REVIEW: Super-USEFUL Universal External Hard Drive Cover
By The Treasure-Sharer
I've had my Seagate hard drive be knocked to the ground quite violently before, from being too close to the edge of my computer desk and being knocked down accidentally by someone sitting at my desk and not noticing it. I know how worried I was when it happened, as I had always been very careful with my hard drive to ensure that it wouldn't fall. Just as I suspected, my hard drive started having problems after that, making funny sounds that it hadn't made before, when loading my saved files, and taking much longer than usual to open my files. It made me worried that my hard drive would stop working completely. So I thought that I should take extra precaution to ensure that something like that couldn't happen again, by looking for some external hard drive protection, for if my external hard drive ever again accidentally fell, for whatever reason. The silicone external hard drive covers from Temu looked like the best option for an inexpensive hard drive protector that we could probably conveniently use with all of our external hard drives, rather than needing to look for different kinds to match the specifications of our different brands and models of external hard drives. See above for an image of a blue portable hard drive cover protecting an external hard drive, and below for more images, including one showing a transparent external hard drive protective cover in use, beside other color options; one showing the external hard drive cover size dimensions, and one identifying some of the external hard drive protective cover's features, taken from the Temu product page.
After searching through the available options for an external hard drive protector, the silicone universal hard drive protective covers from Temu looked like our best option, because they looked like they could be stretched to fit the different sizes of the hard drives that my man and I owned, while the X-shaped design would allow them to cover the corners of our hard drives, while preventing any part of our hard drives from making direct contact with any surface they might land on if they fell, allowing the silicone to be able to help absorb the shock from the fall, no matter what part of our hard drives hit the ground, so I decided to give them a try. Because the design of the external hard drive covers allow them to protect an external hard drive even while it is in use, as opposed to just serving as a protective case to store a hard drive in while it is not being used, I thought that these X-shaped hard drive covers were super-practical, and necessary, for every one of our hard drives.
Because the universal external hard drive covers looked like such a useful necessity, I went ahead and bought a four-pack before even trying one hard drive protective sleeve, since I already had one personal external hard drive, as well as hard drives that I shared with my family, that needed protection, and my man had two external hard drives that we needed to protect.
The four-pack of external hard drive protective covers came with two red and two blue hard drive protectors, and I definitely consider them to be an important investment for anyone who owns an external hard drive.
For their super-cheap price on Temu, I honestly don't know how anyone can justify not getting an external hard drive protective cover for their external hard drive, though I suggest pairing it with an external hard drive protective case, which is what I do, to add on an extra layer of protection, as I don't think that one can be too careful when it comes to protecting external hard drives, for all the value that they are capable of holding and containing. The EVA hard shell carrying case that I use also isn't expensive, so that the combined cost of buying the two levels of hard drive protection isn't high.
I actually liked the external hard drive covers so much that I ended up buying another four-pack set of the hard drive protectors, after receiving my first order, and outfitting some of my external hard drives with them, and giving some to my man to give him some hard drive protection also. I figured that we could always use extras for future hard drives that we might buy. I loved that the universal design meant that I didn't need to buy a separate Seagate external hard drive cover, Western Digital external hard drive cover, or Verbatim external hard drive cover, and would be able to have some hard drive covers on reserve for future external hard drives that we might buy, for being able to have something on hand that we could use to protect them with right away.
I really like how universal the hard drive cover is. The silicone material that it is made with is elastic, and feels very strong, flexible, and durable -- thick enough for me to stretch it to fit my different-shaped hard drives without me worrying that it might tear or rip. I like the range of different thicknesses and shapes of hard drives that the external hard drive covers are able to fit over, because of this. We have used them on hard drives of different brands (including two Seagate external hard drives with 4TB and 5TB of storage, one Western Digital 1TB external hard drive, and one Verbatim 1TB external hard drive), that have come in different shapes and sizes, and the hard drive protective cover has fit all of our external hard drives. The only hard drives that it is not able to stretch to fit are the super-large desktop hard drives holding 20+ terabytes that I bought me and my man later on, that are way larger than the 1 to 5 terabyte external hard drives that I bought these hard drive protective covers to protect. My Verbatim external hard drive is wider and flatter than most hard drives, and the hard drive cover still managed to fit securely around it. The external hard drive cover is made for 2.5-inch portable external hard drives, but has universal compatibility with most popular portable external hard drives.
I find the X-shaped design of this hard drive cover to be practical for a number of reasons, with the biggest being that it distributes the force of impact from falls and accidental drops, while providing extra protection to the corners of external hard drives, preventing direct hits to the hard drive corners by cushioning them, and ensuring more effective shock absorption.
I also like how the X-shaped external hard drive covers don't get in the way of the hard drive connector cables needed to connect your hard drive to a computer, allowing cables and accessories to be connected to your hard drive easily, and allowing the hard drive covers to be left on to protect your external hard drive, even while you are using your hard drive.
As well, because the X-shaped design doesn't add much extra bulk to hard drives, it still allows a hard drive to be slid easily into a EVA hard drive protector case, even with the portable hard drive cover on it, allowing both means of hard drive protection to be used on a hard drive at the same time, allowing one to double up on their hard drive protection, for those who want that extra layer of protection for their external hard drive. The fact that the design doesn't cover the entire hard drive also makes it so that it doesn't interfere with heat dissipation from the hard drive.
The inner lining of the portable hard drive cover is smooth, which prevents it from scratching the surface of your hard drive, or whatever you use it to protect. I think that it's possible to use the hard drive covers to protect 2.5-inch solid-state drives, and certain powerbanks, as well, due to their flexible, adaptable design.
I like how the outer surface of the silicone hard drive covers has a textured design, rather than being smooth and slippery, giving it a rougher, stickier, grippier surface to grab onto, and to stick to surfaces with.
The outside of one side of the external hard drive cover is textured with dots, making it easier to grip, and more anti-slip, while the other side has a circular bump on the back of each corner, that helps the case to grip onto wherever it is placed, so that it can help keep the hard drive from moving around -- giving it more stability, and holding it in place more securely.
The silicone material is also waterproof, which makes me feel comfortable with washing it. The promo ad info says that the silicone is also skin-friendly and food-grade, though I haven't tested these claims.
I haven't gone out of my way to test them by dropping my hard drives on purpose, but I have had my hard drive fall a few times while in the double protection of the universal silicone protective cover and a hard drive case that I had it in, and my hard drive still worked fine after being dropped, so I think that the combination of the two hard drive protective measures works pretty well.
So, if you're paranoid about your hard drive being damaged, I'd recommend buying an external hard drive cover, or even more than one, in conjunction with a hard drive protector case. The hard drive protection from falls, and the peace of mind that they will help bring you, makes them definitely worth their steal-of-a-deal price when on sale.
I also like the colors that the four-pack of hard drive covers came in, that included bright blue and bright red shades. My man likes them too, though he think that the red portable hard drive cover pairs better with black hard drives, and the blue one pairs better with white hard drives, while the grey color of our primary external hard drives don't match as well with these particular colors. You can see what he means about the some of the color pairings in the photos that I took of the hard drive covers on some of my own hard drives, later, below.
See below for photos of one of each of the red and blue external hard drive covers that I bought from Temu, showing the front, with a textured surface, and the back, with anti-slip bumps on the corners.
See below of photos of one of the blue external hard drive protectors, from a side view, and a diagonal view, of the textured side.
See below for a photo of one of the red external hard drive covers.
See below for photos of my grey Seagate external hard drive, outfitted with a blue hard drive protective sleeve, showing how it doesn't get in the way of the hard drive's connector or cable, and the snug fit in the hard drive sleeve, from multiple front, back, and side angles, and with views of the front and back of the external hard drive cover.
See below for photos of my family's black Western Digital external hard drive, outfitted with a blue external hard drive cover.
See below for photos of my family's black Verbatim external hard drive, outfitted with a red external hard drive protector.
See below for photos of my Seagate external hard drive, outfitted with a blue hard drive sleeve protector, while in my EVA hard drive protector case.
Review:
Pros:
-universal compatibility allows it to protect many different brands, shapes, and sizes of external hard drives from external damage from accidental drops and falls
-absorbs shocks from falls
-protects the corners of your external hard drive
-come in four different colors (although the four-pack that I bought only came in two colors)
-can be bought in a pack of four, for added savings
-convenient universal design allows you to stock up to have hard drive protection on hand for future external hard drives you might buy
-made of good-quality, durable silicone, that feels strong and secure, and not flimsy
-very handy and portable
-very practical
-very good price, when bought on sale
-very flexible
-fits snugly and securely around most popular portable external hard drives, ensuring that the hard drive will not slip out of the protective casing
-anti-slip textured surface prevents hard drives from slipping or sliding around, and from slipping while in hand
-anti-slip bumps on all four corners of one side of the hard drive sleeve make it drop-resistant, giving it extra grip on a desk, that makes the drive stay put much more securely, and with greater stability
-made of soft, apparently skin-friendly and food-grade, silicone
-elastic, and highly-tensile, allowing it to be stretched without fear of it ripping or tearing
-light-weight and compact, and doesn't add a lot of bulk or excess weight to hard drives
-gives extra protection against bumps and scratches to external hard drives
-the bumps on all of the corners raises the hard drive off the table a bit, which helps with eliminating vibrations from the hard drive
-helps absorb vibrations from hard drives
-not too complicated to understand how to use
-doesn't interfere with hard drive heat dissipation
-can still be used to protect a hard drive while the hard drive is in a protective case
-gives a way to still protect hard drives when they are taken out of a hard drive protective case
-possible to use on some solid-state drives and powerbanks
Cons:
-only blue and red options available for four-pack
-can cover the light on hard drives, if your hard drive has one at its corner
-can get in the way of connectors and cables on hard drives where connectors are located at the corner of the hard drive, rather than at the bottom center of the hard drive
-hard drive will probably still sustain damage if it falls while encased in the hard drive protector, if not also put in a hard drive protector case
-does not encase a hard drive completely, which minimizes the level of shock absorption and protection that it can provide
-probably still need to buy a hard drive protective case, to ensure minimal impact during hard drive falls
-might not fit all hard drive size specifications
-can be harder to put onto irregularly-shaped external hard drives
Gem or Junk?
For us:
Gem (3.8 stars out of 5)
Because of how expensive hard drives are, and the irreplaceable value of the files that they contain, protecting them from falls is super-important, making hard drive protectors an absolute necessity. I initially gave these hard drive covers a much higher rating than they deserved (4.5 stars), because I was thinking of them in relation to how I use the one that I use with my primary Seagate portable external hard drive, which I always keep protected with two different hard drive protectors -- one being the hard drive cover, and the other being a EVA hard drive protector case. I'm way too paranoid to leave my external hard drive with either hard drive protector on its own, but feel a lot more comfortable with using them on my external hard drive together, since I have actually had my hard drive fall a few times with this set-up, but had it still work as well as it did before it fell, with the two different kinds of hard drive protectors working in conjunction to protect it.
Talking about the external hard drive covers with my man, and hearing his ratings for the hard drive covers, and his reasoning behind them, made me realize that I hadn't based my rating on the protection that the hard drive covers give without help from anything else, which greatly skewed my perception of their effectiveness.
As my man told me, he would give the hard drive covers 3.5 to 4 stars, and definitely not more than 4 stars, because he thinks that there could be better designs out there, like maybe a portable hard drive case made with thicker material, that fully covers the whole hard drive, rather than just parts of it, like this portable hard drive cover does. While he thinks that the external hard drive covers are a pretty decent product, and doesn't think that people should not buy them, he told me that, in terms of protecting hard drives, he would give them a 3.5, because he thinks that if a hard drive were to be dropped or thrown on the floor while being encased in one of these hard drive covers, that, while the hard drive cover might brace the hard drive a little, the hard drive would probably still sustain some damage -- probably a little less than if a hard drive protector hadn't been used, but enough to still have to worry about. I totally agree with his assessment, since I don't trust using the hard drive cover to protect my primary external hard drive on its own. However, I also don't trust my hard EVA protective case to protect the hard drive on its own either, and really need to use both on my hard drive, to feel at ease with my hard drive's safety. Because both the hard drive covers and the EVA hard drive protector case are
low-cost hard drive protector options, they are my budget-friendly way to buy peace of mind, when it comes to protecting our hard drives.
My man told me that he thinks that the real utility of the external hard drive covers is their grippy rubbery surface that prevents hard drives from being dropped on the ground by mistake. He said that the rubbery texture of the hard drive cover gives it grip, similar to how a really good grippy shoe prevents you from falling when walking on slippery or icy ground, so that, when you have it on a smooth surface, it doesn't move around a lot, and helps secure your hard drive to the spot you place it. He even thinks that the hard drive covers make hard drives a little earthquake-proof, in that, in earthquakes measuring 3 and below on the Richter scale, they would prevent your hard drive from moving around a lot. He thinks that without the rubbery grip of the hard drive cover, a hard drive would go flying during an earthquake. Because I keep my hard drive encased in both the hard drive cover and EVA hard drive protector case, I never thought about its grippy surface, since I never used it outside of the hard eva protective case that I put my hard drive with its hard drive cover in. As I mentioned, when it I took it out of the protective case and put it on a portable table with a smooth surface and tilted the table, the hard drive protector held my hard drive in place, when it definitely would have slid -- and probably slid off the table -- if I had had it in the hard drive protector case. So I agree with my man on the effectiveness of the grippiness of the hard drive covers. I had seen from some Amazon descriptions of similar hard drive covers that the textured surface and bumps on the bottoms of these external hard drive covers made them anti-slip, and my man helped me understand how this worked, and how effective it was.
I told my man how some reviews I had read mentioned the design also helping absorb some of the vibrations coming from the spinning disks that are found inside hard drives, and my man told me that he thinks that the hard drive cover's rubbery grip helps with absorbing vibrations from hard drives, by preventing the hard drive from moving, and that the rubbery material also helps absorb some of the impact from the vibrations -- like the way that a car's rubber tires help keep a car secure on the ground, and help with absorbing some of the vibrations that would otherwise be felt from a moving vehicle.
I think that these universal hard drive protectors are a gem for helping make hard drives more drop-resistant, while providing a bit of cushioning from the impact if they do fall, but agree that they are not the ultimate solution for preventing damage to your external hard drive from falls, so I agree with my man's assessment that he would give them 3.8 stars.
My man also told me that, aesthetically, he would give the hard drive covers a 3, as he thinks that they look cool aesthetically, but not amazing. He likes the colors of the hard drive covers, especially the red one, but thinks that the blue cover could look cool as well, with the right hard drive. He thinks that the hard drive covers would look cool with red for black hard drives, and blue for white hard drives, but that they just look in between, when outfitting our grey Seagate external hard drives, which don't allow their bright colors to pop as much as black and white hard drives would. You can see an example of what he said about the red looking good with black external hard drives in my photos that I posted earlier in this review, where you can see the red hard drive cover paired with my black Verbatim external hard drive, and really standing out with the color contrast.
I like how the universal design of these particular hard drive covers allows them to fit most major brands of portable hard drives, allowing me to use them as an extra layer of protection for all of my external hard drives, so that I don't need to buy a separate Seagate external hard drive cover, or Western Digital external hard drive cover.
If you care about protecting your hard drives, and all the significant keepsakes and files you save in them, then these universal hard drive protectors from Temu are a must-buy (that I think should be used in conjunction with EVA hard drive cases), that I recommend buying for every one of your portable external hard drives.
Gems For Who?
1. People who want protection for their external hard drives.
2. People who already have an EVA hard drive case, but want an extra layer of safety for their external hard drives.
3. People who use their hard drives to store really important files, and need them protected.
4. People who want a cheap external hard drive protector.
5. People who want to save money by buying multiple external hard drive covers.
6. People who want something to protect 2.5-inch solid state drives.
7. People who want something to protect certain powerbanks.
8. People who want to give their external hard drives extra grip, so that they don't slip or move around too much.
9. People who want hard drive protection that doesn't add a lot of extra bulk or weight to their hard drives.
10. People who want secure hard drive protection.
11. People wanting a portable hard drive cover to use when traveling or commuting.
12. Students who use external hard drives frequently.
13. Professionals who use external hard drives frequently.
14. Frequent travelers who use external hard drives frequently, and need to carry and use their hard drive outside of their home often.
15. People who need a cheap Seagate external hard drive cover.
16. People who need a cheap Western Digital external hard drive cover.
17. People who need a hard drive cover for laptop and home computer use.
18. People who want a universal hard drive protector that they can use to protect different kinds of external hard drives.
19. Clumsy people.
Conclusion:
I know how important our hard drives are to my man and I, and if they're as important to you as they are to us, and you're someone who uses hard drives to store important files, then you know how big a deal it is when one goes kaput (which I have had happen before, from not taking good care of one), so I honestly don't know why anyone would want to risk not outfitting their hard drives with an external hard drive protector, now that I know that they exist. So I definitely think that these external hard drive covers are worth everyone who owns an external hard drive getting.
The external hard drive covers that I bought from Temu look to be sold out at the moment, but you can check back to see if they become available again. There are also others that look pretty much the same that are available from other Temu sellers, that you can search for on the Temu shopping platform. We unfortunately can't help you get promotional discounts codes to use for Temu, as our affiliate link no longer works, due to lack of sign-ups from our referral links.
I also found some very similar-looking external hard drive covers available on Amazon, so if you prefer shopping on Amazon, you can buy a four-pack of a different version at Amazon through our affiliate link: https://link.amazon/B0gTTx2et
There is also a cheaper four-pack of black and white portable hard drive covers available, but that doesn't appear to have any reviews yet, if you want to give it a try: https://link.amazon/B03JLQ4Se
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