SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (500GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA Part number: SP-U35/500
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- As far as basic external hard drives go, the SimpleTech SimpleDrive is compelling for its low price and generous online storage bundle. We like it.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (500GB, Pininfarina) price range: $179.99
- Reviewed by: Felisa Yang
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 05/03/2007
The good: Decent transfer speeds; backup software is easy to use; comes with 2GB of online storage for free; inexpensive; sleek design.
The bad: Backup software can't create bootable backup of OS; CD/DVD burning utility for Windows users only.
The bottom line: As far as basic external hard drives go, the SimpleTech SimpleDrive is compelling for its low price and generous online storage bundle. We like it.
Design
The SimpleTech SimpleDrive offers a sleek design. The body was designed by legendary design company Pininfarina. Yes, that Pininfarina, designer of Ferraris. It sports an aerodynamic-looking design with a tapered side and side-panel markings that suggest forward motion. The drive measures 8.25 inches long, 1.5 inches tall, and 5 inches wide. The six capacities come in different colors, but all have a large, oval button mounted on the top, surrounded by a capacity meter ring. All house a 7,200rpm 3.5-inch hard disk drive.
The back edge houses the power jack and a USB port. Currently, only the USB 2.0 model is available, but a USB/FireWire version--called SimpleDrive Deluxe--will be available shortly. Setup is simple: just connect the drive to your PC using the USB cable, plug the drive into an electrical outlet, and power it on--it's plug-and-play.
Features
The SimpleDrive is available in six capacities: 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, 500GB, 750GB, and 1TB (currently, not all capacities are represented on SimpleTech's Web site). The drive comes preloaded with ArcSoft Total Media Backup and Record software, which you can install by opening the folder on the drive and double-clicking the setup utility. ArcSoft Total Media provides a clean, easy-to-use interface for setting up backup profiles. You can pick files by category, file types, or using the advanced tab, pick individual files and folders. You can set the backup target as either the SimpleDrive or a CD/DVD burner. Backups can be one-time events, or you can schedule them to occur at regular time intervals, and each occurrence can be a full backup or incremental (where only changed and new files are backed up). It should be noted that ArcSoft Total Media can only backup files and folders; it can't create a bootable backup of your operating system or backup system settings as you can with the EMC Retrospect software bundled with the Western Digital MyBook. You can, however, use the program to burn data and music discs (Windows users only). Once you have a backup profile set, you can press the top-mounted backup button to initiate a backup sequence.
The previously mentioned capacity meter gives only a rough estimate of remaining capacity. Each of four sections represents 25 percent of the drive and lit sections represent available space (that is, when you first install the drive, the ring should be fully lit). When available capacity drops below 10 percent, the ring flashes red when you first power it on.
SimpleTech bundles each SimpleDrive with a free 2GB account with Myfabrik.com, an online storage service (SimpleTech is owned by Fabrik). If 2GB isn't enough for you, you can purchase additional space for 49 cents per gigabyte. The Myfabrik account allows you upload files to Fabrik's servers and access them anywhere via a Web browser. Once uploaded, the files can be tagged, organized, and shared among your friends. This new version of Myfabrik interfaces easily with Photobucket and Flickr by providing folders into which you can drop photos that are then automatically pushed out to those sites. If you already have photos uploaded to Flickr, you can point your Myfabrik account to your Flickr account and Myfabrik will automatically grab those files.
Performance
For this review, CNET Labs tested the 500GB version of the SimpleDrive. It took 9 minutes, 22 seconds to write our 10GB folder of mixed file types, for a rate of 18.23Mbps. It took 8 minutes, 35 seconds to read back the same folder, or a rate of 19.89Mbps. These speeds put it right on par with the Seagate FreeAgent Pro (running via USB) and behind the LaCie d2 Quadra drive. Overall, the SimpleDrive performed sufficiently for most people's needs.
Service and support
SimpleTech backs the SimpleDrive with a standard one-year warranty. Toll-free tech support is available weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PT. You can also get live chat help or e-mail tech support from SimpleTech's Web site. The site also offers FAQs, downloadable software and drivers, troubleshooting tips, and manuals.
User reviews
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Not worth the money.
by reluctanthero on March 23, 2008
Pros: Hard to find pros with it.
Cons: Extremely unreliable.
Summary: I saw this at a store, it was highly advertised, and I thought, "hey, why not?" And bought it. I used it, and it worked great. It did backups somewhat ...
Summary: I saw this at a store, it was highly advertised, and I thought, "hey, why not?" And bought it. I used it, and it worked great. It did backups somewhat quickly, had good amount of storage, didn't cost too much. I was happy with it.
2 days later it stopped working. So, after I put all of my information onto it, it just stopped working. I took it back to where I got it, and asked them to move the information onto another one, of the same model. They started moving the information...it broke while they moved the information. In the span of 2 days, 2 had broken. The tech support at the place where I got it told me that when he took it apart, it was barely held together, and it was obvious that it was a piece of garbage. I agreed, obviously. One broke in 10 minutes, even. I ended up getting a different brand, and the new one has run into no problems.
Basically, it's an extremely unreliable machine, that is advertised as something amazing. Two broke in 2 days, and I've heard nothing but horrible things from other people I know who've bought it.
Tech support said that a lot are recalled, and a lot are taken back all of time, having broken.
It creates backups, claiming to have a better security on your information. Claiming "safer than a computer, as a computer may crash." I've had my computer for a year, it hasnt crashed once. I had 2 of these in 2 days, both of them crashed.7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good buy at 149.99 CAD
by Yoyaner on September 1, 2007
Pros: Simple to use
Cons: You don't get the 2Gig advertised on Myfabrik but 1 Gig
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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NOT DEPENDABLE
by jwwhisnant on September 26, 2008
Pros: 1T for less than $100
Cons: You get what you pay for. Drive worked for 6 weeks as external drive dedicated solely to Time Machine backup. Then died - "I/O error". Apple support very helpful but could not find any other problem than the external drive was now malfunctioning.
Summary: AN EXTERNAL DRIVE NEEDS TO BE DEPENDABLE FOR BACKUPS. THIS ONE IS NOT.
Summary: AN EXTERNAL DRIVE NEEDS TO BE DEPENDABLE FOR BACKUPS. THIS ONE IS NOT.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Basic design flaw?!?
by gollaruff on July 23, 2008
Pros: Lots of storage room. Easy to use -- When it's works
Cons: Continued outages.
Summary: After simple installation, I was pleased.
It worked for about 10 days or so.
The drive came up missing on "my computer"
I immediately went to the VERY SMALLISH power ...Summary: After simple installation, I was pleased.
It worked for about 10 days or so.
The drive came up missing on "my computer"
I immediately went to the VERY SMALLISH power adapter. Checked the specs and found a power adapter with the same specs and replaced the factory unit.
It worked again for about 3 months and now it is dead again. I dislike the drive. I now have about 200GB of info on the drive.
2 power problems within 100 days.
I would not recommend this product.
While we are talking about arc soft merchandise, Why would I want to try some of the video and audio products they are trying to market. Build quality products and word of mouth will sell the rest of the line.
GIGO baby. It is still a fixture of manufacturing, programming and logic in general.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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So Far So Good
by POL080 on January 21, 2008
Pros: Easy file transfers, Burn Disc Software, Decent Size, Good Price
Cons: None as yet
Summary: Just purchased this external hard drive to transfer close to 1,000 songs from my desktop computer to free up space. Also, to use with my laptop to conserve space. ...
Summary: Just purchased this external hard drive to transfer close to 1,000 songs from my desktop computer to free up space. Also, to use with my laptop to conserve space. Laptops can only handle but so much. It's very easy to use. Just cut & paste any file, music, photo onto the drive as you would on your computer. The size is decent enough to still carry around as a portable hard drive. Has a sleek design, black glossy finish. The price ($119.00) was great for 500GB. Can't get any better than that. The transfer speed is good, not that slow at all. So far it's running very well. Liking It!!!!!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best Value Out There for an External Hard Drive!
by rockinroller on May 28, 2009
Pros: Sleek design. Quiet running. Fast uploads (2.5 gb in 4 min.).Totally brainless connection process. Basically plug and play. Oh, and a totally rare feature not found on higher priced "big name" models: An ON-OFF switch--all for under $70!
Cons: Vacuum packed packaging requires a knife or utility blade to open.
Summary: I researched external hard drives for a couple of months--even made several bids on Ebay for what appeared to be "good deals" for Western Digitals and Seagates. After continuously being ...
Summary: I researched external hard drives for a couple of months--even made several bids on Ebay for what appeared to be "good deals" for Western Digitals and Seagates. After continuously being outbid and the items going for close to retail, I decided to purchase "locally" and found this SimpleTech model at Costco, at $79.99 less a $10 instant rebate. I hadn't researched this particular 500gb model but I knew enough about SimpleTech from reviews online to recall that it was a highly rated brand of external drives. I figured that, coupled with Costco's unbeatable return-whenever policy, I couldn't lose so I brought the unit home, plugged in the AC adapter and found an empty USB port on my Dell desktop and fired it up. Within a few minutes I had my entire data files backed up and ready to access in the event my 5 year old desktop decided to stop working. What peace of mind, and all for $70 and 5 minutes to open the container and plug it in.
Best deal for a great product--hands down. -
no good product. Please don't buy
by golfista2000 on March 4, 2009
Pros: I don't like a lot
Cons: Brakes very easy
Summary: twice I lost everything that I have on.They replace for me once and worked for few weeks and broked again. I lost all my data.
Summary: twice I lost everything that I have on.They replace for me once and worked for few weeks and broked again. I lost all my data.
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OK performance but USB jack broke loose.
by Sean_Oliver on February 8, 2009
Pros: Good price for 500GB - $80.00. Nice design.
Cons: Very shoddy construction on the inside.
Summary: Very nice design, 500 Gigs for less than $100.00...BUT...the USB 3.5mm jack on the back panel broke loose inside the unit after only 3 mos. of ...
Summary: Very nice design, 500 Gigs for less than $100.00...BUT...the USB 3.5mm jack on the back panel broke loose inside the unit after only 3 mos. of use. That means it's completely useless until it gets re-attached/re-soldered.
My review stated the "3.5 mm jack broke"
I opened it up to see if I could fix it myself, and discovered that the jack housing was barely soldered on, so that if it gets jostled a bit while connected, (I put the unit in my backpack while the USB cable was still attached - that should NOT cause the thing to break off!) the jack will easily break loose inside the unit.
Terrible QC, poor attention to an important detail.
Updated on Feb 8, 2009
It's NOT a 3.5mm, it's the other larger truncated square designed jack which broke. -
What good is a backup drive that fails?
by hogwild2009 on January 25, 2009
Pros: Quiet, sleek, and reasonably fast. Came with a nice bundle of software.
Cons: It died after using it about 10 times. What a clunker! I guess I needed to get a reliable drive to back up this piece of junk.
Summary: Don't waste your money on this. I want my $75 bucks back! I guess you get what you pay for. Get the Maxtor with the 5 year warranty, I'...
Summary: Don't waste your money on this. I want my $75 bucks back! I guess you get what you pay for. Get the Maxtor with the 5 year warranty, I've read some good reviews on it.
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Works Fine
by segaszivos on December 26, 2008
Pros: Inexpensive, 500Gb, easy to use, and reliable
Cons: Average read/write speed, but sufficient...
Summary: I got this as a Christmas present in 2007. This external drive is exactly what I was looking for. I share music, movies, and TV shows from this drive to ...
Summary: I got this as a Christmas present in 2007. This external drive is exactly what I was looking for. I share music, movies, and TV shows from this drive to my Popcorn Hour (media player). The drive is fast enough to stream High Definition movies across my home network. I occasionally bring this drive into work to share media with my coworkers. This drive has had a lot of use over the last year without any major problems. I don't use the software, just Windows plug'n'play. I would recommend this drive to any user. It's so easy to use.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
- Part number: SP-U35/500
- Description: The sleek lines and ultra-low profile styling of this SimpleDrive were designed by Pinifarina, the very same design firm that gives Ferrari sports cars their stylish lines. Don't let its beauty fool you. SimpleDrive is a high-performance external hard drive ideal for storing and backing up your music, video, photos and more.
General
- Device Type Hard drive - External hard drive
- Enclosure Color Onyx black
Hard Drive
- Form Factor 3.5"
- Capacity 500 GB
- Interface Type Hi-Speed USB
- Buffer Size 8 MB
- Features Built-in capacity meter, One-Click backup button
Performance
- Interface Transfer Rate 480 Mbps
- Spindle Speed 7200 rpm
Storage Controller
- Type None
Storage Controller (2nd)
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Interfaces 1 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type B
- Connections 1
- Compatible Bays None
Power
- External Hard Drive Power Source Included AC adapter
- Power device type Power adapter
Miscellaneous
- Compliant Standards Plug and Play
Software / System Requirements
- Software type Drivers & Utilities
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & support type 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year, Technical support - Unlimited
Product series
-
SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (1TB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs:
-
SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (750GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs: 750 GB, Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 8 MB
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SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (500GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs: 500 GB, Hi-Speed USB, External, 3.5", 8 MB, 7200 rpm
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SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (320GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs: 320 GB, Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 8 MB, 7200 rpm
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SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (250GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs: 250 GB, Hi-Speed USB, External, 3.5", 8 MB, 7200 rpm
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SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drive (160GB, Pininfarina)
Manufacturer: SimpleTech USA
Specs: 160 GB, Hi-Speed USB, External, 3.5", 8 MB
Manufacturer info
- SimpleTech USA
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse SimpleTech USA products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.simpletech.com/
- Address:
1830 East Warner Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705 - Phone: 1-949-477-7700
- Email: support@simpletech.com
- Fax: 1-949-756-8289
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