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External Hard Drives Review

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$60
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In this review:
  1. Cheap External Hard Drives, Best Cheap External Hard Drives
  2. External Hard Drives Review

External Hard Drives Performance

In evaluating the performance of a cheap external hard drive, a lot depends on your priorities. For example, are you looking for something small and lightweight? Or something with a lot of storage capacity? Or something that's durable?

Hard Drive General Performance.

After reading numerous external hard drive reviews by users and experts, we concluded that low prices don't impair the overall performance of many of these computer accessories. The low-cost external hard drives on our list, as well as several others that we researched, garner favorable comments for doing what they're meant to in a quiet and reliable manner.

One of the best cheap external hard drives, the Western Digital Elements, earns praise in an ExternalHardDrives.org review for its ease of use and quiet operation; the expert review notes that this cheap 1TB external hard drive comes preformatted and emits a barely audible hum when running. Many users posting external hard drives reviews on Newegg are likewise pleased with the Western Digital Elements, citing its simple design and the massive storage capacity for the price; users appreciate the aluminum shell, which helps to dissipate heat and keeps the Western Digital Element cooler than other external hard drives. Note that this cheap external hard drive has no on/off switch but does power down when not in use.

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Another model that wins plaudits in external hard drives reviews is the Toshiba, with its 640 GB of storage. PC Magazine describes the Toshiba as an excellent blend of hardware and software; this expert external hard drives reviewer is impressed by the available storage capacity given its low price and small physical size. (The Toshiba 640 GB measures 3.2x5x.65 inches and weighs six ounces.)

Quick, silent operation and easy setup earn praise for the Iomega eGo Portable in external hard drives reviews on Amazon. A photographer posting an external hard drives review on J&R uses this small, lightweight model instead of a flash drive when shooting events or loading proofs to show clients. Experts at Computershopper.com are impressed with the speed and the software suite but gripe about the tedium of installing the software, which must be downloaded and requires a lengthy series of complicated choices and sharing of too much personal information.

The Seagate FreeAgent Go earns a "very good" label in an external hard drives review on PC Magazine for offering plenty of space for a bargain price. Users commenting on B&H Photo appreciate its easy set up, quiet operation, portability, and generous hard drive storage capacity.

The Verbatim USB 2.0 250 GB 96532 (starting at $70, Amazon) takes some knocks in external hard drive reviews on Amazon, where users report the accessory died within months, sometimes as soon as two weeks after purchase. They also carp about poor customer service, a slow transfer rate, and problems trying to get a desktop to recognize this external drive. On the other hand, external hard drive reviews for this model posted on Buy.com are generally positive; these users seem satisfied with the speed, storage-to-price ratio, and easy plug-in-and-play set up.

External Hard Drive Backup Software.

The backup software programs for the external hard drives on our list generally earn a passing grade from user and expert reviewers. An external hard drives review at PC Magazine concludes that the Toshiba portable hard drive is a good choice for users who need to regularly backup their primary hard drive; the reviewer notes you can password protect the entire hard drive and the disaster recovery program lets you easily restore the hard drive in the event of a crash. The Iomega eGo merits praise in an external hard drives review on CNET for offering three different backup programs, which gives users a choice of backup methods. And a consumer reviewer of external hard drives posting at Tom's Hardware appreciates how easy it is to use the Seagate FreeAgent Go's backup program, which lets you choose between a standard daily backup or a customized backup.

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At the opposite end of the user satisfaction spectrum sits the Seagate Replica 250 GB hard drive (starting at $62, Amazon). External hard drive reviews by users on CNET pan this budget model's backup software, complaining that it slows down and sometimes crashes their computers. Consumers commenting on Amazon are likewise disappointed, with one describing the Seagate Replica software as "an exercise in frustration."

External Hard Drive Transfer Rates.

The file transfer rate represents the speed with which files can be copied to or from the external hard drive. The actual transfer rate depends on your computer, as well on the design of the external hard drive. In our research, the Iomega eGo receives the loudest applause for this performance characteristic; an expert external hard drives review on CNET simply says the Iomega eGo is faster than the competition. Users commenting on Newegg appreciate the quick file transfer speed of the Seagate FreeAgent Go.

Other external hard drives offer good, but not impressive, transfer rates. Some users note on Amazon that the backup speed of the Western Digital Elements is pretty decent. Others commenting on the same site praise the speed of the Toshiba portable external hard drive, although an expert review on Computer World reports its speed to be slower than average.

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Best Cheap External Hard Drives

Western Digital Elements 1 TB
Gold Medal

Western Digital Elements 1 TB

 A reliable, quiet hard drive that receives high marks from users and experts, the Western Digital Elements 1 TB gives the most bang for the buck when it comes to storage space. But unlike many other hard drives, it does not include backup software. You do, however, get a highly dependable hard drive designed to sit on your desktop, rather than be toted around, although it's small enough to travel with if you need to. This hard drive has a USB 2.0 port and is compatible with PCs and Macs. Read more »
External Hard Drives Deals
Toshiba 640 GB Portable External Hard Drive
Gold Medal

Toshiba 640 GB Portable External Hard Drive

 The Toshiba External Hard Drive gets high marks from experts and users for its small size, high 640 GB storage capacity, reliable operation, and useful backup and recovery software. It's designed with shock-absorbing technology (a plus if you need to carry it with you) and a USB 2.0 connection port, and is compatible with Macs and PCs. Read more »
External Hard Drives Deals

Good Cheap External Hard Drives

Iomega eGo Portable 500 GB
Gold Medal

Iomega eGo Portable 500 GB

 The Iomega Ego Portable is praised by users for its speed, rugged design, and ease of setup. With 500 GB of storage and three different types of software solutions to back up your data, you get good value for your money. This hard drive is compatible with PCs and Macs, offers USB 2.0 and FireWire connection ports, and can be dropped from a height of 51 inches and still keep on working. Read more »
External Hard Drives Deals
Seagate FreeAgent Go 500 GB
Gold Medal

Seagate FreeAgent Go 500 GB

 The Seagate FreeAgent Go receives high marks for its compact size, ease of use, and quiet, reliable operation. It offers 500 GB of storage and comes in separate versions for PC and Mac users. Optional features include a FireWire port (for an additional $40) and a docking station (starting at $20). Read more »
External Hard Drives Deals
 
 
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Don't Bother External Hard Drives

Seagate Replica 250 GB

The Seagate Replica is designed to automatically backup your Windows-based PC, including the operating system. This is a great idea, but many users complain that the backup software doesn't work properly. The Replica offers only 250 GB of storage, which is much less storage per dollar than many competing products. The Replica does not support Macs. Read more »

Verbatim USB 2.0 250 GB 96532

Other Verbatim external hard drives receive positive reviews from users, but many report that this older model died after one, two, or three months. Users also had trouble connecting the hard drive to their computer and difficulty getting customer support. This Verbatim hard drive offers only 250 GB of storage and a USB 2.0 connection port; it's compatible with Macs and PCs. Read more »

 
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