USB4 SSD enclosure with display, fingerprint sensor, and "Find My"
Fast SSD enclosures for M.2 modules are a dime a dozen. The accessory provider Zike is trying to differentiate itself with additional features.
Zike Z991: Functionally almost overkill.
(Image: Zike)
In the market for portable SSD enclosures, manufacturers can actually only differentiate themselves through case shape, heat dissipation, and above all, speed. The vendor Zike, which already has a fast USB4 enclosure in its lineup with the Z666, also known as ZikeDrive, is now adding extra features with the Z991 model: It gets a mini-display, a fingerprint sensor to protect against data leakage, an integrated active cooler for the first time, and – something that shouldn't have existed in an SSD enclosure yet – Apple's Find My service. The hardware also accommodates the (albeit still extremely expensive) 16 TB M.2 drives that are slowly coming onto the market.
Preliminary Throughput Values
The Z991 is not yet on the market. According to the manufacturer, it will be delivered as part of a Kickstarter campaign (which has not yet started) from mid-March 2026. Since Zike has been on the market for years, this timeline should likely work out. According to preliminary specifications, the SSD enclosure is expected to achieve throughput rates between 3.8 GB/s (read) and 3.6 GB/s (write), which corresponds to USB4 at 40 Gbps. This also works via Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 5 is not explicitly supported, but corresponding cables will naturally work.
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Unlike the Z666, active cooling is integrated to prevent thermal throttling; whether this will work well remains to be seen. The controller in such enclosures often gets very hot. The casing has also been further reduced in size. The display is intended to show, among other things, throughput rates and current temperature values, as well as erase processes (how exactly is unclear). The fingerprint sensor allows for decryption. Data on the encryption used is not yet available.
Track the SSD via “Find My”
Useful: Zike has also integrated a “Find My” chip, allowing the SSD enclosure to be tracked via Apple's “Find My” network. This should help to find the SSD enclosure again more quickly if it gets lost.
Zike has not yet provided details on the final price of the Z991. However, it is expected to start at $109 during the Kickstarter campaign (ranging up to $129 depending on the order period). Zike has set up a distribution system in the EU so that goods arrive at the customer duty-free and without import VAT.
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