USB 3.0 1TB Slim External HDD's?

I was going to buy a Toshiba Canvio Plus 1TB slim external USB 2.0 drive for about $130. Then I realized I can get a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex USB 3.0 1TB for $140 at MicroCenter.

Does anyone or has anyone had experience with any 1TB external portable HDD's? What I liked about the Canvio is it looks to be fairly slim compared with the others that are excessively thick. Not that that is everything but something to consider.

I don't have USB 3.0 yet but figured I might as well plan for the future a bit. I don't want to spend $130 on a hard drive only to feel I could be using one a lot faster in six months by spending only $10 or so more.

 

I actually have been using this drive for a while now. Its shell is weak but itll hold up for daily use and its been rather stable. I cant access my benchmark comparison of it on USB 2.0 vs 3.0 right now but Ill post em in the morning (server down)

As for size with adapter it is bigger in some aspects (length 13.5cm height is 2.2cm and width is almost 9cm)

but so far so good for me, I use USB 3.0, 2.0 esata, and firewire goflex adapters frequently with it and so far no problem plugging it in to anythinng

 

Thank you so much for that info, +1! Does it come with just the USB 3.0 cable, and can I use a regular USB 2.0 cable or do I have to buy a specific one? It will primarily hold my Steam game collection, some ISO's, and portable utilities.

 

You have to buy the USB 3.0 cable seperately but I think its like 20-25$ so not bad and either will work in either port but to get USB 3.0 speeds you need USB 3.0 cable to USB 3.0 port.

Here is a benchmark I dug up:



One thing is it can vibrate so have a soft mat, like you know those things to keep things from slipping in cupboards that cost like a buck at the 1$ at the dollar store.

 

Hmm so 3.0 is slower than eSATA... I thought it was fast enough to limit the drive, but looks like 3.0 is dead before it even had a chance if its interface bottlenecked already with a standard HDD.

Well maybe saying its dead is overkill, 3.0 is definitely better than 2.0 and its good to take a step forward, but for those looking to get speed from external drives look like eSATA still wins over USB 3.0 so I for one would not spring for a more expensive USB 3.0 laptop, HDD, or anything else when eSATA is pretty much the same cost as usb 2.0 and standard on a lot of drives/laptops.

I guess the only benifit to weigh in is the fact you can get power from the same cable as the data while eSATA is going to make you use more than one cable (in a normal situation without a special power over eSATA port)

 

Yup, the Goflex does allow power over eSATA, I would like to see more drives include this features, it would make it a more feasible platform for the general consumer.

 

Hmmm, I thought USB 3.0 was 4.8 Gbps compared with 480Mbps USB 2.0 and 1.5Gbps for eSATA. I know those are theoretical and typical max throughput is still about 2/3 those speeds. Something seems strange.

Also, if I buy a USB 3.0 drive though it should come with a USB 3.0 cable I'm assuming? I was just wondering if it used a standard connector for USB 2.0 into the drive.

I already have a powered eSATA enclosure (single cable to combo USB/eSATA port) but it will only accept a 9.5mm drive. I really would desire a 1TB drive, but largest 9.5mm drive is 750GB. I haven't found any other powered eSATA enclosures either.

This is the one I'm looking at. http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0349776

Sounds like I could buy a power over eSATA adapter for the goflex then if desired? Like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-FreeAgent-GoFlex-Upgrade-Powered/dp/B003IT6PH2

Or maybe buy the USB 2.0 version for $10 cheaper: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Seagate...Hard+Drive+-+Black/9929122.p?id=1218196480733

And then buy a powered eSATA cable and/or USB 3.0 cable later. I like the idea of that flexibility though.

Gah! Dilemma.

 

It should come with a 3.0 cable. If the cable is really thin it isn't 3.0 . Plus 1 TB notebook drives aren't exactly the cheapest GB/price ratio yet.

 

YOu gotta remember that you are comparing a 5400RPM 2.5" HDD here to a 7200RPM 3.5 HDD. Most Laptop drives barely push 80MB/s (especially 5400RPM). The 7200RPM ones might go up to 100+MB sometimes.

Here are some better numbers:

Windows Performance Comparison
Seagate GoFlex Desk 3TB (USB 2.0) Seagate GoFlex Desk 3TB (USB 3.0)
Sequential Read 33.1 MB/s 151.9 MB/s
Sequential Write 26.9 MB/s 151.2 MB/s
Random Read 0.30 MB/s 0.30 MB/s
Random Write 0.93 MB/s 0.93 MB/s

The World's First 3TB HDD: Seagate GoFlex Desk 3TB Review - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

That's a review of the Seagate 3.5" HDD over USB 3.0 pushing 151.9MB/s.

 

OK, thanks for that info SHoTTa35. That makes more sense.

 

Wait a sec, are you looking at 2.5" or 3.5"? SHoTTa35 = 3.5" the one I was writing was 2.5"

 

Whups, I jumped the gun. I'm confused. I see SHoTTa35 was referring to 3.5". I see yours is 2.5" his is 3.5"

I think I'll just go with the USB 2.0 one, that is if I can get the speed I need from USB 3.0 later if I buy the adapter or from eSATA for that matter?

 

No, just a cable won't be enough, what matters is the controller inside the enclosure attached to the cable. To get USB 3.0 or eSATA, you need an enclosure with a controller that supports USB 3.0 or eSATA (and the cables, and an appropriate port on your computer). This means that if you buy a USB 2.0 enclosure/pre-built hard drive now, it won't be upgradable later; you'll have to buy a new enclosure to put the harddrive in, or a new pre-built hard drive (with the new interface).

 

If you read earlier in the thread he is talking about the goflex series where the swapping cables swaps the tiny controller, no need for new enclosures

 

Oh. Interesting, didn't know these existed.

 

USB signals need to be converted on each end, thats why USB has a high overhead. eSATA doesnt because hard drives natively speak SATA.

USB2.0 is rated 480mbps (60MB/s~) but most enclosed drives only push less than half of that.

 

eSATAp FTW: 2.5" USB 2.0/eSATA Aluminum External SATA HDD Enclosure (Black) - Supports up to 500GB & Power over eSATA! HE-2521B

That's the cheapest way to get eSATAp. Not sure if it'll support a 12.5mm (1TB) drive, though. I don't have a 12.5mm drive to test with, and I don't really want to buy one to have to return it.

 

LOL, that's the one I own. It will only accept a 9.5mm drive, which atm is maximum 750GB. At least at its smallest point, the gap between a 9.5mm hard drive and the inside of the case was only about 1 to 1.5mm at best. I might be able to wedge it in there, but that metal (steel/aluminum?) enclosure is pretty solid and probably wont budge.

I even asked at the thread specific to these types of enclosures if anyone has tried a 12.7mm and got no response:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...closure-supports-power-combo-usb-port-19.html

I wish I could get my hands on a 12.7mm drive to at least try it and see if its impossible or not. Anyone have a dead 12.7mm drive they'd like to throw my way?

 

So if I do buy a USB 2.0 goflex drive, then I should safely be able to buy an eSATA or USB 3.0 cable later and should benefit from the speeds? I'd really like to get a 7200RPM drive, but I guess I'd have to suffice with a 750GB at the moment.

Maybe I'll get the 750GB hard drive (Seagate) and use NTFS compression to hopefully eek out another 100GB maybe. It'll save me $40 from having to buy the GoFlex since I already own a USB 2.0 / eSATA enclosure.

 

Yup, I actually swap cables constantly between USB 3.0 and eSATA, so far no problems ( I do it at least twice a day).