Human Things has relaunched its Kickstarter campaigns for several portable gaming companions. The company behind popular products like the Genki Audio for Nintendo Switch, Covert Dock Mini, and Covert Dock 2 has several new products planned, including a 100W turbocharger, a PocketPro old-school wireless gamepad, a Saya Carry sling for portable gaming systems, and what we think is the hot item: the SavePoint M.2 2230 SSD enclosure. There are only a few left, so if you’re looking for a portable storage enclosure or other products, now is a good time to pre-order.
It’s important to keep in mind that backing a crowdfunded project comes with some risk, but Human Things has been crowdfunded many times before – this is their sixth Kickstarter campaign – and with over $800,000 raised, this one seems likely to be successful. Still, don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.
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(Image courtesy of Human Things)(Image courtesy of Human Things)(Image courtesy of Human Things)(Image courtesy of Human Things)(Image courtesy of Human Things)
One particularly interesting product is the SavePoint, a small SSD enclosure designed for M.2 2230 SSDs. This form factor has become very popular since the release of the Steam Deck, Steam Deck OLED, the original Asus ROG Ally, and more. Often the original SSD in these portable gaming systems needs to be upgraded and replaced, and an external SSD enclosure makes it easier to move files around. You can put your old drive, or a secondary M.2 2230 SSD in the enclosure together to give you extra space. Having two drives is useful if you want to run multiple OSes.
SSD enclosures, and even M.2 2230 SSD enclosures, are nothing new, but the SavePoint has a few tricks up its sleeve. First is pass-through charging, which means it can power the external drive and the host system simultaneously, allowing you to use the host system while the SavePoint charges its internal battery. Many handheld docks and hubs have struggled with this ease-of-use feature due to charging standards and different power modes, but in many cases the firmware has caught up.
The SavePoint is also optimized for handheld use in a number of ways. While many DIYers are modifying their handhelds to fit external SSDs of any size, the SavePoint is as slim as possible while being able to fit and cool a wide variety of M.2 2230 SSDs thanks to its integrated heatsink. The SavePoint is also MagSafe compatible for quick and secure installation, which means there’s no need to cut or disfigure your Deck or Ally, making it feel like a natural companion.
One final feature helps round out this unique package: the SavePoint includes capacitors for power outage protection, making it a safer platform for your data. In the event of a power outage, the SavePoint can provide enough power for the drive to complete any remaining write operations. It’s not the only M.2 2230 SSD enclosure to include this feature (the Dockcase also has it available), but together with the other features it makes for a complete solution. There’s also the Sharge Disk, but SavePoint emphasizes that its MSRP is lower than those two alternatives.
(Image courtesy of Human Things)
In terms of technical specs, the SavePoint transfers at up to 10Gbps over USB 3.2 Gen2x1, with a designed power requirement of 15W – plenty of speed and power for sustained transfers, and easily outperforms some of the internal storage solutions (such as the 64GB eMMC module) that ship with the Steam Deck.
The case will house an M.2 2230 SSD and will cool it with an aluminum casing. The capacitors are located next to the SSD slot. It is unclear what bridge chip SavePoint is using, but the Realtek RTL9210PD is popular and is used in their Dockcase solutions. SavePoint includes a USB cable, MagSafe sticker, and a hex key for installation.
For the remainder of the Kickstarter campaign (ending September 9th), SavePoint can be purchased for $39, $11 off the planned MSRP, with expected delivery this November. SavePoint comes in a variety of colors, so pick the color (or colors) that best suits your taste. Optional add-ons are available during the checkout process. Shipping is available worldwide, with prices depending on your location.
