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The finish is very shinny and reflects very well. Because it is shinny, the finish finger prints easily. Unfortunately, Vantec did not include a cloth for wiping it down. The top of the NexStar 3 drive enclosure features the drive's name in silver lettering. Towards the back are the labels for each port, also in silver lettering.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/05.jpg"><img src="atruereview/nexstar_3/05th.jpg" alt="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" title="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" width="250" height="163" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p>The back of NexStar 3 has all the ports. There is a USB mini B port, eSATA port, and a power plug. No power adapter is included though, all power is provided through the USB. This is why there is a USB cable with two plugs included. One of the plugs is a pass thru while the other is a straight plug. This allows the NexStar to draw power from both USB ports. This is very important because some external drive enclosures cannot provide enough power to the drive, causing all sorts of issues. By pass thru, I mean another USB plug can be plugged into the pass thru so it doesn't actually consume two USB ports. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/06.jpg"><img src="atruereview/nexstar_3/06th.jpg" alt="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" title="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" width="250" height="66" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left">The internal part of the NexStar is not screwed in. It pulls out to reveal a board with SATA connections. If you haven't picked up on that already, you will need a SATA 2.5 inch drive. Unfortunately, this probably means it will not support your old laptop hard drive and you must buy a new hard drive to support it. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/07.jpg"><img src="atruereview/nexstar_3/07th.jpg" alt="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" title="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" width="250" height="153" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left"><strong>Installation:</strong></p> <p align="left">Installing a drive into the NexStar 3 is very simple. Line the drive up with the connectors on the card. Push the drive into the connectors. Then screw in the drive from the bottom. This is the hardest part, for me any ways because my fingers aren't very nimble. </a> <a href="nexstar_3/werq">Next, slide the drive back into the case. Lastly, screw the internal piece into the case with the provided long black screws. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/09.jpg"><img src="atruereview/nexstar_3/09th.jpg" alt="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" title="Vantec NexStar 3 SATA Drive Enclosure" width="250" height="159" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left">If you do not have an external SATA port on your system, then you must open your case and install the external to internal adapter. </p> <p align="left">The installation guide is a great reference for installing a drive and formatting it using your operating system. </p> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10"> <tr> <td><div align="left"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/index.php"></a> <a href="nexstar_3/">Previous (Introduction & Features)</a></div></td> <td><p align="right"><a href="atruereview/nexstar_3/vantec2.php"></a> <a href="nexstar_3/werq">Next (Testing & Conclusion)</a></p></td> </tr> </p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="footer" class="clr"> <div class="rk-1"> <div class="rk-2"> <div id="the-footer">  </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>