(Sep 08, 2008)
Matthew Elliott
Section Editor
An external hard drive is an easy way to expand your PC's storage capacity as well as a simple way to backup your data. You need not worry about networking configuration settings as you do with a NAS drive. Simply plug it in, drag over your files, and you're done. Some external drives use 3.5-inch desktop drives, while some use 2.5-inch laptop drives for greater portability. You connections options will include one or more of the following: USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and eSATA. Here are our current favorites.
Drobo
Drobo takes the pain and confusion out of data protection and lets you tailor and expand the drive according to your needs. This so-called storage robot works exactly as promised and is the most innovative storage device we've seen in a long time. We want one.
Price: $291.20 - $371.98 (check prices)
Review date: Jun 19, 2007
Excellent
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SimpleTech Signature Mini (320GB, red)
The SimpleTech Signature Mini Black Cherry is a compact, USB-only external hard drive that will tempt you with its sleek design, and then win you over with its capacity, performance, and price.
Price: $114.99 - $179.99 (check prices)
Review date: May 20, 2008
Excellent
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OWC Mercury On-The-Go (500GB)
It's big, and it's fast. The OWC Mercury On-The-Go offers fast throughput via USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800, and it's the biggest compact hard drive, at 500GB, you can get right now.
Price: $299.99 - $299.99 (check prices)
Review date: May 13, 2008
Very good
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Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus (250GB)
The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus is a good choice for the average home user who wants a fast and simple-to-use external hard drive for backup and storage. Mac users will want to find a different restore utility to use with it.
Price: $74.99 - $84.95 (check prices)
Review date: Oct 19, 2007
Very good
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Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini (160GB)
The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini is a great option for working on the go, with fast write speeds as well as backup and restore software.
Price: $74.99 - $224.00 (check prices)
Review date: Oct 19, 2007
Very good
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LaCie d2 Quadra Hard Drive (500GB)
The LaCie d2 Quadra is a capacious and speedy drive, with lots of connection options.
Price: $179.00 - $179.00 (check prices)
Review date: Feb 2, 2007
Very good
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Seagate FreeAgent Go (160GB)
The Seagate FreeAgent Pro operates as both a hard drive and a portable PC environment, but even if you're not interested in the Ceedo program, the FreeAgent Pro offers fast speeds and good value.
Price: $87.95 - $135.89 (check prices)
Review date: May 25, 2007
Very good
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LaCie Skwarim (60GB, blue)
The LaCie Skwarim combines fashionable design and compact portability into a palm-size hard drive you'll want to flaunt.
Price: $102.08 - $145.00 (check prices)
Review date: Jan 29, 2007
Very good
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Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive (160GB, Cherry Red)
If you love flashy toys, the Iomega eGo is for you. It's a fast and stylish drive, but Mac users get left out when it comes to backup.
Price: $79.99 - $101.74 (check prices)
Review date: Aug 3, 2007
Very good
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Vox V1 (750GB)
The Vox V1 is a simple, straightforward external hard drive. We liked it for its high performance and ease of use as an external hard drive. However, the drive is bundled with underdeveloped backup software so if you want to use it as an automatic backup solution, you will need to spend a little more for a third-party application.
Price: $129.99 - $129.99 (check prices)
Review date: Mar 31, 2008
Very good
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