external harddrive

Alright so iam considering in getting a external harddrive. Now most of the usb external hd setups that i had used were slow so i wanted to get something fast. I came across vantec NexStar3 with eSata or USB. Which would run me about $34. And then I wanted a 500gb Sata drive for it, which runs me about $200 on ebay. And then finally a SATA II Expresscard adapter for my laptop which is about $55, giving me a total of about $290.
Now the question is, who here thinks that its worth the $$$? And also is it generally a smart way to go if i wanted a fast transfter speed. Any one have any experience with the vantec NexStar3?

Oh right I definitly need a fairly large harddrive for music and movies and apps. So anything under 400gb will probably not do.

 

Well that's about 60 cents a gig. Pretty good. Plus it will be faster than any USB or FireWire external. If you need an external I say go for it.

 

I absolutly think that this is a good buy. Now I work at a Staples Business Depot up in Canada, so if this purchase is in the US then it might have a lower value. however in the area that im in if a person could get all of those components for that price it would be a steal.

 

bump? anyone else? thoughts welcome!

 

Why not get TWO external HDDs ? And TWO enclosures with firewire? You can daisy chain the enclosures to get computer to see the two seperate HDDS at once, transfer data between them etc.
Seagate HDDs now routinely run about 25-33 cents/gig for IDE 300GB capacity.
I think outpost.com/frys has 500GB IDE for ~160$
Two (good) enclosures will run about 90$ total.
Thus for 290$, u will get two seagate HDDs totalling 600GB, with a 5 year warranty, on excellent external enclosures.
My definition of an top notch external 3.5" enclosure reqiures enclosure to be aluminium AND to have a fan ( I dont think the Nexstar has a fan). Fan+alumminium = good cooling = safer HDD.
I know of only two such enclosure ina a reasonable price range - the AMS DS3, and the apricorn external enclosure (I have the AMS, but I belive the Apricorn enclosure is better).

 

Um wow 500gb for $160, really no way, um well at least i didnt find any, please link me if you do. Um you do bring up a very good point. I did my math and this is the way i see it.....

for 94 bucks i can get

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822140166

300gb 7200rpm 16mb Maxtor DiamondMax 3 year warranty

or 188 for HD x 2

And then AMS DS3 for about 35 bucks plus shipping so about 40ish.

or AMS DS3 x 2 = 80ish

Total = $268 for 600gb of pure space!!!!

Now I am thinking to myself, how much speed am I gonna be loosing for 100 extra gb and 20 bucks. I am going mainly after performance.

Sure I suppose this would be useful if i needed 2 separate hds.

You also bring up that a good external hd needs a fan, I have read that in many reviews, but if you look at the vantec, people have said that it runs fair.

Does anyone have any idea on how much difference in performance there is?

What do people think?

This method or original method?

 

Outpost has these sales often:
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?start=0&catid=18&threadid=628132

Right now, outpost.com has the 300GB PATA one for 90$ with free shipping:
http://shop2.outpost.com/product/4596277

PATA=IDE = will work in enclosure.

Note that getting an enclosure with firewire will probably run ~45$

Thus, RIGHT NOW, you can get the seagate 300GB one with 5 year warranty for 90$, and the enclosures. By the time you get to hitting the 300GB capacity, there should certainly be another outpost sale on the 500GB one.
Here, they had 400GB for 110$ (and in which you may see me asking whether it would work in the AMS enclosure ):
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?catid=18&threadid=626196

So taking the 300GB+400GB+2 enclsures, its more like 90+110+90=290$ for 700GB = 200GB more than your original option man!
Plus you get an extra enclosure.



With regard to fans - heat is not a sudden killer - its effects can only be seen over time. I'd rather do everything I can to preserve my data.

 

Speed-wise the SATA will be quicker than FireWire and much quicker than USB. You are paying for speed. So you should decide if speed or size is more important. Now that is not to say FireWire won't be fast, but SATA will be faster. Also, remeber that this speed only shows when you are writing/reading the hard drive. I am sure you knew that, but just underscoring it. Good luck!

 

I'm using 250GB FireWire external hard drive right now and it works like if it were an on-board internal hard drive. Go with any 7200rpm FireWire large capacity external hard drive if you need to store movies and music.