Review on Iomega 32368 External USB 2.0 4200 RPM 20 GB Hard Drive: Compact Storage Solution for All Your Data Needs by Jason Hinrichs

I have both this Iomega 20GB portable hard drive and another Archos 20GB hard drive and recommend them who buy the Iomega. Of course, this Iomega drive isn't the fastest, smallest, or cheapest 20GB portable drive, but it comes with a driver that just works. drops an annoying BSOD bomb, always at the most inopportune moment. The Iomega drive, on the other hand, seems to be much more reliable and works great every time. The 4200RPM speed is a bit underestimated, but given that you'll never get close to USB 2.0's rated speed of 480Mbps - in fact, the maximum speed I'm getting is about 1/10th that speed! - Speed is not a bottleneck. Overall, I would recommend an IEEE 1394 portable hard drive for its really higher I/O bandwidth. However, since USB ports are much more common, a USB stick is also more convenient. And in that category, I heartily recommend this Iomega product, as well as the 30GB version. One last thing about the power issue: On my main desktop, an Acer P3, I can sometimes use an Iomega hard drive without a power cord. . However, not always. In any case, it is recommended to carry an AC adapter with you. The same applies to external IEEE 1394 drives.