Mybook 500gig/1TB

I am either going with a 500gig or 1TB Mybook. It is priced 144.99 and 229.99 respectively. Do you think it's worth it to spend the exxtra 80 or so dollars and get the TB?

Also, I never owned a power adapter HDD so I was wondering how it works. Do you guys leave it turned on? or off when you don't use it? Also, how can I get it to function as another "hard drive" instead of just a portable storage device. I am planning to use it with my MBP 15. And it's too bad that the Mybook doesn't have firewire 800.

 

If you need the space get the bigger one.

If you are using it for backup than only turn it on/plug it in the times that you need to get the data.

I think that you can even boot off external drives but I would have someone varify this.

 

plug it in, and it's now part of your computer. it acts like a normal harddrive.

 

How much space do you need? Does speed matter? I got a WD MyPassport elite 320 GB drive and it is small, pain free storage on the go. I get around 17-20 MBps, it is powered through the USB port and is one of the best notebook addons I have bought in a long time.

tbh, more storage is always better, but if you are using it with a notebook and you cant take it with you, what is the point?

 

I've had my Mybook HDD die on me after 8 months of use. Once you hear the clicking sounds, immediately start to move your files to another HDD. Just google it and you will see many have had this problem. Get something else if you want it to last.

 

Uhh... DO NOT buy a 3.5" MyBook (any). I have both the 2.5 and 3.5 variants and I find that the 3.5 one tends to get very unreliable after a while.

Main complaints about the 3.5" 1TB MyBook Home (blue box) with USB/1394/eSATA:
- nasty tendency of overheating, despite being a GreenPower,
- when overheating or under sustained load crashes out, refuses to be recognized in any mode until left for a while,
- comes with only a USB cable, despite having plugs for 1394a and eSATA, none of my eSATA cables fit correct with the eSATA plug (too far recessed, tried cables from VANTEC and Antec enclosures, two different Startech cables... the only cable that fit without modification was from an iRocks generic enclosure),
- poor eSATA performance compared to Vantec and Antec units (despite using a similar Initios chipset).

It is a flawed design. It was nice that it was plastic, light-weight and looks nice, but it has no way to dissipate the heat.

I would suggest buying a Seagate drive OEM and then buying something like a Vantec 3.5" enclosure or similar. It might cost more, but it will be a heck of a lot more reliable and you get a 5yr warranty on the drive (WD will void your warranty if you open the enclosure, which is pretty difficult to open without leaving tell-tale signs, it uses plastic clips to latch closed).


1. Vantec USB/eSATA enclosure, $35:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817145167

OR

Vantec USB/1394/eSATA enclosure, $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817392018

2. Seagate 1TB 7200rpm 3.5" disk, $129 (5yr warranty):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148274

So comes out to about $165 - $185.

VS.

WD 1TB MyBook Home USB/1394/eSATA (3yr warranty), $189:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136172

I'd return my 1TB MyBook and go the other way if I could. It's pathetic that I paid 279$ last year (against my better judgement buying an external drive instead of an enclosure + OEM drive) and it limits what I can do with it while I have these OEM Seagate and Hitachi drives I threw into an enclosure which cost me way less and I use so much more.

Otherwise, if you want portability, you can go with a 500GB 5400rpm 2.5" MyBook Passport USB2. It's a lot less annoying to carry it around, but you only get 1/2 of the space for the price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136303

 

500Gb for 145$? isnt it kinda overprice?

My suggestion is buy a 3.5" Internal HD and an External Enclosure at Newegg like I did.

Cheaper and more reliable.

 

That would depend on weather you need the extra storage or not. To determine how much storage you need, take the absolute maximum amount of storage you think you will need, and double it. That's how much you should get.