You have already met the OneTouch series of external hard disk drives in our reviews. This time we’re going to talk about the junior model of the second generation of this family which supports the USB interface only. Though it may lack unique features, it makes sense to check it out just to have a fuller picture of the whole family.

Closer Look at Maxtor OneTouch II USB E14E100 100GB

I want to remind you briefly about the main features of OneTouch II series drives the reviewed model is endowed with, too. The name of the family comes from the special technology that allows the user to back up data with a single press of the button on the front panel. Another innovation, called DriveLock, helps to protect your confidential information by setting a password to access files. The software you receive with the external drives of that series can automate the data backup process, save historical backup versions, restore the system or roll it back to its previous state, and perform a diagnostics check of the drive.

As for the exterior, the junior model is an exact copy of its larger-capacity mates: its gray metallic case made of anodized aluminum looks rather cute. The button that gave the name to the whole family is located on the front panel. A LED indicator of the operation mode is built into this button. The metal grid on the front panel facilitates ventilation of the device. A Power button, a USB port and a power connector are located at the rear panel of the case. There’s also a fan there, at the rear panel.

The E14E100 model uses a 100GB hard disk drive with an 8MB buffer (the 250GB and 300GB models are equipped with a 16MB buffer). The spindle rotation speed is 7200rpm; the average seek time is below 9 milliseconds. The device works across the USB 2.0 interface and the manufacturer declares an up to 34MB/s data-transfer rate. You can position the drive either horizontally or vertically, using a special stand. The dimensions of the device are 41x140x220mm, its weight is 1.38kg.

The accessories to the drive include a USB cable, an external power adapter with a cord, a stand, a CD with software, a user’s manual, and a warranty.

The average retail price of the device is $140.