ICY BOX IB-1817MC-C31 SSD enclosure Grey M.2

The ICY BOX IB-1817MC-C31 Grey M.2 is an aluminium external SSD enclosure for a single M.2 drive. It supports both PCIe 3.0 (NVMe) and SATA III M.2 modules and connects to hosts via USB Type-C with USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s) performance. The compact grey housing combines a cooling fin design, an internal heatsink and a silicone thermal pad to manage temperature during high-speed transfers. The enclosure also includes a mechanical write-protect switch that can be toggled with a supplied tool.

Advantages

This enclosure offers dual-interface compatibility, allowing use of either NVMe (PCIe 3.0) or SATA III M.2 drives in the same housing while delivering up to 10 Gbit/s throughput over USB 3.1 Gen 2. The aluminium body with cooling fins, internal heatsink and thermal pad reduces operating temperatures for sustained performance. A dedicated write-protect switch provides simple hardware-level protection for stored data. The USB Type-C connector ensures broad compatibility with modern systems.

Suitable for

• Expanding portable storage with a single M.2 SSD
• High-speed file transfers and backups via USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s)
• Using either NVMe (PCIe 3.0) or SATA III M.2 modules
• Applications requiring hardware write protection for data

Key specifications

• Supported drive size: M.2 (single drive)
• Supported interfaces: PCI Express 3.0 (NVMe) and Serial ATA III (SATA)
• USB version: USB 3.1 Gen 2 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s)
• USB connector: USB Type-C
• Maximum capacity: up to 2 TB (depends on installed M.2 drive)
• Material and colour: aluminium, grey
• Weight: 0.092 kg
• Write protection: mechanical switch (tool included)

How to use

Open the aluminium enclosure, insert a compatible M.2 drive (NVMe or SATA) into the M.2 slot and secure it according to the enclosure’s mounting point. Apply the supplied silicone thermal pad so it contacts the module and reassemble the housing. Connect the enclosure to your computer using a USB Type-C cable; the host should detect the drive automatically. To enable or disable write protection, use the small tool provided to flip the mechanical switch to the desired position.

Recommendations

For sustained high-speed workloads, ensure the thermal pad makes full contact with the drive and avoid blocking the aluminium fins. Use a quality USB 3.1 Gen 2-compatible cable and connect to a host port that supports 10 Gbit/s for optimal transfer rates. Always toggle to write-protect when performing long-term storage or when preventing accidental writes.