Re: Best Option for SSD DAS

[Enquiries]

I have a large media library and ive already had 1 WD 16tb Drive fail on me and they have horrible Customer service, trying to have me pay for another Drive so they can fix or replace the failed drive.... I just need a drive that wont fail, has USB A connectivity and has a large storage space... thank you for your time...

[ed]

If you want to move away from unreliable HDDs and still keep a large, fast, and quiet setup, then a DAS enclosure that supports SSDs is the best direction. You’ll get much better performance, lower power draw, and no mechanical failure risk.

Here are a few solid SSD-compatible DAS options that can scale to the capacity you need:
1. TerraMaster D4-300 or D5-300 – These are excellent budget enclosures that support 2.5-inch SATA SSDs or HDDs. You can install four or five SSDs (for example, 4×4TB SATA SSDs = 16TB total). They connect via USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and are plug-and-play with Windows and macOS.
TerraMaster D4-300 on Amazon US
2. Yottamaster FS5U3 or FS4U3 Series – High-quality aluminum DAS enclosures with active cooling, supporting SATA SSDs or HDDs. They use USB-A or USB-C depending on model, and they handle up to 20 TB total easily when fully populated with SSDs.
3. OWC Express 4M2 – If you want maximum performance, this is a Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 DAS that supports four NVMe SSDs internally. You can start with smaller drives and expand later. With 4×4TB NVMes you’d have 16 TB of very fast storage that will outperform any HDD array.
OWC Express 4M2
4. Sabrent 4-Bay Thunderbolt 3 DAS (DS-4TB3) – Another NVMe enclosure that allows up to 32 TB total with four drives. Very fast for large video libraries and editing workloads, though it needs a USB-C/Thunderbolt connection or an adapter for older systems.

If your priority is simplicity and USB-A connectivity, the TerraMaster D4-300 is the easiest option. You can fill it with SATA SSDs like the Crucial MX500 or Samsung 870 QVO to reach 8 TB – 16 TB total without any reliability concerns.