Portable Hard Drive - 2.5"

[dC0m]

Alrighty guys, here's the dilemma: I have a SanDisk USB Cruzer Micro 8GB flash drive that is nearing it's full capacity. On it, I have documents, music, and family photos (not a great way to backup my crap) and I only have close to 300mb left. I'm looking for a decent-speed, low power, low profile portable hard drive. Basically, this new drive will serve as a portable backup drive for my music, docs, and photos before I throw them on a permanent WHS or bigger backup drive (which I have yet to get/build). It'll help free up space on my flash drive so I can use that as my daily portable while only using this new portable drive when needed. Requirements here:

-Must be 2.5"

-At least 250GB - 320GB. I'm leaning more toward 320GB since the price difference is only like $10. Even though I probably won't use it's full capacity, I like to have that sense that I'll have room for more.

-Low power, low profile, decent speed (as mentioned above)

-USB 2.0 should be fine. Preferably, 1 USB 2.0 connection. I've seen some enclosures with a USB Y-Split with 2 USB ports for power? Something with drives over 250GB?

-Can be a HD + Enclosure or a ready in box External Drive. Which ever is cheaper and meets criteria.

-Let's keep it as cheap as possible - under $75 - $80?

What I've been looking at so far:
-http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136197 - Apparently fastest mobile HD in terms of Avg. Latency? - 4.2ms

+Slim Enclosure for ~$15

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136243

I'm usually a Seagate fanboy but WD has better price/GB ratio for these drives. I'm open to all suggestions though.

 

[dizint]

Pick a Seagate or WD 2.5 drive of your choice, they are both single USB plug. both brands make quality drives.

 

[Old Hippie]

Can be a HD + Enclosure or a ready in box External Drive. Which ever is cheaper and meets criteria.

If part of your criteria is being able to remove the drive for troubleshooting without voiding the warranty, your only choice is to roll 'ur own with seperates.

As far as HD specs go, I always travel to the 2.5" drive charts at Tom's Hardware to look for specifics.

I'm not aware of any HD size or "cut-off" point that requires a USB "Y" cable and that will vary with the differences between laptops and desktops.

The only way I had to discriminate 2.5" enclosure quality was the chipset and I can't find a current comparison chart anymore.

In other words....I can't help you at all!

 

[dC0m]

Thanks for the advice so far.

Any more suggestions?

 

[Jodiuh]

Played w/ a 500GB Seagate FreeAgent Go last night. Now I'm fighting w/ a Western Digital My Pissport Elite 500GB. *sniff* I want the Seagate back...screw hardware encryption and a good blinking LED. The micro usb connection blows and the dock's terribly lame. It falls over easily and doesn't weigh itself down like the FreeAgent Go dock does. It cost a helluva a lot more and feels even cheaper. The sides push in easily. Mounting it on the dock makes me nervous...feel like I'm gonna break it.

My board doesn't have 1394b or eSata, so I'm kinda stuck. I suppose I could stick a reg lappy 2.5" into a cage...