If you want a properly fast external SSD enclosure, ASUS has got exactly the product for you: the ASUS ProArt PA40SU is a USB4-powered enclosure that allows the SSD attached onboard to deliver up to 40Gbps of bandwidth.
ASUS ProArt PA40SU
The ProArt PA40SU supports NVMe M.2 SSDs in both M.2 2230 and M.2 2280 form factors, and with the rated speed it’s capable of, the SSD controllers will be pushed pretty hard thermal-wise. To that end, there’s a built-in four-level smart cooling fan and thermal pad to keep things cool, which is important in sustained performance as they will degrade once the controller gets too hot.
As a matter of fact, ASUS says the cooling setup allows the SSD (they didn’t specify which) to transfer “up to 2960GB of data continuously over a 30-minute period.” Napkin math tells us that’s an average speed of 1.64GB/s, and that’s not too shabby at all. While some external SSD enclosure feature some degree of protection against drops and liquid ingress, do note that this model lacks any of the usual environmental protections.
For monitoring, there’s a dedicated ProArt SSD Dashboard software that provides users with real-time monitoring of storage status, health, and performance; the enclosure features a slim 13.5mm profile with a Stealth Black finish, while a tool-free, push-to-open mechanism allows users to install or replace SSDs without additional equipment.
The ASUS ProArt PA40SU is expected to be available in Malaysia by the end of June 2026, though pricing is not announced at this time.
Pokdepinion: Hopefully the next iteration can address ingress protection, given that this is meant to be somewhat portable.