Design and Layout

 The NexStar 3 is an attractive black shiny aluminum enclosure that is sure to look good in any office or den.  The enclosure is also solid, and should be able to handle any abuse you can throw at it. 

What sets the new NexStar apart from the older enclosures is the amount of different kinds of ports that it can connect to.  From left to right, the NexStar 3 contains two 1394B ports, a mini-USB 2.0 port, an eSATA port, a power port, and the power switch.  The addition of the 1394B ports is the primary difference between this enclosure and the older revision.

Finally, here is the enclosure lit up.  The light is subtle, and can be disabled if desired.

Installation

Installation of a hard drive is a pretty straightforward affair.  Two screws hold the endcap in place, and once these are removed the internal tray can be pulled out.

Once the tray is out, the drive is easily attached to the tray with standard screws.

 The LED is connected via a three-prong plug on the PCB.  If a user does not want to use the LED, they can leave this unplugged.