CONCLUSION

   We used the ICYCube MB561U3S-4S R1 for a total of 11 days and just by checking our charts you can see that it clearly managed to outperform most of its competition and even surpassed the very good Black Vortex quad bay enclosure again by ICY DOCK (although for the most part they traded blows). Sure it may not look as good as the Black Vortex (well at least we like it more) and the 80mm fan may not be nearly as effective or as quiet as the 120mm one featured in the Black Vortex (its perforated enclosure does play a large role in that as well so it's not just the 120mm fan) but thanks to its more "standard" design it can fit better on most desks (whereas the Black Vortex not so much). For good or bad the MB561U3S-4S R1 doesn’t offer RAID and large modes so It does fall short on that and we expect that some potential buyers will look elsewhere because of that. On the other hand however the easy removable 80mm fan with its 3-speed controller and the EZ-trays partially make up for that.

   So how much does the ICYCube MB561U3S-4S R1 cost? Well currently you can find it for USD174.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 211Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which is almost 70% over the price of the Black Vortex. Of course the Black Vortex is a much simpler device since it has no drive trays, doesn’t support 2.5” models and the exterior is almost non-existent. Still it offers roughly the same performance levels as the ICYCube and ontop of that the 120mm fan (with the perforated enclosure) keeps the drives inside a lot colder. In the end it all comes down to what your needs are, personally I prefer the Black Vortex but I know many people who wouldn’t use it in their office because of its looks. At the end of the day the ICYCube is a good quad-bay external 2.5”/3.5” drive enclosure and that's why you should give it a chance if you're out in the market for one.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design
- Very Good Performance
- Four 2.5/3.5” EZ Trays
- USB 3.0 & eSATA Connectivity
- Removable 80mm Exhaust Fan
- 3 Speed Fan Controller
- Available In 2 Colors

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- JBOD Mode Only
- Noise At High Speed