Portable externals for travelling?

[tinpanalley]

Hi there, I don't buy these often and need one for work. Can someone tell me what are considered the best quality portable externals these days? I need 500GB. Are Western Digital and Samsung drives good like with 3.5 internals??

 

[corkyg]

To connect to what? How big? A 32GB thumb drive can hold a lot of work data and be on your key ring.

 

[stargazr]

WD and Samsung are very good drives. Yes 3.5 drives work in enclosures. A 2.5" drive would be good for traveling. Also you do not need a power pack.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136804

You can also get an enclosure and put your own drive in. Here's one with ventilation - USB 2.0/3.0

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256077

 

[tinpanalley]

What I'm asking about is those smaller 2.5, portable, made for travelling enclosed hdds. 32GB isn't enough for me. "a lot of work data" is subjective which is why I said that I needed 500GB. I already know I can use enclosures on 3.5s. My comments, which was improperly phrased should have been: As with 3.5s where WD and Samsung are considered the best, are they also considered the best in 2.5 hdds?

 

[metalfacepc]

How about Seagate? I had always thought it was Seagate and WD as the top two

 

[corkyg]

My fave 2.5-in drive is the WD Scorpio Black. I would put it in a good Vantec case and toss it in my laptop bag. But - I don't need to do that. With my Thinkpad, I just replace the optical drive with the Ultrabay adapter and slap the Scorpio in there. Makes for an internal travel disk that way.

 

[tinpanalley]

With my Thinkpad, I just replace the optical drive with the Ultrabay adapter

Whoa!! Where do I get one of those? That's what I have, a Lenovo Thinkpad!

 

[corkyg]

Whoa!! Where do I get one of those? That's what I have, a Lenovo Thinkpad!

OK - what model? Ultrabay adapters are somewhat series specific. I have one for my T60 and another for my T510 - they are different and not interchangeable, although both are SATA. To illustrate:

 

[zuffy]

My fave 2.5-in drive is the WD Scorpio Black. I would put it in a good Vantec case and toss it in my laptop bag. But - I don't need to do that. With my Thinkpad, I just replace the optical drive with the Ultrabay adapter and slap the Scorpio in there. Makes for an internal travel disk that way.

That's what I did with my XPS laptop. SSD for OS and the original 500GB for storage. Best of both world. If I really need optical, then I carry my Plextor portable DVD drive.

 

[tinpanalley]

OK - what model?

T420 Thinkpad. If that doesn't work I just have to buy a 2.5 external, portable, toss-it-in-the-laptop-bag, kind of drive that is 500GB. Work demands it.

 

[corkyg]

OK, for the T420 you need trhe Series 3(III) adapter. This is in the Lenovo store - but you can get it for less. Just remember the part number and series 3 or III.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...D77F5867D31462

Just google the part number (43N3412) and make sure it is it. It will take any 2.5-in SATA HDD up to 12mm thick. 9.5mm is ideal. That could be a WDC Scorpio 500GB. Much better than any USB external. You get internal SATA speeds.

 

[tinpanalley]

I love the suggestions. And I love this Western Digital. It occurs to me though that I might want to just get a 2.5 drive and an enclosure that's tough for portability because I already have an all-in-one that I can't use and the fact that it's sealed stops me from being able to just buy a new drive. So I thought if I buy a tough enclosure and 2.5 hdd as separate pieces, I can always replace as necessary. Or even keep 2 hdds. One for work, one not. Any suggestions then on this idea? I'd still get a wd hdd but any ideas on an enclosure?

 

[stargazr]

I love the suggestions. And I love this Western Digital. It occurs to me though that I might want to just get a 2.5 drive and an enclosure that's tough for portability because I already have an all-in-one that I can't use and the fact that it's sealed stops me from being able to just buy a new drive. So I thought if I buy a tough enclosure and 2.5 hdd as separate pieces, I can always replace as necessary. Or even keep 2 hdds. One for work, one not. Any suggestions then on this idea? I'd still get a wd hdd but any ideas on an enclosure?

This one's nice because it has vents. Also has the carbon fiber look. USB 3.0

http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/c...com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256077

 

[tinpanalley]

Is there any difference really between a WD passport for example and a 2.5" drive inside a 2.5 enclosure? Is the passport any safer really shock-wise?

 

[M0RPH]

Here's a review of usb 3.0 portables:
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/round-up/usb-3.0-portable-hard-drives.aspx

The WD Passports are on the slow side, I would recommend the Seagate GoFlex drives.