Minix NEO S2 240GB SSD Featured

Minix NEO S2 Review – External 240GB SDD Or A USB Hub Under $90?

It’s good to see manufacturers doing some innovation to their products. This time it’s Minix NEO S2, an external SSD which is also a USB hub. Not only that, but the price is also affordable which is $89.99, not bad for an external SSD and hub with that much capacity. Let’s get to know Minix NEO S2 better in this review:

Minix NEO S2 is the world’s first SSD-Adapter-Hybrid

Minix NEO S2 Review – Why You Must Go For This One Instead of Any Other External SSD or USB Hub?

Design & Appearance

Looking at the external SSD, Minix Neo S2 has a pretty simple yet elegant case. If there’s one word to describe the look, I would say ‘Minimalistic‘. Unlike most external USB Hubs and external SSD, this one is forged from metal which adds weight to its quality and the smooth anodizing texture improves the holding experience. Furthermore, the curved corners further exaggerate the beauty of the external SSD and USB hub.

Minix NEO S2 240GB SSD HUB Interface

In terms of dimensions, it’s slightly smaller than your pencil box, occupying space around 11.50 x 4.35 x 1.10 cm. Despite having metal chassis, the weight is only 120 grams much lighter than your average 5-inch smartphone. Thus, under that size and weight, Minix NEO S2 is highly portable as well as durable.

Minix NEO S2 240GB SSD HUB Dimensions

The aluminum hub with the two color choices of light slate grey and milk white matches the latest MacBooks and other metal notebooks. It also has a White LED on the front which shows that the device is powered on and transferring.

Interface & Connectivity

Working as a hub apart from external SSD, S2 offers three types of wired connectivity, which are:

  • 2 x USB 3.0
  • HDMI 2.0
  • Type-C port

It should be noted that the type-C port is for power delivery only. The good thing is that the HDMI port supports external display of up to 4K resolution at 30 fps. It does miss the Micro-SD slot. However, as a hybrid working as both a hub and SSD under that price is perfectly fine.

It attaches with the laptop or device with the Type-C cable for better transfer speed. So if your old laptop doesn’t have a Type-C port then there’s no point of using it. That is why Neo S2 is recommended for the Macbooks and latest notebooks out there.

Storage & Performance

Like said before, Minix Neo S2 also works as SSD which is its primary purpose. The SSD capacity is 240GB and is an in-built M.2 Type.

Considering the performance, one can expect:

  • 400 MB/s writing score
  • 415 MB/s reading score

Here’s an actual test we did:

Minix NEO S2 SSD Speed Test - DiskSpeedTest

So the test shows that the manufacturer’s claim is valid.

The Selling Points

  • Metal Built
  • Small Size
  • Hub + External SSD hybrid
  • Budget-Friendly

Our Verdict

Minix NEO S2 allows the users to save money by offering both a hub and external SSD at the same time, instead of spending separately on both. Moreover, the aluminum finish and two colors allow it to match with the latest notebook and add feel to it, and a Type-C interface for faster data transfer than USB 3.0. Sadly, the old notebook can’t take advantage of it since they don’t have a Type-C port, however, it’s a perfect option for the latest notebooks out there with Type-C present.

Minix NEO S2 240GB SSD HUB image

Price & Availability

You can purchase Minix NEO S2 SSD HUB on Gearbest for a sale price of $89.99. Here’s the link to the store:

Minix NEO S2 240GB SSD Featured
Minix NEO S2 Review – External 240GB SDD Or A USB Hub Under $90?
Summary
Minix NEO S2 allows the users to save money by offering both a hub and external SSD at the same time, instead of spending separately on both. Moreover, the aluminum finish and two colors allow it to match with the latest notebook and add feel to it, and a Type-C interface for faster data transfer than USB 3.0. Sadly, the old notebook can't take advantage of it since they don't have a Type-C port, however, it's a perfect option for the latest notebooks out there with Type-C present.
Design & Apperance
8
Interface & Connectivty
7.5
Storage & Performance
8.5
Reader Rating1 Vote
9
Pros
Metal Built
Small Size
Hub + External SSD hybrid
Budget-Friendly
Cons
Only for Laptops with Type-C interface
No MicroSD slot
8
Total Rating
Where to Buy?