Fantom GreenDrive 2TB Review

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Admin

Fantom GreenDrive 2TB: Find Out Why This Drive is Rated One of the Best

The Fantom GreenDrive 2TB (model # GD2000EU) is one of our top 5 external desktop hard drives. This review reveals why this drive is rated one of the best according to over 500 customer reviews spanning multiple online vendors.

Fantom drives are a branded line of external hard drives from California-based MicroNet Technologies.

Fantom GreenDrive 2TB

Fantom GreenDrive 2TB

There are several models in the Fantom hard drive line, but only the GreenDrive (both the 2TB and the 1.5 TB versions) made our “best of” lists.

The Fantom GreenDrive features a USB 2.0 interface, as well as an eSATA interface for faster data transfer speeds. The drive is plug-and-play, so you should be operational within seconds after connecting the drive to your computer. It is touted as a “green” drive that will save both energy and money.

This Fantom drives review is included on several of our “best of” lists, including the following:

  • Top 5 External Hard Drives – Desktop
  • Best 2 TB External Hard Drives
  • Top 5 Drives Priced $100 – $200

If you’re interested in learning more about how we compiled these lists, check out our research methodology page.


Deal Alert

The Price at this moment is 26% lower and you will save $44.33 if you buy today
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2013-05-23 23:11:59 GMT but are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the merchant site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Table of Contents

You can jump right into the review or fast-forward to the section you’re most interested in by clicking the title.

  1. Overview
  2. Capacity
  3. Price
  4. Interface
  5. Specs
  6. Physical Characteristics
  7. Features
  8. Operational Characteristics
  9. Warranty
  10. What’s in the Box
  11. Video – Fantom GreenDrive in Operation
  12. Customer Reviews
  13. Pros
  14. Cons
  15. Summary

Overview

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Fantom GreenDrive 2TB Overview                *Must format to use with Mac

Click Here for Great Deals on the Fantom GreenDrive 2TB!

Capacity

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The Fantom GD2000EU GreenDrive external hard drive boasts 2 Terabytes (TB) of capacity. Although the 2 TB model is the most popular among the Fantom drives, the 1.5 TB model also made our “best of” list of desktop drives, as noted above. The GreenDrive is also available in:

  • 500 GB
  • 1 TB
  • 1.5 TB

Price

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The Fantom 2TB GreenDrive external hard drive ranges from around:

$139.99 to $149.99

Price-wise, this is a good deal, given the average price of desktop drives we looked at was about $181 (desktop drives start as low as $79.99 and go as high as $439.99).

Interface

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This drive runs over USB 2.0 or eSATA.

Before you buy this drive, be sure you know whether your computer has an eSATA port. If not, you will have to make appropriate adjustments to your hardware configuration to take advantage of this interface.

Specs

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Compatibility

  • PCs and Power Macs with USB or eSATA portIf your computer does not have an eSATA port, you will need to purchase an eSATA card, SATA to e-SATA cable, or the appropriate adapter (depending on your particular hardware configuration)
  • You can use the drive with a DVR, but the manufacturer does not provide support if you use it on anything other than a computer
  • Comes pre-formatted at FAT32

Operating systems supported:

  • Windows 2000
  • Windows XP
  • Windows 2003
  • Windows Vista
  • Mac OS X (10.3 or above)

Performance

  • Data Transfer Rate
    • Up to 480 Mb/sec
    • Up to 3 Gb/s on eSATA
      • Customers reported that the differences in speed between USB 2.0 and eSATA are quite noticeable
  • Rotational Speed
    • Manufacturer does not specify
    • The drive has a variable speed disk mechanism that manages rotational velocity when and as the drive is used. The manufacturer claims it performs just as well as a 7200 RPM drive.

One important item of note…

If you look through the FAQs on the MicroNet site, you will find that they do not manufacture their own internal disk mechanisms, but rather use other manufacturer’s drives.

Here is what they said:

“MicroNet / Fantom Drives uses only the highest quality disk drives from top-tier hard disk manufacturers such as: Western Digital, Seagate, Hitachi, and Samsung”.

Several customers commented that they were unaware of this practice and were disappointed to find another manufacturer’s drive inside the case. Still, these same customers generally gave the drive a good quality rating.

You will need to decide for yourself whether or not this is an issue for you.

We do want to note that MicroNet further states in the FAQ that they thoroughly check out each model carried to make sure it is a quality product and that it meets or exceeds the advertised specs.

Physical Characteristics

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The drive has a brushed aluminum casing, so it’s a little more durable than a drive made with a plastic enclosure. And people seem to like its stylish look.

The drive can sit either horizontally or vertically.

It does have a stand, but the stand is made of plastic (one user complained that it’s not very stable).

Another selling point for those who are concerned about the environment is that the drive is lead-free. It is compliant with both the Restrictions of Hazardous Substances Directive (ROHS) and the California Electronic Waste Recycling Act. According to the manufacturer’s data sheet, they even use soy-based ink in the packaging.

Form Factor

Dimensions

  • 7.75”D X 4.5”W X 1.375”H

Weight

  • 2.4 lbs

Colors

  • Silver (it’s made of aluminum)

Length of Cable and Power Cord

  • Manufacturer does not specify.

Features

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Power Management

  • Uses a separate power adapter (included)
    • The manufacturer cautions against using a power adapter from a third-party (in fact, this could void the warranty).
  • Uses up to 40% less power
    • MicroNet attempted to clarify what this claim means in response to a customer reviewer on Newegg who said that the manufacturer of the internal disk mechanism claimed only a 10% power savings.
    • MicroNet said that this metric was derived differently than theirs. They said that this figure represents a “minimum overall power savings for the entire Green Drive product line”
    • MicroNet claims a max of $14 savings per year in utility costs
  • This drive does have a power switch
  • The drive has a Kensington-compatible security lock slot
  • The activity/power LED is on the front of the drive (opposite the power switch and ports)

GreenDrive Data Sheet

http://www.micronet.com/support/datasheets/GreenDrive_Data_Sheet.pdf

GreenDrive Manual

http://www.micronet.com/support/manuals/greendrive_manual.pdf

Operational Characteristics

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Noise

  • The drive has a fan-free design, which is supposed to minimize noise.
  • Some consumer reviews complained that the drive is somewhat noisy (makes a clicking sound), but most said it was fairly quiet.

Much of this probably depends on the ambient noise level in the room. But if you want to hear it the clicking sound in action, check out the video below.

Heat

  • As noted above, the drive has no fan. However the aluminum enclosure has been designed to dissipate heat.
  • Some consumers said they were initially concerned about the possibility of overheating because of the aluminum enclosure, but were pleasantly surprised to find the drive stays fairly cool even with steady use.

Other consumers, however, complained that the drive gets too hot.

Keep in mind that “cool” and “hot” as used in customer reviews are subjective terms. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, and MicroNet does acknowledge that the drive can get warm to the touch.

Warranty

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  • 2 years
  • Limited
    • Commences from the original purchase date
  • Keep your receipt, as you must show proof of purchase to act on the warranty
  • Only applicable to new GreenDrives

What’s in the Box

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  • The Fantom GreenDrive 2TB
  • Stand
  • USB 2.0 cable (there is no eSATA cable)
  • Power supply
  • User manual

Video – Fantom GreenDrive in Operation

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Here is a short clip of a Fantom GD2000EU GreenDrive in use. Note the LED located in the top center of the gridded panel.

Also, even though the audio is not all that great, you can detect a slight clicking noise that occurs in synch with the flickering LED.

Customer Reviews

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Here is a summary of the customer reviews for the Fantom 2TB GreenDrive external hard drive:

  • 4 out of the 5 vendors we surveyed carry this drive
  • There were over 500 reviews
  • The average rating was 4.43 stars

With an average rating of 4.43, it’s clear that most people are quite happy with their GreenDrive. Some of the recurring themes were: fast data transfer speeds, quiet and cool operation, sturdy external case.

You can peruse the reviews on Amazon by clicking the link below. Note the average Amazon rating was somewhat lower than from other online merchants:

See Customer Reviews at Amazon

Pros Pros

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  • Supports eSATA for fast data transfer speeds
  • Power-saving features
  • Has no resident software

Cons Cons

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  • Several people complained about Fantom’s practice of using internal disk mechanisms from other manufacturers. As noted above, however, these same people generally gave the drive a positive overall review.
  • Makes a slight clicking noise

Summary

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If you’re specifically interested in a Fantom drive or you’ve decided to consider one based on this review, we feel confident you’ll be satisfied with the GreenDrive. Among the full line of Fantom drives, the GreenDrives are among the most popular.

Based on the information we’ve compiled for this Fantom GreenDrive 2TB review, we feel confident in recommending this product to anyone looking for a desktop drive, especially those who are environmentally conscious.

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Glossary

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Admin

Glossary of Terms Related to External Hard Drives

GlossaryWhen shopping for a product with lots of technical features, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the terminology used to describe those features.

This is the only way to truly find the best product to meet your particular needs.

The following definitions are intended to provide a high-level explanation of terms related to external hard drives. They are geared towards more non-technical visitors who want to understand more about external hard drives before making a purchasing decision. But even those with a little more technical knowledge may find a quick review useful.

If there is a term that warrants a more in-depth discussion, you will find a link to a post with more detailed information.

If you would like to see a term added to the glossary, please leave a comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Glossary ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ C ~

Capacity: How much space an external hard drive has to store data. This is typically measured in Gigabytes (GB) or Terabytes (TB). The actual capacity of a drive is typically less than the manufacturer advertises.

Compatible or Compatibility: Two things are compatible when you can use them without any special modification or adaption. External hard drive manufacturers will typically indicate the type of computer or multimedia device with which their drive is designed to work, as well as with what operating systems.

~ D ~

Data Transfer Rate: How fast data is transferred to or from an external hard drive. It is typically measured in Bits per Second (BPS). Most manufacturers will specify that a drive’s data transfer rate is “up to” a particular speed, as actual data transfer rate can be impacted by multiple factors.

~ E ~

External Hard Drive: A device you can attach to your computer using a special cable on which you can store data files (like movies, music, pictures, etc.).

~ F ~

FireWire: A method for transferring data to and from an external hard drive.

Form Factor: Refers to the size (or footprint) of an external hard drive, which is typically determined by the size of the internal hard drive mechanism. Because customers want external hard drives to be as small as possible, the outer case is typically only as big as it needs to be to house the internal drive. Form factors for internal drives generally start at 3.5” on the high end and go down to 2.5”, 1.8”, 1”, and 0.85”. The larger the form factor, the higher the capacity and the better the performance. The smaller the form factor, the better the portability.

~ G ~

Gigabyte: A unit of data storage equaling 2 to the 30th power, or 1,073,741,824 bytes. External hard drive manufacturers often round this to 1,000,000,000 bytes when specifying the capacity of their drives.

~ P ~

Peripheral: A piece of hardware that can be attached to a computer. Examples include external hard drives, scanners, and printers.

Plug and Play: Refers to external hard drives that are recognized by PCs or other devices as soon as they are connected without the user having to configure it.

Port: An opening or connection on a computer or external hard drive into which you plug in a cable over which the devices can exchange data.

~ R ~

Rotational Speed: How fast the disks inside the drive spin. Faster rotational speeds mean higher data transfer rates, but also mean the drive generates more noise and heat.

~ S ~

Seek Time: The time it takes to find the data to be read or written from the external hard drive.

~ T ~

Terabyte: A unit of data storage equaling 2 to the 40th power, or 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. External hard drive manufacturers often round this to 1,000,000,000,000 bytes when specifying the capacity of their drives.

~ U ~

USB: A method for transferring data to and from an external hard drive.

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Methodology for Finding the Best External Hard Drives

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Admin

How BestExternalHard-Drives.com Determines Top Models

Raw Data for Determining Best External Hard Drives

Spreadsheet with Raw Data Used for Determining Best External Hard Drives

BestExternalHard-Drives.com is dedicated to researching the top external hard drive models in an effort to create a comprehensive repository of information on the best available drives.

Below we discuss how we identify the best drives and then how we compile review information on those drives.

How We Identify the Best Drives

Here is a brief overview of the methodology we used to identify the best external hard drives profiled on this site.

1. Based on PCWorld research findings on the best places to buy external hard drives, we identified the top five retailers for purchasing hard drives online. These were:

  • Amazon
  • Newegg
  • Best Buy
  • Staples
  • Tiger Direct

CDW made PCWorld’s list of best places to buy, but we found that they were lacking in customer review/ratings information (not to mention they generally had higher prices). So we decided not to reference their site in determining the best external hard drives.

If you’re interested in learning more about the PCWorld study, a brief synopsis is included at the end of this post.

2. We compiled a list of the top 20 bestselling drives as determined by each of these retailers. In a couple of instances, the retailer had fewer than 20 in their bestselling category, so we simply included the number they had available.

3. For each product, we listed the number of reviews, the rating (based on 5 stars), and the price.

4. We plugged this data into our own methodology for identifying the top drives from the master list. The methodology involved looking at objective data (ratings and number of reviews), as well as subjective information from customer reviews.

5. We then further categorized the drives into:

  • Top drives by type
  • Top drives by capacity
  • Top drives by price

These categorizations were based on the fact that, according to PCWorld, the type of drive, capacity, and price are the most important factors to potential hard drive buyers.

How We Compile Review Information

To compile review information on the best external hard drives as identified above, we first created a template with all the information we felt would be relevant to a diligent consumer interested in purchasing an external hard drive.

The template is used across all reviews to make it easier for our visitors to compare one drive against another.

Next, we gather as much information as possible from reliable resources like:

  • The manufacturer’s website
  • Forums
  • Online manuals
  • Online retailers
  • Customer reviews
  • Other websites

When including information from forums, customer reviews, and other websites, we make every attempt to cross-reference the material to ensure that it is accurate and valid.

More on the PCWorld Study

For those interested in learning more about the PCWorld study, here is a brief synopsis.

In 2010, PCWorld took on a research project to find the best places to buy consumer electrinics. Included were laptops, HDTVs, cameras, desktop PCs, printers, and hard drives.

They started with Dealerscope’s most recent annual study of the Top 101 Consumer Electronics (CE) Retailers . They chose to look further at retailers who were national, sold a variety of brands, catered to the general public, and didn’t charge membership fees.

All the retailers they looked at sell drives online; some also sell in physical stores. These included:

  • Amazon (online only)
  • CDW (online only)
  • Newegg (online only)
  • TigerDirect (online only)
  • Best Buy
  • RadioShack
  • Sears
  • Staples
  • Target
  • Walmart

When it comes to buying hard drives, their research concluded that Amazon was the top merchant. In fact, Amazon won most categories. Newegg and BestBuy tied for second place in the hard drive category.

They looked at both brick-and-mortar establishments and online merchants. In many cases, models available in-store were limited and varied widely from store to store for a given merchant.

The criteria included:

  • Selection
  • Price
  • Availability
  • Return policies
  • Detailed product information
  • Availability of User Reviews
  • Overall shopping experience on site

Although all stores occasionally have promotional sales, as a general rule, Amazon prices were typically $20-$30 less than at physical stores and websites

Other stores didn’t fare well because of high prices, poor selection, websites that were difficult to navigate, or because all their drives were sold through third-party vendors.

The top winners typically had a lot of models to choose from – anywhere from 400 to 1000+.

Summary

We hope the description of our methodology demonstrates the commitment BestExternalHard-Drive.com has made to bringing you accurate and trustworthy information.

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External Hard Drives versus the Cloud

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Admin

Should You Be Storing Your Data on the Cloud?

cloud computing

Will Cloud Computing Make External Hard Drives Obsolete?

Make no mistake about it, there are definite benefits to cloud computing and let’s face it, it’s here to stay.

But who should be using cloud computing and for what? Should we give up our external hard drives and entrust our data to a faceless corporation?

This post discusses what you can do on the cloud and outlines the pros and cons of storing your data on the cloud. It offers some sound advice to those who use external hard drives to store music, videos, pictures, and other personal data.

What is the cloud?

For those who aren’t clear on what cloud computing is, it’s basically a metaphor for computer services and data storage on the Internet.

For years, people in the IT industry have used a cloud to pictorially depict a network or other computing system in diagrams. Now the concept is being taken to the masses by providers who are offering services service and storage on a public cloud. Some of the current major players in cloud computing are:

  • Google
  • Dropbox
  • Sugarsync

What the cloud means for external hard drives

So does this mean external hard drives are now obsolete? Or will be in the near future?

We hardly think this is going to be the case and go so far as to caution those who might ditch external hard drives for the cloud. That’s not to say you should go completely cloudless. In fact, a hybrid solution is perfectly fine.

What do we mean by a hybrid solution? We mean that the cloud is a viable option for some of your data storage needs, but there are certain things that you shouldn’t trust to a public cloud.

What you can do on a cloud

Cloud storage services allow you to access all your data anytime and anywhere. You can also share those files with anyone you wish – family, friends, co-workers… You can also synch changes. For example you can create or modify files offline, then automatically synch those changes next time you’re online.

Here’s a more complete list showing what you can do:

  • Create, maintain, and restore backups of files and folders
  • Synch files across multiple computers
  • Access your files from anywhere on a web browser or from an app via a PC or mobile device
  • Send and share files and folders

Pros and cons of cloud versus external hard drives

There are several pros and cons to storing on the cloud instead of an external hard drive and vice versa.

1. You generally get more storage space on an external hard drive

External hard drives range in size from 320 GB all the way up to 4 TB. Many cloud providers provide free storage up to a certain point, after which you must pay a monthly fee for the storage. With an external hard drive, once you’ve made the initial investment to purchase an external hard drive, it’s yours free and clear.

  • Score:
    • Hard drive 1
    • Cloud 0

2. Your data is safer on an external hard drive

Every other day you hear a news report about another system being hacked. There are too many unscrupulous malcontents out there who relish the challenge of hacking into systems either for the fun of it or with some malicious intent. External hard drives that reside offline are less vulnerable to attack. They can also be encrypted and password protected.

  • Score:
    • Hard drive 2
    • Cloud 0

3. External hard drives are more likely to fail

External hard drives have a definite shelf life. Unfortunately, that shelf life varies and you never know when your drive will give up the ghost. Now there are usually warning signs that your drive is about to fail. But storing your files on the cloud is less risky. Sure there is the possibility that a server could fail or that individual files could become corrupted. But you will likely have fewer of these issues using a cloud-based solution than with your own external hard drive.

  • Score:
    • Hard drive 2
    • Cloud 1

4. The cloud makes it easier to share files

There are lots of portable hard drives on the market (like the WD My Passport Essential SE) and even desktop drives (like the WD My Book Essential) are small and lightweight enough that they are easy to physically transport from one place to another. But with the cloud, you don’t need to worry about cables or about your hard drive not being recognized by a different computer. The cloud basically gives you access anywhere you can get to a web browser.

  • Score:
    • Hard drive 2
    • Cloud 2

Recommendation

Our basic recommendation is that storing things like your favorite music and movies on the cloud is a good way to go. Even pictures are okay, as long as they don’t pose any sort of personal threat to the people in the photos should they make their way into a hacker’s hands. Even so, if your photos have some special significance or sentimentality, you may want to make your own backups for long-term safe keeping.

However when it comes to personal files like tax returns, financial documents, wills, etc., you’re better off storing these offline on your own external hard drive.

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Buy an External Hard Drive – Considerations

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Admin

Buy an External Hard Drive – Top 5 Factors

Buy external hard drive

Buy External Hard Drive - Portable Drive

If you’re on the market to buy an external hard drive, there are several factors to consider in making an informed purchasing decision.

This post talks about the top things that most people think about when they are on the market for an external hard drive. These are all decisions you will need to make prior to beginning your search. Some are based on personal preference, others on how you will use the drive, and still others on the type of computer to which you are planning to connect the drive.

As with any major purchase, it’s important to do a little research before making a final decision. You want to be sure your important data is well-secured.

Top 5 Factors

The top 5 factors that most people consider are:

  1. Type
  2. Capacity
  3. Price
  4. Connectivity
  5. Reliability

We’ll look at each of these basic factors in turn then look at some other important considerations.

Type of External Drive

There are two basic types of external hard drives:

  1. Desktop
  2. Portable

Desktop models are built to sit on top of a stable work surface (like your desk) and are generally meant to “stay put”. That doesn’t mean you can never move them, but they aren’t really designed to be physically transported on a frequent basis. They typically require a separate power cord in addition to the data transfer cable.

Portable models are designed to be small and light so you can take them with you when you’re on the go. They are generally small enough to fit in your pocket and to withstand minor jostling. Some manufacturers specifically design drives that are made to withstand rigorous conditions like military combat, but most cater to more mainstream use.

Capacity

Capacity refers to the amount of data the external hard drive can store. Desktop models, which top out at 4 TB as of this writing, can generally store more data than portable ones. Portable drives generally don’t have the capacity of a desktop drive, but can still reach upwards of 1.5 TB of storage.

To find out how much capacity you need, you’ll need to do a little math. You will need to know the average file size and number of files for each type of file you want to store (photos, songs, movies, etc.).

But keep in mind that the actual capacity of a drive and the advertized capacity are not the same. If you buy a 500 GB external hard drive, you will actually get around 465 GB of space.

There are a couple of reasons for this. The first has to do with the numbering system that manufacturers use to report capacity (base 10 instead of base 2). They don’t do this to knowingly cheat customers, but rather because we all think in base 10.  You can find a handy calculator that tells you the “true” capacity of a drive, as well as a more detailed explanation on how capacity is calculated here:

http://www.ussscctv.com/harddrivesizecapacitiescalculator.aspx

Another reason is that many hard drives come with resident software, like backup utilities. These, of course, take up available space. Some of these utilities can be easily removed, but not always.

So when you’re trying to determine how much space you’re going to need, keep the above in mind. It’s usually best to err on the side of more capacity rather than less capacity.

Price

Most people don’t care much about the remaining features. Beyond the type and capacity of a drive, price is the biggest factor in determining which external hard drive to purchase.

Not to downplay the importance of price, but when you buy a hard drive, you may want to consider a few other things about the vendor and the shopping experience they provide. For example:

  • Do they have a good overall product selection?
  • Does the site provide good product information, is it easily navigable, is check-out quick and painless?
  • Are items generally in stock?
  • Is shipping fast?
  • Does the shipping packaging provide adequate protection against damage (this is especially important for something as fragile as a hard drive)?
  • What is the return policy?

Buying an external hard drive from a well-known reputable vendor is usually a safe bet. Beware of vendor who may offer cut-rate prices, but at the expense of safely and speedily delivering the product as promised. If you’re not familiar with the vendor, do a bit of homework before handing over your hard-earned money.

There are several vendors that typically get great reviews for pricing, product selection, and customer service. Some are online only and others also have brick-and-mortar establishments. They are (in alphabetical order):

  • Amazon
  • Best Buy
  • CDW
  • Newegg
  • Staples

Others who also get decent ratings:

  • RadioShack
  • Sears
  • Target
  • TigerDirect
  • Walmart

Connectivity

You want to be sure that whatever external hard drive you buy will work with your computer.

Most external hard drives support USB 2.0, which is the most common type of port on different computer types and models (tower, laptop, netbook, Macs, etc.).

Other connectivity types include FireWire, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt.

Reliability

When it comes to your important data, you want to be sure it’s well-protected. There’s nothing worse than losing your treasured digital photos and videos or your favorite songs to a hard drive crash.

Before you buy an external hard drive, be sure you’re buying from a reputable manufacturer who has a history of producing quality drives. You want a company who stands behind their product and has a good customer service department.

Several manufacturers stand out in these areas:

  • Western Digital
  • Seagate
  • HP
  • Toshiba

This list isn’t an exhaustive one, but these seem to be the leaders of the pack as of this writing.

Other Factors to Consider When You Buy an External Hard Drive

You may want to consider some other factors whey you’re shopping for an external hard drive.

  • Color
  • Speed of internal mechanisms
  • Resident software
  • Encryption/Password protection
  • Warranty

So basically, there’s not a lot to it. Just remember that when you want to buy an external hard drive, doing a bit of homework up front can save you headaches down the road.

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Best External Hard Drive Manufacturers

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Admin

External Hard Drive Manufacturers

This post provides a quick overview of the most popular external hard drive manufacturers. It will give you an idea as to what’s out there and where you can find trusted and reliable products.

External hard drives are meant to house data. This can be temporarily, as a way to move data from one computer to another. Or permanently, as extra storage when your computer’s internal hard drive fills up. Or you can use an external hard drive as a backup of important or critical data.

Regardless of the reason, you want to be sure you get value for your hard-earned cash. You want quality at an affordable price from a reputable manufacturer who stands behind their product.

As such, we’ve compiled a list of several external hard drive manufacturers who meet those criteria. This is not a comprehensive or exhaustive list by any means, but these are popular manufacturers because they have a lot of satisfied customers to their credit.

Keep checking this list, as we will add more as time goes on.

HP

Hewlett-Packard is an American company providing computer-related hardware, software, and services to individual consumers and businesses. They make a wide range of external hard drives in just about any capacity for any operating system.

One of their most popular lines is the SimpleSave, which is available in a portable or desktop version.

Seagate

Seagate is an American company, but incorporated in Dublin, Ireland (it truly is a global economy). Like Western Digital, they are one of the largest producers of hard drives in the world.

Seagate’s most popular drives include the Expansion and GoFlex. Both come in portable and desktop versions. The max capacity available on one of these drives is 3 TB.

Toshiba

Toshiba is a Japanese corporation that manufactures a variety of products from household appliances to computers and computer hardware. Their most popular drive, the Canvio, is a portable hard drive that comes in a variety of cool colors and ranges in size from 500 GB to 1 TB. They support USB 2.0 and 3.0 and offer physical protection against drops with a built-in internal shock sensor. The Basics has a 3-year warranty, while the regular Canvio also offers integrated cloud backup capabilities (this costs extra to use).

Transcend

Transcend was founded in Taiwan and has offices around the world. They make the StoreJet line of USB 2.0 and 3.0 external hard drives. The drives range in size from 500 GB to 1 TB. You’ll need to check individual drive specifications to determine whether they are compatible with Windows, Mac, and/or Linux.

Several of the drives have one-touch auto backup feature, while others have anti-shock protection to help protect your drive from physical trauma like drops or excessive vibration. Transcend has a 3-pronged approach to shock protection:

  • Silicon rubberized slip-resistant shell
  • Reinforced hard casing
  • Suspension damper for the internal mechanics

Some of Transcend’s drives are so rugged as to meet the US military’s drop test standards.

Western Digital

Western Digital (WD) is also an American company and is purported to be one of the largest hard drive manufacturers in the world. They specialize in storage: external, internal, solid-state, and network. They also have a line of home entertainment products, including media players and drives.

Western Digital makes both portable and desktop external hard drives in a variety of capacities. Virtually all of their drives support PCs and Macs and offer data security, password protection, encryption, and automated continuous backup.

WD’s most popular products include the WD My Passport, Elements, and My Book drives.

Conclusion

Again, this list is not an exhaustive one, so please don’t be upset if you don’t see your favorite manufacturer. As noted above, we’ll be adding to this list as time goes on, so eventually we hope to have a nice, complete listing of the best external hard drive manufacturers out there.

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Seagate Free Agent

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Admin

Seagate Free Agent: Portable and Desktop External Hard Drives

Seagate Free Agent

Seagate Free Agent GoFlex Desk

If you’re considering one of the Seagate Free Agent external hard drives, you’re in good company.

Click Here to Get a Great Deal on a Seagate Free Agent Drive

The FreeAgent series offers both portable and desktop versions in capacities ranging from 320 GB to 4 TB. The drives are “customizable” which means you can add higher speeds and other features by purchasing the appropriate upgrades.

The newer models available as of this writing are shown in the table below:

Seagate FreeAgent Models
Drive Capacity Interface Dimensions Weight
GoFlex Ultra-Portable 320 GB 500 GB USB 2.0/3.0 3.27”W x 4.33”H x 0.59”D 0.33 Pounds
750 GB – 1.5 TB USB 2.0/3.0 3.51”W x 4.71”H x 0.87″D 0.62 Pounds
GoFlex Pro 500 GB – 750 GB USB 2.0/3.0 3.23”W x 4.14”H x 0.55”D 0.34 Pounds
GoFlex Desk 1 TB USB 2.0/3.0 4.88”W x 6.22”H x 1.73”D 2.38 Pounds

All the drives are virtually plug-n-play. A simple and easy wizard guides you through the installation process. They also have an energy-saving feature that powers the drive down automatically when not in use, although you can disable it if it powers down too quickly.

The ultra-portable drives come with 18” USB cables, while the desktop version comes with 4’ (USB 2.0) and 5’ (USB 3.0) cables.

Exploring the Seagate Free Agent Models

GoFlex Ultra-Portable

The GoFlex Ultra-Portable is, as the name says, a portable drive that allows you to take your files with you when you’re “on the go”. It’s available in a variety of colors and capacities and comes with its own backup software. It features automatic continuous backup and encryption, both of which are managed with the Seagate Dashboard tool.

An upgrade kit is required if you want to use the drive with FireWire 800 or eSATA. Other add-ons include the GoFlex Media Sharing Device (which allows you to remotely access your files over the Internet) and the GoFlex TV HD media player (which allows you to view digital pictures and movies on your TV).

The drive is compatible with Windows or Mac PCs. To use with a Mac, you need to install an NTFS driver on your computer. This allows you to read and write files to the drive in a PC compatible format.

You also have the option of buying the drive standalone, without cables. You still get the backup and encryption software and the NTFS driver.

The drive comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

Model #s:

Kits

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 320 GB USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA320100 – Black
  • STAA320101 – Silver

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500 GB USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA500100 – Black
  • STAA500101 – Silver
  • STAA500102 – Blue
  • STAA500103 – Red

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 750 GB USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA750100 – Black

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA1000100 – Black

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500 GB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA500105 – Black
  • STAA500106 – Silver
  • STAA500107 – Blue
  • STAA500108 – Red

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 750 GB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA750101 – Black

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1 TB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA1000101 – Black
  • STAA1000104 – Silver
  • STAA1000102 – Blue

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1.5 TB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAA1500100 – Black

Standalone Drive Only

Seagate 320GB FreeAgent GoFlex*

  • STAB320500

500GB Black Freeagent Goflex Ultra-portable Drive – Drive Only

  • STAB500500

Seagate 750GB FreeAgent GoFlex*

  • STAB750500

Seagate 1.0TB FreeAgent GoFlex

  • STAB1000500

*Not available by model number at Amazon

GoFlex Pro Ultra-Portable

The GoFlex Pro Ultra-Portable shares the baseline features of the standard GoFlex Ultra-Portable, but has some added benefits:

  • Intelligent Dock
  • Folder Sync Software
  • Premium Backup Software
  • 3 year warranty

It runs at 7200 RPM, making it faster than the standard GoFlex, given you have the proper cable upgrade. The drive comes in black only.

Kits

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 500 GB USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAD500101

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 750 GB USB 2.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAD750101

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 750 GB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAD750102

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 750 GB USB 3.0 Ultra-Portable External Hard Drive

  • STAD750102

Standalone Drive Only

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive with Module

  • STAD500400

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive with Module

  • STAD750400

GoFlex Desk

The GoFlex Desk external hard drive has the highest capacity of the 3 drives profiled here (up to 4 TB). It’s not as upgradable as the portable drives, but if capacity is what you’re looking for, the GoFlex certainly delivers.

This drive supports USB 2.0/3.0 and offers automatic continuous backup, encryption, and the Seagate Dashboard software. The base has an LED capacity gauge on the base dock that tells you how much room is left on the drive (in 25% increments). You can position the drive either horizontally or vertically, depending on how much room you have on your desktop.

Some people complain that the drive’s hum is a bit noisy when operational.

This drive also comes with a 2-year limited warranty and in black only.

Kits

Seagate 500 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC500100

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC1000100

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 2 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC2000100

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC3000100

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC1000101

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 2 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC2000103

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC3000102

Standalone Drive Only

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC1000103

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 2 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC2000106

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC3000102

Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 4 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

  • STAC4000100

Knowledge Base

If you’re looking for even more information about Seagate Free Agent external drives, you can visit their Knowledge Base here:

Seagate Free Agent Knowledge Base

Conclusion

The Seagate Free Agent external hard drives are a great buy for anyone looking for additional storage.

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External Hard Drive Failure – Learn the Warning Signs

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Admin

Avoiding External Hard Drive Failure

external hard drive failure

External Hard Drive Failure

We’ve all experienced external hard drive failure at some point. And if you are one of the few who haven’t, rest assured that you eventually will.

Hard drives can last for years, but just like everything else they are subject to sudden damage or to simple wear and tear from normal use.

Hard drive failures generally fall into one of three categories:

  • Mechanical – For example, failure of the arm that positions the read/write heads
  • Electronic – Like damage to the circuit board
  • Logical – Poorly organized data resulting in inability to retrieve files

Because all these integrated components must work together in perfect harmony in order to have a properly functioning drive, a failure in one area can often cause a failure in another. Thus all hard drives are doomed to die eventually.

Fortunately, there are often warning signs. If you pay attention to the signs, hopefully you will be able to recover some or all of your data before it’s too late.

Back it up, baby

But before we talk about those warning signs, let’s talk about the easiest and smartest way to keep your data safe…

Make backups!

It’s true what they say – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The best way to ensure that you don’t lose data is to make frequent backups of your files. That way when your drive eventually fails, your data is already secured on another device.

Fortunately, some drives come with automated continuous backup so you don’t even have to think about it. But if your drive doesn’t have that feature or you’ve chosen not to use it, the best way to ensure that you don’t lose precious data is to take manual backups.

If you are lucky enough to see a hard drive failure coming, you may be able to get some or all of your data off of the drive before it goes. However if the failure is instant and catastrophic, you have few options but to pay big bucks to a data recovery service. Having been down that road, I can tell you that it’s a hard pill to swallow. Data recovery by a reputable company costs several hundred dollars at the cheap end and can run into the thousands.

Really, you don’t want to go there unless you have to and it’s easily avoidable if you just discipline yourself to ensure your data is backed up properly.

Top Five Signs That Your Hard Drive is Gasping Its Last Breaths

So, how can you tell that your hard drive is about to give up the ghost? Sometimes it’s hard to tell because some of the problems described below can have other causes aside from eminent hard disk failure. You may need to do some basic troubleshooting to rule them out.

1. Unusual Noises

If your drive starts making noises that you haven’t heard before, know that something bad will happen shortly. Clicking, grinding, or scraping noises instead of the usual gentle hum means that something is mechanically going awry. It’s best to stop using the drive immediately in this case because the more you use it, the more damage you’re likely to do.

2. Who are you?

If your computer stops recognizing your hard drive, it may be a sign that the hard drive is about to go on the fritz. If you have access to another computer, try attaching the drive to see if it.

3. Where’s Waldo?

If a file or part of a file disappears and you can’t find it, it’s likely a bad sector on your drive.

4. Disk Errors

It’s not a good sign if you try to access your drive and get an error. Sometimes these can be resolved, so it’s good to consult your manual or the Internet to see if you can find a solution.

5. Slow Access

If the data transfer rate has slowed from what it once was, it could be that your drive is starting on a downward spiral. Sometimes however, this can be caused by a virus or malware, so be sure to run the appropriate scans to rule this out. Another possibility is that your drive has become defragmented, so you may want to run a utility to re-organize your data.

External hard drive failure is never fun, so please take our advice and keep your data backed up.

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The First Hard Drive

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Admin

The first hard drive, the IBM 350 Disk Storage Unit, made its debut in 1956 when IBM introduced the RAMAC 305 vacuum tube computer system. RAMAC stood for “Random Access Method of Accounting and Control”, which gives you an idea of the market IBM was targeting at the time. Over 1,000 RAMACs were produced in total between 1956 and 1961.

The RAMAC allowed transactions to be recorded as they happened and to be applied to multiple accounts simultaneously. In addition, you could randomly access any of those records instead of having to read sequentially through vast amounts of data. This helped even out processing loads, so heavy peak times were a thing of the past. Such real-time computing was quite revolutionary at that time.

Only large corporations and government agencies with a significant amount of money could afford the RAMAC 305, which could be leased for $3,200 a month. The entire system was comprised of several components:

  • 305 Processing Unit
  • 370 Printer
  • 323 Card Punch
  • 380 Console
  • 340 Power Supply
  • 350 Disk Storage Unit

Altogether, the entire RAMAC system weighed over a ton and had to be moved with forklifts (imagine those shipping charges). It took up an inordinate amount of space, basically an entire room.

Originally the 305 included one Disk Storage Unit, but within two years of its debut, an optional second Disk Storage Unit could be added. An additional arm per Disk Storage Unit was also added.

The primary component of the 350 Disk Storage Unit was a magnetic disk memory unit that was accessed via pneumatic and electronic controls. The 24” disks, of which there were 50, were arranged vertically. Data could be written to 100 tracks on either side of each disk. The disks spun at 1200 RPM.

The access arm moved vertically to select the appropriate disk, then horizontally to select the appropriate track. There were two read/write heads at the end of the arm, one to access the top of the disk and one to access the bottom of the disk. The distance between the head and the disk was 800 microinches.

The data transfer rate was 8,800 characters per second.

In terms of capacity, the 50 disks each had 50,000 sectors. Each sector held 100 characters, making the full capacity 5 million characters, or 5 MB. So basically it would take an entire 350 disk drive to hold a 5 minute MP3 file.

The form factor was astonishing compared to the external hard drives of today. Fully assembled, the 350 was 60” x 68” x 29” (picture an oversized washing machine).

Seek time was around 600 milliseconds. Data was recorded at a max of 100 bits/inch.

When you think about the fact that it’s been a little over 50 years since the IBM 350 Disk Storage Unit was manufactured, it boggles the mind. You can carry around 2 terabytes of data in your pocket on a device that’s about the size of a deck of cards!

Below is an info-graphic that compares the IBM 350 with hard drives of today. It’s amazing how far we’ve come since that first hard drive.

First Hard Drive Infographic

First Hard Drive Infographic

Photo: http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/storage/storage_350.html

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Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB – Great Deals

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Admin

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB – Find Out Why It’s So Popular

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB

The Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB (Model #: WDBACX0010BBK-NESN) is a compact and portable external hard drive with a full terabyte of capacity. This drive has been replaced by a newer model, but this model is still available and is a great deal.

Click Here to Get a Great Deal on the Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB

The capacity is amazing to those of us who’ve been around long enough to remember when a terabyte of capacity was something only large businesses could afford and it took a room to house the hardware.

It features automatic continuous backup, a dual USB 2.0/3.0 interface, and a 2-year limited warranty. It works with either Windows PCs or Macs (although you have to reconfigure it to work with the latter). Most people find that it is truly a “plug and play” drive that can be operational in a matter of minutes.


Deal Alert

The Price at this moment is 66% lower and you will save $150.99 if you buy today
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2013-05-23 23:12:01 GMT but are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the merchant site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

 

You can also click here to see the newer model directly.

Physical Description

The WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB drive is 4.3” x 3.3” x 0.7” and weighs about 7.2 ounces, so it’s quite easy to carry around. It has rounded edges which makes it easy to slip in and out of your pocket. Although it looks tiny, it’s a solidly build drive.

The only opening on the drive is the USB port. There is no hinged rubber flap over the port, so the opening is not protected from that standpoint. But in our experience, these usually rip off at some point anyway.

The drive comes in a variety of cool colors: black, silver, metallic blue, and metallic red. The finish is a bit glossy (some people prefer more of a matte finish), but if you’re worried about scratches, you can buy a hard-sided or soft-sided carrying case.

The drive is very quiet and does not get overheated even in hot weather.

Connectivity and Power

The Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB hard drive is powered through the USB cable, which fits snugly into its port. This means one less wire you need to worry about when you’re moving the drive. Some people have reported that their laptop can’t provide enough power to keep the drive operational. If you’re worried about this, be sure to keep your receipt until you feel confident that you won’t experience this problem.

The cable is 16” long, so you may be limited in where you can position the drive. If you want a longer cable, don’t toss out the one that came with the drive until you’ve found and purchased a longer replacement.

The drive can operate at USB 2.0 or 3.0. Be aware that most computers aren’t able to handle USB 3.0 without some hardware adjustments (a special card). If you’re not up to the extra work, you’ll still be fine. USB 2.0 is plenty fast for most operations, although when it comes to transferring HD movies, there is a considerable difference in time. WD’s marketing materials say that you can transfer a 2-hr movie in around 5 minutes as opposed to 13 minutes (allowing for possible variations due to the way your PC or Mac is configured).

Software

The drive comes with WD SmartWare™ software. Many people are not over enamored with the software, but fortunately Western Digital gives you some options. You can use all the software features, some of the, or none of them – it’s completely up to you.

Automatic Continuous Backup

The Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB portable external hard drive features automatic continuous backup, which means that anytime you add or modify a file, a backup is automatically made for you. This is a nice feature because most people can’t remember to back up files manually.

Be sure to periodically check to ensure it’s still working and backing up files as expected.

Password Protection and Encryption

The drive also features password protection and encryption to help protect your data from unauthorized access. This is terrific if you’re storing important backups with sensitive information, like bank account numbers, names, addresses, etc.

Capacity

The drive also comes in a 750 GB version, if you don’t think you’ll need a full 1 TB. However most people find that they eventually max out their storage, so if you can afford the 1 TB model, you won’t likely be disappointed down the line.

You can partition the drive if desired. Your operating system may include tools that allow you to do this.

Compatibility

The drive is compatible with the following (although it can vary depending on your particular configuration):

  • Formatted NTFS (this stands for New Technology File System and is needed when you’re storing large files)
  • WindowsXP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
  • Mac OS X Leopard, Snow Leopard (must be reformatted; works in USB 2.0)

Support

Western Digital includes an e-manual on the hard drive itself. It also comes with 30 days of free phone support within the 2-year warranty period (the 30-day clock starts when you make your first call). You also get free email support during the warranty period.

Recommendation

The My Passport series is purported by WD to be the #1 seller in the world.

True or not, the Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB is a great drive and gets a thumbs up from most people who purchase it.

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