X-bit labs

2.5-Inch External Hard Drives with 120GB Storage Capacity

Category: Storage

by Aleksey Meyev

[ 04/02/2007 | 01:58 PM ]

It is increasingly more important to be able to move from one PC to another or carry around large amounts of information. Therefore we decided to take a closer look at three solutions that offer great portability, sufficient storage capacity and small and thin dimensions. Our article is devoted to the products from two well-known storage solution makers – Western Digital and Transcend.

Table of contents:

• HD-227FW & U2
  
• Transcend StoreJet TS120GSJ25S
  
• Western Digital Passport WD1200U017-002
  
• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance in Intel IOMeter
  
• Sequential Read & Write
  
• Database Pattern
  
• File-Server & Web-Server Pattern
  
• Workstation Pattern
  
• Multi-Threaded Read & Write Patterns
  
• Performance in WinBench 99
  
• Performance in FC-Test
  
• Conclusion
  

It is increasingly more important to be able to move from one PC to another or carry around large amounts of information. Software distributions and portable program versions which don’t require installation, data backups and video files – all this calls for a capacious but physically small storage medium. USB flash drives may prove to have too low capacities for that purpose and we have to switch to external hard disk drives.

Some people can be satisfied with storage capacities provided by 1.8” disks and others are ready to sacrifice compactness for the sake of capacity and prefer 3.5” devices, yet it is 2.5” models that are most popular among external hard disk drives. Somewhat longer but thinner than a common cigarette pack, a 2.5” HDD currently provides as much storage as hard disks in low-end PCs and can meet users’ storage requirements easily.

Three such HDDs with a capacity of 120GB will be discussed in this review.

HD-227FW & U2

This is in fact one and the same model from a noname manufacturer with different interfaces: one employs the common USB 2.0 while the other uses the less widespread FireWire (IEEE1394). Inside there is a 120GB hard disk drive from Samsung. This is a pure DIY solution, that is why it would be interesting to see if it proves any better than the ready products. Also, we’ll see if there’s any difference between these two interfaces when it comes to external HDD performance.

Otherwise, these devices are designed like many others of their kind: a plain-looking gray box with interface and power connectors. The additional power connector should be used on a PC that cannot provide enough power to the hard disk through one USB port.

These are the accessories you receive with the device: a CD with drivers and electronic user manual, an interface cable, and an additional power cable.

Transcend StoreJet TS120GSJ25S

This is the TS120GSJ25S model from Transcend’s StoreJet series. This brand is well recognized on the market of compact storage media, but mostly due to the company’s flash drives and memory cards which have been regularly reviewed on our website, too. This HDD differs from the previous ones in shape and color only. It has a matte surface, too, and the same set of connectors on a side panel.

You get a soft pouch with a tie to carry the drive around. It is a nice accessory for those who want to keep their external HDD clean and tidy.