(Image credit: Plugable)

Not everyone wants to crack open their system's case to install NVMe storage--especially if they want to use the same drive across multiple devices. That's what external drives are for, but they can sometimes be a hassle to transport. The new Plugable USB-C NVMe Enclosure announced today is supposed to address both problems for people who want it all.

The enclosure features a tool-free, spring-loaded design for simplifying the drive insertion and removal process. All one has to do is open the enclosure, pop in an NVMe drive and then plug the enclosure into whatever system they like via USB 3.1 Gen 2. Mercifully, the company includes both USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables. (The struggle to keep up with ever-changing ports and cables is real.)

The enclosure's speed depends on the inserted drive, but Plugable said it supports up to 10 Gb/s transfers, which should be more than quick enough for most people's needs.

Plugable didn't offer specific details about heat though. All it said is that the enclosure offers "advanced thermal management" thanks to an "aluminum body" that "allows for peak heat dissipation compared to other solutions available on the market."

You may not need something like the Plugable USB-C NVMe Enclosure. External SSDs are smaller than ever, and for those who need something even smaller, an SD card might do. A lot of the data with which we interact every day is also synced via the cloud, so some consumers may see little reason to buy an NVMe SSD and the accompanying enclosure. Business users, however, might appreciate the ability to easily transport sensitive information in a small, but still manageable, device.

Besides, part of the reason so many people have entrusted the cloud with their information is that transporting it used to be such a hassle. Drives were big, didn't hold a lot of data and were about as quick as a geriatric turtle. Enclosures like this could help solve all those problems and, perhaps, lead more people to manage their data themselves, rather than letting tech companies do so. At least the option will be available.

And, hey, at this point it makes more sense to get an external NVMe SSD than it does to get a hard drive. It's 2019: the spinning disk's time has ended. We're all about SSDs now, folks, no matter what form they take. SATA? Sure. NVMe? You bet. Internal? External? Eh, there's little difference. As long as storage is quick and easy to transport (if desired) then it's good enough for most people.

The Plugable USB-C NVMe Enclosure is available now on Amazon for $50. We're told that price includes a $10 launch discount, so don't be surprised if the price jumps to $60 before long. Remember, the drive is sold separately--this isn't an NVMe SSD giveaway in disguise.