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    Best USB only powered external hard drive

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Deathwinger, Jul 13, 2009.

  1. Deathwinger

    Deathwinger Notebook Virtuoso

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    Hi, I'm in need of a new external hard drive. The simpledrive 500GB external I had has failed on me only after 2 years and I would like to get one that is reliable and fully usb powered (need to keep it mobile and the 500gb developed to be a pain and I only used about 250gb of it anyway).

    I'm looking for something possibly in a 320gb range. When I was in the area of looking to buy a hard drive 2 years ago, the highest usb powered you could get was 250gb. I don't know if that's change. Let me know. Thanks.
     
    Deathwinger, Jul 13, 2009
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  2. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    You can get up to 640GB in 2.5" now.

    I use a simple Fujtisu 320GB HDD in a $9 enclosure. It's been working fine for 2 years.
     
    Phil, Jul 13, 2009
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  3. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    500gb is what I would get, its tried and true and gives you enough space to grow (or in my case fill up in a week) the 640gb are new, and while I am sure they are good drives the price per gb of storage is sure to be higher than the 500gb so its probably not as good of a deal.

    The only reason I do not recommend the 320gb drive is because the 500gb drive should be faster since it is more data dense, and so you have some room for more files if you need it, also I do not think any of the current 320gb drives are a single platter, so it wont have any advantages over the 500gb drive.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jul 13, 2009
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  4. Tippey765

    Tippey765 Notebook Guru

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    You could get a 3.5 inch hard drive all USB hard drives will be crippled at the same around 30mb/s speed.
     
    Tippey765, Jul 13, 2009
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  5. Manic Penguins

    Manic Penguins [+[ ]=]

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    Do you have e-sata?

    If not then I dont think it matters getting a fast drive because USB will bottleneck it :)
     
    Manic Penguins, Jul 13, 2009
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  6. amoney3

    amoney3 Notebook Consultant

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    amoney3, Jul 13, 2009
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  7. makaveli72

    makaveli72 Eat.My.Shorts

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    The overall rating says it all! Might not be the best out there; but they will always get a recommendation from me...and I don't think you can get them much thinner (mobile) than a Passport. :)
     
    makaveli72, Jul 13, 2009
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  8. davidkneiber

    davidkneiber Notebook Consultant

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    be cool and build you own... ( mine costed me a useless 30 year old laptop 266mhz (which happened to be given to me with a 40 gig hdd??????) and a $2.99 hd enclosure from fleabay (which i am a fan of!)
     
    davidkneiber, Jul 14, 2009
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  9. Deathwinger

    Deathwinger Notebook Virtuoso

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    Ended up purchasing a 250GB Seagate Freeagent Go based on the great user reviews on it. I saw a Toshiba and the WD at 320gb and 500gb but seeing as many users were reporting that the drives were failing on them several months after having them I decided to steer clear of it.

    Thanks for all the assistance though.
     
    Deathwinger, Jul 14, 2009
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