2.5" External box Zalman ZM-VE350 is an affordable and multifunctional solution. The manufacturer took into account all the nuances and created the perfect device. The case is black, it is made of metal and has a pleasant texture, durable construction. There is a liquid crystal display, it will be especially useful when using the model as virtual drive.
Zalman ZM-VE350 comes with an extended package. Along with the device, the owner receives a screwdriver to install the disc into the box. Comes with a comfortable and high quality case USB cable, screws.
An important feature will be compatibility with Windows and Mac OS operating systems. There will be no problems when connecting, the model is suitable for all users. The USB 3.0 interface allows you to copy large amounts of information in a short time.
Boxing has compact dimensions, it can easily fit into any bag and is easy to transport. The user will be able to independently create an external hard drive, just select the appropriate module and install it in a dedicated compartment.
It quickly became one of the most needed and useful devices. The owners of such boxes will understand me, you get used to good things quickly.
Soon after the purchase, bootable flash drives were almost a thing of the past, to the BootCDs that had gone there earlier and the almost forgotten floppy disks. It seemed that the question of the best device for OS installations and other actions related to booting from an external drive would not arise for a long time. But not even a year later appeared ZM-VE300 from the same manufacturer. Although I have not come across computers with USB 3.0 ports before ( I know that it's not the first year they've been produced), could not help but take the opportunity to evaluate the VE300.
Appearance and equipment are almost the same as the predecessor. The aluminum case itself is identical, only on the upper part connected to the disk, instead of the write protection switch, there is a Backup button, and instead of the Mini USB_B and eSATA sockets, there is one USB 3.0 Micro_B.
Complete with ZM-VE300 USB 3.0 A - USB 3.0 Micro_B cable, CD with software, short instruction on English language and a "microscrewdriver with microbolts".
The screen is the same as on the ZM-VE200, but instead of constantly displaying the disk temperature, it shows the connection mode.
The temperature can be viewed by selecting the view SMART parameters from the menu (there is only the temperature and the state of the drive, "good" in my case). In general, the menu is more extensive than it was before.
First of all, of course, we were interested in write / read speeds, for comparison with the previous model.
For tests, the following system was assembled:
The disk was one third full. different files, tests were performed by the ATTO Disk Benchmark utility.
ZM-VE300 connected via USB 2.0 port and through USB 3.0.
ZM-VE200 connected via USB 2.0 port and through eSATA.
Somewhat unexpected was the difference in the speed of data exchange with the VE300 and VE200 connected to the same USB port 2.0, with the same hard drive.
The difference between USB 3.0 and eSATA seems to be insignificant, but here we should not forget about some things:
* eSATA on the VE200 is not powered, so a USB cable is also required. The most annoying thing is that you cannot boot a computer from a virtual image via eSATA, it is only for copying files.
* USB 3.0 requires drivers to boot, which are not present in every liveCD image. Even if the image itself loads, there will be no access to the disk itself in Zalmane. Therefore, these drivers have to be either integrated into the image in advance, or loaded along the way.
With drivers available, downloading/installing/operating via USB 3.0 is very fast. The feeling is as if you are working with the internal disk of the computer and not with the external one via USB. Even large, wim images load in seconds. Windows installation 8 happens in a few minutes ( did not notice but it seems no more than ten). Working with Knoppix DVD is a real pleasure.
The utility is included in the product kit and can be downloaded from the official Zalman website / and did so due to the lack of a drive. From there you can also download the manual in .pdf format and the latest firmware that are being flashed, in contrast to slipping the iso file into the VE200, directly from Windows by executing the exe file.
The main window of the BackupUtility launched from the tray or by pressing a button on the case.
To work with the Backup Utility program, it must be installed in Windows computer to which the VE300 will connect. The Backup button on the device calls exactly this program. And that means the program must be running with administrator rights. If in the Backup settings you specify the contents of which folder of the host OS where to back up on Zalman, and set Automatic backup to ON, then copying should occur without a window appearing.
Actually, I'm a little disappointed by the need to pre-install the utility on the host OS. I wanted to save a client bank from the chief accountant quietly, bummer :).
The most noteworthy, in my opinion, button is Virtual HDD. In the window that opens, you can create images of floppy disks (*.ima), flash drives (*.rmd) and partitions or full hard drives (*.dsk). These virtual disks can then be mounted with Zalman by selecting them in the "_ISO" folder.
You can work with mounted virtual disks in the same way as with ordinary ones, that is, write files to them, partition them, format them in any file systems, make them bootable... I experimented with everything using Paragon Partition Manager.
From bootable images, you can boot your computer by selecting in BIOS Setup or boot menu corresponding device. Those. USB-FDD for *.ima, USB-ZIP for *.rmd or USB-HDD for *.dsk. Although there may be conflicts.
Interestingly, once a non-CD/DVD/Bluray disc image is mounted, the physical Zalman disc itself becomes read-only.
On the screenshot:
*Disk 1 (I)- "virtual HDD partition", file.dsk
*Disc 2 (H)- "virtual flash drive", file.rmd
*Disk 3 (Q)- "main drive" Zalman
*CD-ROM 0 (F)- "virtual BD-ROM", file.iso
After working with the ZM-VE300 for several days, I hastened to return it to the owner. Enough for me. Too addictive thing, while the VE200 is not fed up. And USB 3.0 is rare these days. In other words, I don't need to. Now there is already a desire :) but still victorious. I think the high price is justified, let Zalman weld while competitors click their beaks, his right.
Today we would like to present to your attention outer box Zalman ZM-SHE350 with function digital password to access the hard drive. This compact solution allows you to protect your data and make it easier for you to work with personal data. Great price, nice design, compact size, all this allows you to get the attention of buyers. Let's get to know the device a little closer and proceed to the review.
We recently came across a very interesting Zalman ZM-SHE350 device. This is an external case that looks like an access intercom, but in fact its function is completely different - to protect your data on the HDD. How does this happen? Everything is very simple, but before considering the functions and operation of the device, let's get acquainted with the package and external design.
The device comes with everything you need for full-fledged work. small additional bonuses, as a cover and a special rubber insert to increase the width of the HDD, if necessary, I cannot but please my customers.
The main control buttons are located on the front of the device: numbers from 0 to 9, the "Lock" button and the "Enter" button. Here, a little towers from the buttons, are indicator lights, and opposite them information of their designations.
On the top edge is a micro USB connector. There are no controls on the other faces.
The back cover opens. Under it is a connector for a 2.5-inch SATA drive. The thickness of which should not exceed 9.5 mm. If the disc is thinner, you can use a special rubber insert that allows you to get the required thickness.
Of the minuses, it should be noted that the back cover is not protected from opening in any way. That is, anyone can open it. In other words, if with the help of Zalman ZM-SHE350 you can protect information from being transferred to other PCs or laptops, then you cannot protect your hard drive inside the Zalman ZM-SHE350.
After connecting the device for the first time, you will need to go through a few simple steps. The beauty is that there is a small information panel above the panel with numbers, where certain actions are prescribed, you just have to do the one next to which the indicator light will light up.
The first step is to come up with a password. Next, you need to confirm it, after which, using given password you will be able to share this hard drive. Don't forget to initialize, partition and format your HDD for normal use and recording through your operating system. How to do this process, you can find out with the help of the instruction book, everything is described in detail and clearly. In short, the following steps need to be taken:
Plus, to all this, it should be added that the Zalman ZM-SHE350 can be connected to any device that has a USB host and play your media files through it. What happens if your Zalman ZM-SHE350 is somehow stolen from you important information? If the attacker does not know the password, then he will not be able to get your information. Yes, you can pull out the hard drive and connect it to the computer directly, but there is a small nuance, this will not work, your PC simply will not see the hard drive, and therefore will not be able to show the information that is inside. The PC will detect that a device has connected to it and install the necessary drivers on it, but it will not allow you to use this disk. Agree, very convenient and practical.
Where does this security come from, you ask? The answer is simple, Zalman ZM-SHE350 uses AES 256 encryption, which allows you to completely secure your data on your hard drive. But there is another side to this chip, if for some incomprehensible reason you forgot the password that was set on the device, then you will not be able to recover the password without losing all the data on the hard drive. Yes, you can contact service center companies, however, even if they help you there, all the same, the data that you wrote to the HDD will be erased.
Today on the market you can find a large number of external fixtures or cases/boxes for hard drives. Therefore, it is difficult for manufacturers to stand out from competitors. But ZALMAN succeeded: the new ZM-VE300 box contains a unique feature - it can independently mount disk images, that is, it can also work as an optical drive. Of course, you'll also get the traditional 2.5" USB 3.0 hardware.
| Specifications table ZALMAN ZM-VE300 (1M1NZ21C00185909) | |
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| Housing material | Aluminum alloy, acrylic, polycarbonate |
| Products webpage | ZALMAN ZM-VE300 Official Page |
| Retail price | About 1.8 thousand rubles |
| Form factor | 2,5" |
| Interface | USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0) |
| Internal interface | SATA |
| Supported OS | Windows 98, ME, XP, VISTA, 7, 8, Mac OS, Linux |
| colors | Black, silver |
| Dimensions | 135.3×78.6×13.1mm |
| Weight (without HDD) | 96 g |
| Contents of delivery | User manual, USB 3.0 cable, carrying case, software CD, screwdriver |
The design of the ZM-VE300 is very effective. The body is made of aluminum alloy coated with acrylic. It is thanks to him that the box is quite light, has a small thickness (13 mm), and also removes heat well from the drive. On the front side there is a small LCD display, which displays the status of the disk, a text menu of settings. Navigation through the setup menu is performed using a three-way joystick (wheel) located on the left side of the box and the "Backup" button, which is located on top. The delivery set, in addition to the box itself, includes instructions for use and a USB 3.0 cable, a pouch for the ZM-VE300. The drive itself (hard drive or SSD) is not included in the package, it must be purchased separately.
But the main advantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300 lie in additional features which we will consider below.
The cheapest external boxes and hard drives come without software. Therefore, in order to highlight their products, well-known manufacturers add to the package useful programs. ZALMAN was no exception - the package includes the "Backup Utility (ZM-VE300)" utility, which serves to back up data. Utilities and programs significantly expand the functionality of external HDDs. Installation file backup utility ZALMAN ZM-VE300 was on the CD, which is included in the package, it can be immediately installed on your computer.
This program can create virtual disks (VHD), back up files from specified directories (Backup) and has a safe extraction function "Safe Removal". The interface of the program is very simple and easy to understand. It is a pity that the utility does not support the Russian-language interface.
Below we will consider the basic functions of the utility.
Backup function. If you press the Backup button on the top end, it starts backup directories specified in the settings.
Safe Removal function. Serves for safe extraction USB drive. This function is activated by long (more than three seconds) holding the Backup button on the top end. If you hold down the button while copying files, then the extraction will occur only after the copy operation is completed.
Virtual HDD function- the most interesting feature presented in software package. We will talk about it below.
The ZALMAN ZM-VE300 hard drive box is interesting with the "VIRTUAL DRIVE" function, that is, the ability to independently connect disk images, after which you can work with them in the system.
The choice of the operating mode is carried out through the text menu on the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 display. There you can perform some actions.
First section of the menu Mode Select allows you to select the operating modes of ZALMAN ZM-VE300. There are three operating modes available.
The next section of the menu "setting" drive settings are listed.
Chapter "Information" serves to obtain information about the status of the hard disk and other parameters.
Chapter "USB connect" allows you to reboot the hard drive (Refresh) or perform a safe removal (Safe Removal).
In chapter "Advanced" you can unmount all images (Umount VHDD), as well as enable write protection (Write Protect).
We have finished describing the menu, now let's move on to studying the capabilities of the drive in practice.
The main advantage of ZALMAN ZM-VE300 is the connection of disk images without the help of additional software.
To connect ISO images just copy the file with the .iso extension, put the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 into ODD Mode or Dual Mode, select the ISO file using the three-position joystick. It will be mounted on your computer as a virtual CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive.
You can also create virtual disks yourself using the "Virtual HDD" feature. It creates empty files of a given size (we set the size ourselves, except for the floppy image), which ZALMAN ZM-VE300 will then connect as external drives. You can create three types of virtual disks: 1.44 MB floppy disk, fixed disk (.dsk), and removable disk (.rmd). The last two types are essentially the same, they differ in the recognition of the disk type under Windows.
We created test virtual disks of all three types (1 GB each, 1.44 MB floppy disk), after which we connected them to the Windows 7 system.
The floppy.ima floppy image appears on the system as a standard 1.44 MB FAT floppy disk.
Then we connected the removable disk image remove.rmd. Windows system immediately offers to format it. After formatting, the drive is recognized as "removable media"
The image of the fixed hard disk fixed.dsk is visible in the system as a hard disk after connection.
You can disable virtual disks with the "Unmount VHDD" command
Using HD Tune, we evaluated the speed of the disk with sequential reads and writes and with various data blocks. Below are screenshots showing disk performance.
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SATA III
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We ran four read and write tests with native SATA interface and when connected via ZALMAN ZM-VE300 box with USB 3.0 interface.
As you can see, a 320 GB Seagate hard drive with a direct SATA connection gives an average throughput of 70 MB / s for reading and 46 MB / s for writing. The result is not bad, although modern 2.5" hard drives operate around 100-120 MB / s. When connected via USB 3.0, the average throughput is 69 MB / s for reading and 54 MB / s for writing. Thus, USB 3.0 performance is limited into the hard drive itself, and not into the USB-SATA controller of the ZALMAN ZM-VE300 box.
ZALMAN introduced ZM-VE300 with USB 3.0 interface, which features a reliable and durable aluminum housing. When connected via a USB 3.0 interface, you will get hard drive performance close to "native" SATA, which indicates a good SATA-USB controller in the box. Also on the ZM-VE300 there is an LCD display and several buttons for advanced functions.
But the advantages of ZM-VE300 are additional features. Box itself can connect CD/DVD/Blu-ray images to HDD or virtual disks. This support eliminates the need to install optical drive into the system, and will also be useful for modern ultrabooks and laptops, which usually do not have an optical drive. Virtual disks come in handy for many work scenarios, and in this regard, the ZM-VE300 can be a great solution for enthusiasts and advanced users.
All this justifies the price of an external box of about 1.8 thousand rubles in Russia.
Additional information about the capabilities of the ZM-VE300 you can get in the ixbt conference.
Advantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300
Disadvantages of ZALMAN ZM-VE300
Our next review is devoted to an external case for hard Zalman discs ZM-VE350. The box is designed for 2.5-inch SATA drives and supports high-speed USB 3.0 interface. The device is equipped with a virtual optical drive function, allowing you to connect ISO images on the fly. The write protection feature helps prevent damage to important files.
An external hard drive box that came to us for testing Zalman ZM-VE350 Supplied in a black cardboard box.
Packaging Zalman ZM-VE350
Package Included:
Equipment Zalman ZM-VE350
The complete cable is 50 cm long including connectors.
USB 3.0 cable
The case is very dense, it is easy to remove the device from it. You can, of course, use the box directly in the case, but we do not recommend doing this, otherwise the inserted drive may overheat.
Zalman ZM-VE350 in case
Specifications We have summarized the devices in a single table.
| HDD interface | SATA, 2.5″ form factor |
| Device interface | USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0) |
| Device interface baud rate | USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps; USB 3.0: up to 5 Gbps |
| Working with ISO Images | Virtual optical drive |
| Indicator | Lights up when power is turned on, blinks when data is being exchanged |
| Nutrition | USB powered |
| Dimensions | 131x79x13mm (L x W x H) |
| Weight | 96 g (without drive) |
Frame Zalman ZM-VE350 for the most part made of painted aluminum with soft polymer inserts on the sides. On the front side there is an LCD display and an LED activity indicator.
External hard drive box Zalman ZM-VE350
At the top there is a Backup button and a USB 3.0 connector (Micro-B type, which also supplies power to the HDD) for connecting the bundled cable.
Upper end of Zalman ZM-VE350
Glued on the opposite side Technical information about the model.
Bottom end on Zalman ZM-VE350
On the left side there is a push lever for navigating the device menu, and the rest of the space is occupied by a soft insert.
Left sidewall Zalman ZM-VE350
On the right side, except for the second such insert, there is nothing important.
Right sidewall Zalman ZM-VE350
The build quality is decent - the buttons and body elements do not hang out. In general, the design gives the impression of a monolithic.
To install a drive into the box, you will first have to remove the module with the LCD screen, which contains, in fact, the entire stuffing of the device.
Base unit Zalman ZM-VE350
For testing, we took solid state drive Intel Solid X25-M and connected it to the internal SATA port.
SSD connected to Zalman ZM-VE350 board
For reliability, it is worth clamping the module with complete screws - the holes for them are hidden under the bent edges of the soft inserts.
Screw holes on Zalman ZM-VE350
To do this, we used a complete screwdriver - fortunately, the efforts required are small, so the miniature size of the screwdriver is not a hindrance. It is worth noting that the screws in the kit are twice as many as needed - four against the required two.
Zalman ZM-VE350 base unit is clamped with screws
After connecting to a PC, the display of our device turned blue and gave out a simple menu.
Display Zalman ZM-VE350
At the same time, the operating system recognized two devices at once: the USB drive itself and the additional optical drive are completely virtual, which is indicated in its name.
Zalman ZM-VE350 in task manager
This is precisely the main "trick" of this case - you can mount any ISO images by placing them in the folder "_ISO" on the disc inserted in the case. For example, downloaded from MSDN Windows image 7 was read without problems.
Windows 7 image in Zalman ZM-VE350 virtual drive
However, our copy was originally with erroneous firmware, and in order for the virtual drive function to work correctly, we had to update software devices up to more current version. We attach the archive with the firmware and the update instructions below. REMEMBER: This operation is carried out at your own peril and risk, and if you are not exactly sure what you are doing, it is better to contact technical support or a service center.
However, the drive function can be turned off completely - for this, you just need to select the appropriate mode, of which there are as many as three:
Modes Zalman ZM-VE350
Another great feature Zalman ZM-VE350– Possibility to set write protection. This allows you to work even in a potentially or actually virus-infected system without the danger of catching an infection. All you need to do is select "Enable WP" from the menu. The padlock icon closes on start screen- and that's it, no problem.
Setting write protection in Zalman ZM-VE350
Additionally, in the “Information” section, you can see the temperature of the media (we’ll say right away that it is determined incorrectly for an SSD, don’t be scared), the state of S.M.A.R.T., serial number and controller firmware version.
Drive information in Zalman ZM-VE350
Now let's check the performance when using the USB interface. 3.0. IN HD Tune 5 the speed graph has an average read speed of 161.9 MB/s with a random access time of 0.169 ms. CPU usage was 9.8%.
Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) result in HD Tune 5
IN Crystal Disk Mark 3 sequential read and write speeds showed a result of 250.3 MB / s and 96.19 MB / s, respectively.
Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 3.0) result in Crystal Disk Mark 3
Next, we switched to the USB 2.0 interface and tested the speed again. IN HD Tune 5 the almost flat graph shows that the performance of the drive is much higher than the USB 2.0 interface, so we have an average read speed of 31.7 MB / s with an increased random access time of 0.408 ms. But the load on the processor is only slightly higher - 11.5% versus 9.8% when transferring data via USB 3.0.
Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) result in HD Tune 5
Result in Crystal Disk Mark 3 also hit the USB 2.0 performance ceiling.
Zalman ZM-VE350 (USB 2.0) result in Crystal Disk Mark 3
Thus, the indicators correspond to the declared bandwidth even for SSD. So the box will cope with a regular hard drive without any problems.
Price Zalman ZM-VE350 at the time of testing is approximately 4000 rubles. For the money you get enough handy tool, which not only works as a portable hard drive, but also allows you to install the operating system from an ISO image on virtually any PC, and the images can be mounted right along the way. Boxing not only shows the speed sufficient for SSD work, but also backward compatible with USB 2.0. At the same time, to ensure the safety of data, a write protection option is provided, with which you can work even on an infected computer without fear of losing files or spreading the virus further.
The other day I became the owner of Zalman ZM-VE350. Since the main area of my work is related to computer repair and system administration, it was extremely necessary for me. I had to buy it because of the loss of Zalman ZM-VE300, which has already been said a lot. But if you have come to this article, then you know why you need it and what its main features are. You can omit everything and go to the instructions.
