Final Thoughts
Pricing
The new SilverStone TS12C USB 3.1 Gen.2 Type-C dual-bay docking station with cloning feature can be yours for £100.43 and $109.99 at the time of writing.
Conclusion
It was a pleasure to test the TS11C last year and it was no different with the TS12C today. We get a great looking device made of premium materials. It looks great and has a sturdy and secure stand.
The upgrade with a second drive bay can come in very handy. Even if you don’t use the second drive bay a lot, having it available can save your trouble and hassle. Instead of having to remove your more-or-less permanent docked drive, you simply insert the second drive next to it. It is a convenience that’s worth having, at least in my opinion.
Speed and connectivity aren’t an issue for the TS12C. It comes with the latest USB 3.1 Gen.2 which offers up to 10Gbps and it has a reversible Type-C connector on the unit itself. The included cable also uses a Type-C connector on the host end, so your system will need to have the new reversible USB port. You’ll need a relatively modern system to take advantage of the UASP tho, but if you got a Type-C port, then it will most likely also support UASP. Whether you want to connect 2.5″ or 3.5″ drives and whether you connect SATA 1, 2, or 3 drives, the TS12C will handle them all in any capacity.
Cloning Feature
While a dual-bay docking station is cool, the awesome feature in the TS12C is the PC-less cloning. We have seen such a feature before, so it isn’t completely new, but it’s the first time that SilverStone releases a unit like this. It is also, as far as I know, the first cloning station with 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-C connection.
Being able to clone a drive without the need for a control system is a feature that I could use a lot. While I keep most my clone backups in ISO form on my NAS, there are many scenarios where this unit will be my preferred choice.
Cloning a drive takes a long time, but with the unit being able to perform the operation headless, it isn’t much of an issue. It’s also not the docking stations fault, it’s rather the drive’s performance and capacity in combination.
Performance
Performance wise, the docking station delivers a sequential throughput close to that of a native SATA3 connection. However, the random performance does take a hit when routed through a USB controller. External storage is mostly used for sequential performance though, so it isn’t a big deal.
The But’s
There is one thing everyone should keep in mind with devices like this: The cooling. Mechanical HDDs run hotter than SSDs do and a top-loading docking station like this doesn’t offer any extra cooling. Normal usage isn’t a problem, but it’s something to keep in mind during prolonged usage.
The only downside to the TS12C docking station is that it doesn’t offer a hardware RAID option. But, if you don’t need RAID, then it might be the perfect dock for you.
Pros
- PC-less drive cloning
- USB 3.1 Gen.2 10Gbps with Type-C and UASP support
- Dual drive usage
- Supports any 2.5″ or 3.5″ SATA drive
- Plug-and-Play and Hot-Swapping
- Good looking aluminium body
Cons
- No RAID 0/RAID 1 feature
“Dual drive bays, a sleek design, the latest USB standards, and a PC-less cloning feature make the SilverStone TS12C an awesome docking station.”
Thank you SilverStone for providing us with this sample.
