Seagate FreeAgent Go (blue, 320GB)
Manufacturer: Seagate Technology Part number: ST903203FBA2E1?RK
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Seagate FreeAgent Go is our favorite portable hard drive to date and takes our award for Editors' Choice. The drive is well designed and fast, and you won't find a better value for the price.
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CNET editors' review
Seagate FreeAgent Go (blue, 320GB) price range: $78.99 - $144.55
- Reviewed by: Justin Yu
- Edited by: Rich Brown
- Reviewed on: 09/26/2008
The good: Inexpensive cost per GB; modern design; variety of colors and capacities; thinnest drive on the market.
The bad: No support service available on the weekend; short USB cord.
The bottom line: The Seagate FreeAgent Go is our favorite portable hard drive to date and takes our award for Editors' Choice. The drive is well designed and fast, and you won't find a better value for the price.
The FreeAgent Go is part of Seagate's latest new line of portable hard drives and is by far the thinnest we've tested while still maintaining a reasonably fast transfer rate. Seagate sent us a blue 320GB model ($150) for our review, but you can take your pick of four vibrant colors in a variety of capacities from 250 up to 500GB. If you need extra storage on-the-go, the Seagate FreeAgent Go will make a useful addition to your daily carry.
| Drive type | External hard drive |
| Connector options | USB 2.0 |
| Available capacities | 250GB, 320GB, 500GB |
| Capacity of test unit | 320GB |
| Product dimensions (LWH) | 5.12x 3.15x0.49 inches |
| Drive speed | 5,400rpm |
| Cache | 8MB |
| OSes supported | Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X |
| Software included | None |
Design and features
The FreeAgent Go is one of the thinnest mobile hard disks we've reviewed; the size makes it easy to throw in your bag on the run. Its official measurements are 0.5 inch high by 3 inches wide by 5 inches long and only weighs 5.6 ounces. The multicapacity drives (250GB, 320GB, 500GB) come dressed in silver, black, blue, or red models, but the blue and red versions are only available in 320GB. We're not sure why, since they use the same cases.
Aside from their slim figure, the shape of the FreeAgent Go looks like a lot of other external drives. The top of the rectangular case has a brushed metal finish that looks sleek and even passed our scratch test with impressive resilience. The bottom is covered with a slightly rough material that prevents the drive from sliding around on a hard surface.
The only hole on the front is a USB 2.0 powered port that connects the drive to your computer. The top of the Go is perforated on one end and a series of white lights underneath illuminate and pulsate underneath while the drive is active. If you leave it plugged in for an extended period, the display will fade slightly . In our opinion, the lights are barely useful and mostly superfluous--we don't need an arbitrary light to show us activity, but the aesthetic design is a nice touch.
While other drives such as the Iomega eGo Camo ship with a long 3.5-foot USB cord, the Seagate's falls short at barely more than half a foot. If you're not lucky enough to have a USB port on the front of your computer, you'll find yourself wishing for an extension cable.
Cost per gigabyte
At just 48 cents per gigabyte for the 320GB model, the Go is a full 8 cents cheaper than the Western Digital My Passport Studio, making it the best value for external hard drives currently on the market.
Performance
Although the FreeAgent Go takes the prize for the best value, its competitors stay ahead in our speed test. Compared with three similar external hard drives, the Seagate FreeAgent Go trailed behind the others by only a few megabytes per second. The differences are negligible, and we're confident recommending the drive as an Editors' Choice.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Service and warranty
Seagate protects the FreeAgent Go against factory defects with an impressive five-year warranty. In addition, the Seagate Web Site offers contains a comprehensive list of forums, knowledge bases, driver downloads, installation help, and FAQs to help you troubleshoot your drive. Since external drives rarely malfunction, the length of the warranty is particularly helpful. Phone support is also available via live chat, e-mail, and phone 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Unfortunately, no support is available on the weekend.
User reviews
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Excellent USB drive - perfect for business travelers
by brianld on October 4, 2008
Pros: This drive is small! I have an older Seagate portable drive , and this one is literally half as thick. The size/weight of my older drive was the main reason I didn't travel with it, but this one is going in my bag.
Cons: The drive is still a 5400-rpm drive, as most if not all of the portable USB drives are. Would like to see them come out with 7200-rpm drives as well.
Summary: If you're looking for an excellent portable drive to have your drive & file backups on the go, this is it. The optional dock accessory is a nice touch ...
Summary: If you're looking for an excellent portable drive to have your drive & file backups on the go, this is it. The optional dock accessory is a nice touch as well.
One thing to note - the USB cord that came with my drive (500gb) is not short like the CNET reviewer pointed out. The cord that shipped with my drive is at least a foot long, if not longer. For a portable drive, I don't see why you'd want anything longer than that.8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Worked well for 3 months
by sanggol09 on April 5, 2009
Pros: Quiet; slim; excellent price, given the storage capacity of the drive.
Cons: This drive crashed after only three months of minimal use.
Summary: This drive was seldom used, never dropped and rarely moved, nevertheless after three months of use, the drive abruptly stopped worked. Seagate could offer little assistance and had no explanation ...
Summary: This drive was seldom used, never dropped and rarely moved, nevertheless after three months of use, the drive abruptly stopped worked. Seagate could offer little assistance and had no explanation for this error. My product is still under warranty so they will replace the drive, however, I must pay for data recovery. Seagate?s response, ?next time, backup your data.?
I have seen numerous accounts on the internet account detailing this type of crash, however, Seagate will not acknowledge this problem. I cannot recommend this product.
Note: Seagate refers users to i365 for data recovery. Expect to pay at least $1200 for this service. If your product is under warranty and you would like to make use of another licensed data recovery service, you must provide written proof that the drive case was opened for this purpose in order to receive a replacement product from Seagate.7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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PC Version Works Great On Mac!
by cybot2006 on December 3, 2008
Pros: PC version works on Mac with reformatting of drive. Cheaper than the Mac version and still works great! Goes well with Apple's Aluminum Keyboard.
Cons: Reformatting needed, default format can not be used by Macs.
Summary: If you're on an serious budget and need an nice external drive for your Mac, buy this!
Summary: If you're on an serious budget and need an nice external drive for your Mac, buy this!
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Reliable, convenient, and easy-to-use. A must have!
by poundsmart on November 21, 2008
Pros: Relatively good $/gb ratio, doesn't require an AC adapter, fast, and great design and form factor
Cons: When is Seagate going to make a 1+ TB freeagent go?! Otherwise, NO cons!!
Summary: If you need or want extra memory, I highly recommend this drive. I still own the Seagate Freeagent Go that I bought two years ago, so I've had a ...
Summary: If you need or want extra memory, I highly recommend this drive. I still own the Seagate Freeagent Go that I bought two years ago, so I've had a good experience with Seagate products in the past. Recently, I needed more memory for my music and video files, so I did not hesitate to buy the latest Freeagent Go model. The new design is gorgeous and small. The performance and speed is fantastic, and the software is very handy (though I rarely use it). You can customize the drive to auto-play music or video, auto-load your picture-viewing software, or open windows explorer to view the files, etc. You can't go wrong with this external hard drive!! Don't hesitate to email or post any questions.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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unit software capabilities over the other competitors
by maxson2325 on February 20, 2009
Pros: the street price is much more competitive than full retail shows.supplied sw is worth the price when competitors have none.
Cons: look at file system
Summary: review the detailed capabilities of the software that allows you to control your data storage and control automaticbackup and built in security. street price for 160 gb model is 59 ...
Summary: review the detailed capabilities of the software that allows you to control your data storage and control automaticbackup and built in security. street price for 160 gb model is 59 dollars. CNET evaluators only considered hw capability did not explain sw in their valulatio .poor job.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Was great until it died after 3 months of use
by jarmstrong108 on March 21, 2009
Pros: Slim/sleek design, good transfer speeds, and non problems for the first 3 months of use.
Cons: Short USB cord, HD died after 3 months of use
Summary: After 3 months of use, the HD unexpectedly crashed/died, and now I'm left with a $100 paperweight, and Seagate won't even acknowledge there is a problem (even ...
Summary: After 3 months of use, the HD unexpectedly crashed/died, and now I'm left with a $100 paperweight, and Seagate won't even acknowledge there is a problem (even though this is far from an isolated incident-there are endless forum posts with people with the same exact problem). Seagate won't replace it since the case was opened, and they won't pay for data recovery (though, they will provide it for a $500-3000 fee).
Bottom line, this product was great until it crashed. But the fact is, it DID crash, and I'm not the only one to have this problem, and Seagate is unwilling to admit that there is something defective with this product. You're better off spending your money on a more reliable product, and losing out on the design and aesthetic advantages.2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Speedy & Mac Compatible
by Chiefman492 on March 11, 2009
Pros: Surprisingly fast through USB2. Very small and light. Universal good looks.
Cons: Stainless steel finish scratched out of box. No Firewire 800 unless you buy "Mac Compatible" version.
Summary: This is a great drive that IS Mac compatible (with disk utility & reformat). Works with Time Machine and is fast enough for large video/audio transfers. Best of all ...
Summary: This is a great drive that IS Mac compatible (with disk utility & reformat). Works with Time Machine and is fast enough for large video/audio transfers. Best of all its very thin and light.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Decent drive, well made, amazingly attractive design.
by HelplessSEAL on December 17, 2008
Pros: +Slim form factor
+Decent transfer rates for a 5400 RPM USB2 drive
+Cheap storage
+Optional dock really adds to the looks and help clear the desk of wires
+Completely silent and heat free.Cons: -Activity lights are useless, however pretty they may be.
-Crappy software that came with the drive backed up about 3/4ths of the songs and documents that I have.
-Crappy software also only backs up My Documents on Windows machines.Summary: Looks/Form: 9/10
Perhaps the greatest reason to buy this particular hard drive. It's slim and small, barely bigger in any dimension compared to an iPhone. It was ...Summary: Looks/Form: 9/10
Perhaps the greatest reason to buy this particular hard drive. It's slim and small, barely bigger in any dimension compared to an iPhone. It was nice for SG to keep the same curves that the original go had, while updating the style with Apple's ideologies in mind. The dock just makes it look that much better. The lights are a nice sight, especially in the dark. They can be turned off.
Performance: 8/10
Speed was on par with my buddy's 320gb WD passport and 250gb Simpletech wedge thing. Transports things fast enough for a 2.5in drive, but I've seen better. However, what sets this drive apart from the passport is how bloody silent it is, not a single peep from this drive...The case is also stone cold after a few hours of transferring large files back and forth. While they may be a nice sight to look at, the activity lights are a bit hard to read. They go from dim to slightly brighter. The threshold between these two states of activity are too subtle to tell what's going on; but no matter, not a deal breaker for me. It's NTFS, so format it mac owners, don't go buying that more expensive mac version (*** is up with that, 30 dollars extra to format it in fat32?)
Packaged Software: 4/10
Honestly, you can make a nice simple looking interface just like the one that this drive comes with, but what good is it if it misses a bunch of files? Even after updating the software, it still dropped files like it had butterfingers. If I hadn't checked the log, I probably would have lost about 500MB of songs and a few sensitive documents the next time I do a clean wipe of my computer. Get another backup utility, this is rubbish.
Optional Accessories: 7.5/10
I got my drive at costco, which meant it also came with the case and optional dock. Nice deal imo. These accessories won't factor into my score. The dock makes the HD look awfully nice while the case is a nice and cushy (p)leather material. While the dock is just simply a USB2.0 A to B connector attached to an aluminum platform, I still like it and think it's a worthy accessory to own. The HD isn't a finger magnet like the passport, but it can still scratch up. The case looks up to the task for protecting the drive. You don't need these accessories at all.
Overall: 8/10
Great drive, seagate really delivered with this portable external. By far the sleekest looking drive outside of building your own enclosure of course. Performance is above average when factoring in heat and sound. It would definitely make a good stocking stuffer. Just make sure to replace that weak bundled software that comes with it. Recommended.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Stopd working within a month - can't trust this product
by Pro Grammar(sic) on March 16, 2009
Pros: - The one big con outweighs anything else.
- The warrantyCons: - Failed unpredictably and suddenly. Seems to be a known and common problem.
Summary: I bought two drives. Stored office data, software downloads etc on one (critical), and music and videos on the other.
The one with the music and videos has stopped working ...Summary: I bought two drives. Stored office data, software downloads etc on one (critical), and music and videos on the other.
The one with the music and videos has stopped working within a month of purchase. Don't know the trigger / cause. Just stopped working one day.
Seems like a power failure as the drive light keeps flashing on and off. Lost all data. Also lost trust in the product. Have backed the other drive up onto a WD drive. Unlikely to use it again. Lost all data. Also lost trust in the product. Have backed the other drive up onto a WD drive. Unlikely to buy Seagate products in the future.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Was great, Until it fell from the desk.
by Mr_Capers on February 2, 2009
Pros: It was great, until it fell from the desk.
Cons: The drives are simply to delicate to be used as a portable device.
Summary: It was great, until it fell from the desk. The drives are simply to delicate to be used as a portable device. The housing in minimized to make the product ...
Summary: It was great, until it fell from the desk. The drives are simply to delicate to be used as a portable device. The housing in minimized to make the product smaller but it is not enough to protect it from damage. Using them as "portable" almost insures they will be vulnerable to some bumps and bruises. Do not rely on this product as a backup. One small drop and they die. Mine lasted 2 weeks.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Seagate Technology
- Part number: ST903203FBA2E1?RK
- Description: Ideal for letting you carry your desktop environment and your files anytime, anywhere, FreeAgent Go allows you to take your web browser, favorites, passwords, IM client and contacts, email client, cookies, settings and files with you. Save all your private information on FreeAgent, not on the computer you're using!
General
- Device Type Hard drive - External hard drive
- Width 3.1 in
- Depth 5.1 in
- Height 0.5 in
- Weight 5.6 oz
- Enclosure Color Royal blue
Hard Drive
- Form Factor 2.5"
- Capacity 320 GB
- Interface Type Hi-Speed USB
Performance
- Interface Transfer Rate 480 Mbps
- Data Transfer Rate Details USB 2.0
- Spindle Speed 5400 rpm
Storage Controller
- Type None - External - USB 2.0
Storage Controller (2nd)
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Interfaces - USB 2.0, Hi-Speed USB
- Compatible Bays None
- Compatible Slots x None
Power
- External Hard Drive Power Source USB bus
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Flexible USB travel cable 18 in
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable - 1.5 ft
- Microsoft Certifications Compatible with Windows 7
- Package Type Retail
Software / System Requirements
- Software type Drivers & Utilities
- Min Operating system Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & support type 5 years warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 5 years
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Seagate Technology
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Seagate Technology products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.seagate.com/
- Address:
920 Disc Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066 - Phone: 1-405-324-4700
- Fax: 1-405-324-4702
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