Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure for 4K Mobile Filmmaking – On Kickstarter

Accessory News

by Heath McKnightYesterday

The Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure launched on Kickstarter supports 2230 and 2242 SSDs with up to 2TB capacity and PLP, plus features a compact design. The smart screen highlights read/write speed and SSD health. Attach one magnetically to a smartphone or tablet and shoot in 4K 60Hz ProRes, Log, and more.

Portable storage is essential when filming in 4K, particularly on smartphones. While some devices come with capacities reaching 1TB, having an external storage option allows for more. We’ve already seen one recently from Lexar.

The Dockcase Smart MagSafe M2 NVMe SSD Enclosure allows for a magnetic attachment of the drive and plenty of capacity when you add an SSD. While it comes with 15W of power, it’s worth the upgrade to the 100W to allow for longer battery life.

Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure – features 

The real highlight is attaching the Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure magnetically and via USB-C to a compatible iPhone/Android smartphone or tablet, and using it for mobile filmmaking and photography allowing it to shoot 4K 60Hz ProRes video up to 150 minutes. Its aluminum alloy construction is sturdy and an advanced cooling system will keep it from overheating.

The Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure can also be used as portable storage while organizing clips in the studio or out in the field. With data transfer speeds of 10Gbps via USB 3.2, it’s handy for doing some editing, as well.

The smart display seems like a good concept, but it only highlights read/write speed, drive health, and not much else. I’d be interested in knowing how much space has been taken up on the drive.

Full list of features:

• Lightweight aluminum alloy enclosure with an advanced cooling system.
• MagSafe allows for magnetic attachment (as opposed to using a camera or phone cage).
• Smart display that showcases SSD health, read/write speed, but no capacity available.
• Supports 2230 and 2242 M.2 SSDs.
• Triple data protection: Power loss protection (PLP, charging, and working), enhanced read-only mode, and SSD health monitoring.
• 4K 60Hz ProRes capture and storage, up to 150 minutes (iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max or newer), film in LOG, as well.
• Two USB-C ports, USB 3.2 with 10Gbps transfer speeds.
• Power: 15W auxiliary power supply and a 100W option so there’s no need to worry about losing power while working.
• Supports macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Linux, ChromeOS, Harmony, and PlayStation 5’s operating system.

Small and portable

Portable storage for smartphones and cameras isn’t so portable if they’re large and cumbersome. The good news is the Dockcase Smart MagSafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure is both small and light, especially with its round, aluminum alloy construction.

It won’t weigh down the smartphone or tablet while filming, since it’s 2.33×0.57 inches/59.3mm x 14.5mm and only weighs just 1.86 ounces/53 grams (without the SSD).

Price and availability

The Kickstarter campaign for the Dockcase Smart Magsafe M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure is live right now and has far exceeded its original goal. It ends November 8, 2024, at 9:00 am EST. There are a few available options with a tentative delivery of January 2025 (pricing is as of publication):

• EB-15W Glossy Silver and Matte Black are each $59 (25% discount, normally $79)
• KS-15W Matte Black and Glossy Silver are each $69 (13% discount, normally $79)
• EB-100W Matte Black is $79 (20% discount, normally $99). This option may be best for those filming. 

At the end of every crowdfunding-related article, we remind you to be aware of the risks when backing a project on a crowdfunding platform. Also, please read the platform’s use and remember there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some projects don’t get delivered at all.

What do you think of the Dockcase Smart MagSave M.2? Will you use it for mobile filmmaking and photography, or portable storage while editing on the go? Let us know in the comments below!