the HDD/SSD you just need to use the screws and the rubber covers found in the bundle.

 

 

When you turn the Gauntlet Node on the WiFi turns on as well (unless it detects a USB connection).

 

 

  

PATRIOT CONNECT APP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Patriot Connect app is very easy to use, just download it from your iOS/Android/Kindle Fire device and run it.

From the Status screen you can check the host name, workgroup name, firmware version and the total/remaining HDD/SSD space available (we used two drives during testing, a WD Scorpio Black 160GB and the Hitachi 7k750).

 

 

Under the System Tab you can change the host/workgroup names and also perform firmware upgrades.

 

 

The broadcasted SSID and the Samba account details can be edited from the Wireless Settings tab.

 

 

You can set the current security mode in the Security settings.

 

 

Downloading files from the Gauntlet Node to your smartphone or tablet is very easy as is deleting them from the main menu.

 

 

We used mov and mp4 files (lightly encoded ones) with the Gauntlet Node and although we had no issue with 720p ones we couldn't play quite a few 1080p ones (the ones we did froze a lot).

 

 

  

TEST BED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TESTING METHODOLOGY

 

     Keeping things simple so even people new in the field of computers can understand will always be our way so once again our testing procedure is almost exactly the same as the one we use with 2.5/3.5" external docking stations. This time however we will be comparing the product at hand with a wide range of 2.5" portable drives and standalone 2.5" enclosures all of which were benched using a HGST 7K750 SATA II hard disk drive. Our standard selection of benchmark suites is used here as well including the famous HD Tach RW (Long Bench 32mb Zones), HD Tune Pro (read/write -when possible- speeds), Sisoftware Sandra Pro (Read/Write - also when possible- speeds), AIDA64 (Linear Read/Random Read), Crystal Disk Mark x64 (100MB/1000MB read/write speeds) and finally the quite outdated yet highly reliable ATTO 2.47 (Max Read/Max Write speeds). Every test was repeated for a total of 6 times and after that the average (not peak) numbers were recorded into our charts. As always every test was performed in a fresh installation of Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 with every update installed up to March 8th 2013.

 

 

 TEST RESULTS - AIDA64 / ATTO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 TEST RESULTS - HD TACH RW / HD TUNE PRO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

TEST RESULTS - SISOFTWARE SANDRA PRO / CRYSTAL DISK MARK X64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

TEST RESULTS - TEMPERATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

CONCLUSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   The Patriot Gauntlet Node may not be as small and as good looking as the Wi-Drive by Kingston but at the end of the day it offers more for less and that's what matters to most people, especially those on a budget. So instead of a fixed capacity the Gauntlet Node allows you to add your own 2.5" HDD/SSD up to 2TB and thus giving you enough space to store everything you'd ever want to share with all your iOS/Android/Kindle Fire compatible devices. Unfortunately although the Gauntlet Node can simultaneously connect with up to 8 devices it can't really stream HD content on them all so the best we managed to achieve during testing was streaming 720p clips (4500Kbps bitrate) to a total of 3 devices (two android smartphones and one android based tablet). Whenever we tried to do the same with a 4th (Apple iPhone4) things got extremely slow to a point which we couldn't watch anything (however bitrate also matters quite a bit so you should be able to stream extremely light 720p media or SD media to the advertised 5). Now according to Patriot the Gauntlet Node has a battery life of up to 5.5 hours and they are almost on the spot since after 2 full recharges we were able to use it for slightly over 5 hours continuously. USB 3.0 speeds are also a plus since the Gauntlet Node obviously has nothing to fear in that area from dedicated USB 3.0 enclosures.

 

   At this exact moment in time the standalone Patriot Gauntlet Node retails for USD94.99 inside the USA (Amazon) and at around 95Euros inside the EU which is not at all bad for a wireless HDD enclosure that can also be used as a quite fast USB 3.0 enclosure. Of course what really makes the Gauntlet Node special is neither its WiFi connectivity nor its very good USB 3.0 speeds but rather the fact that it offers up to 2TB of space (even more later on) something which for example the Wi-Drive can't. And then there's the price and so pairing an 2TB 2.5" HDD and the Gauntlet Node shouldn't take you over USD300/270Euros which is a bargain always compared to the USD160/150Euros of the Wi-Drive 128GB. Personally i think that the best combo would be the Wi-Drive with 2TB of space and the price of the Gauntlet Node (with the 2TB HDD) but we are quite a few years away from that being even remotely possible and so for now we award the Gauntlet Node by Patriot with our Golden Award based on everything mentioned in this conclusion.

 

PROS

- Build Quality
- Size
- Wi-Fi Enabled
- USB 3.0 Speeds
- Up To 2TB (Should Be Compatible With Larger Capacity Drives In The Future)
- Up To 5 Devices Simultaneous SD/HD Media Streaming (Not Heavy HD Files)
- Up To 8 Devices Simultaneous Connection
- Battery Life
- Price 

 

 

CONS

- IOS/Android/Kindle Fire Compatible Only
- MP4 1080p  Media Playback