WiebeTech releases ToughTech mini pocket drives

WiebeTech has released two ToughTech mini pocket drive enclosures, both designed to fit 2.5-inch SATA drives. The aluminum housing is a scaled-down version of the larger ToughTech devices for 3.5-inch drives. ToughMount anti-shock protection is used to absorb shock and reduce noise. The mini enclosures feature the Oxford-924 chipset that is claimed to optimize data transfer speeds using either FireWire or USB 2.0 connections.

Both enclosures feature one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, while the FS mini has two additional FireWire 400 ports, and the XE mini provides two backwards-compatible FireWire 800 ports.

The ToughTech mini drive enclosures can be purchased directly from the company, either empty or with an installed drive. The plain FS enclosure is priced at $80; pre-installed drive options range from a 160GB 5,400RPM HDD model for $165, to a 320GB 7,200RPM package for $325. The XE mini enclosure can be obtained for $120, while the 160GB 5,400RPM option costs $205 and the 320GB 7200RPM bundle carries a price of $365.

The ToughTech mini drive enclosure can also be purchased at Buy.com for $75.24.