What’s the Best 500GB External Hard Drive?
May 16, 2009 by Rico Mossesgeld
Filed under Storage
Tom’s Hardware recently put a bunch of “hand-held drives with up to 500GB” through their respective paces. All drives connect to PCs via USB 2.0. Despite the curious choice of including a 320GB and (a 1.8″) 120GB drive in that round-up, the conclusion is clear:
Consumers: Go Samsung
That leaves Samsung, Seagate and Western Digital. Performance differences clearly shouldn’t dictate your purchasing decision here. All three offer backup and encryption paired with great style. Samsung clearly focuses on consumers, while Seagate and WD also support synchronization and go after real enthusiasts.
Enthusiasts: Pick Seagate or Western Digital
Seagate has the optional drive dock that increases usability; WD offers a capacity gauge and better data management features. Both are equipped with LEDs and a power management feature. Seagate’s LEDs light up the Seagate curl on the aluminum cover, while Western Digital utilizes LEDs to drive the capacity gauge.
A bit close to my previous assertion: if you’re looking for a great USB 2.0 hard drive, you can do no better than the Western Digital Passport Essential (the consumer variant of the Passport Elite reviewed by Tom’s Hardware). Available in various capacities, the gigabyte-per-dollar ratio increases as you approach 500GB.
(Image courtesy of Western Digital)
I like ioSafe’s range (http://www.iosafe.com/bc). While they are a bit more costly than most, the added security features more than justify the extra bucks!