We found the array of hard drive choices to be daunting.   There are literally hundreds of options to  choose from.    Major names in the hard drive business are led by Seagate, Western Digital, Lacie, and Maxtor.  Desktop versions of external drives are typically relatively small and don't take up much space on your desk.   For most drives, it's a pretty simple process of connecting your current pc via USB, and then uploading information.  You can start loading data within a few minutes based on feedback we've read.    External hard drives, or backup drives as they're sometimes called, have been around for quite a few years.    But as digital entertainment has become more mainstream, so have our storage needs.   This has brought new attention to the need to insure yourself against losing valuable data.   We found options ranging in cost from $20 all the way up to $1000, with the average consumer being able to adequately back themselves up for less than a few hundred dollars.  Our review focuses on desktop backup versions, rather than those that double as portable devices.   You'll find hundreds of choices out there, but if you understand the basics, it'll make your purchase must easier.

capacity

One important consideration when buying your backup storage is how much space will you need?   The first thing we'd suggest if you don't know already, is to look under "my computer" in your start menu to determine what capacity you have today.    If you currently have a 80gb hard drive, and your goal is to make backups so you don't lose your data, then you probably don't need to spend the big bucks for a 200gb drive. However, you should consider your future storage needs.    Do you think you might be buying a new computer in the next year or so?  If so, you'll probably buy something with a larger drive size, which may be overkill today, but will expand well with your next pc purchase.     Once you've made your decision on how big your drive should be, a useful comparison between models (and sizes) is the price per gigabyte.    Hard drives are available in sizes ranging anywhere from 20gb to 1000gb.    Don't be overwhelmed with the options.   Consider your current needs and future needs.   For the normal home user, we'd recommend a 200gb to 250gb.  Not only will this cover you for now, but it would support the next computer purchase.   Remember, these drives have moving parts, which means they won't last forever.    You can use your new drive in a few different ways: as a pure duplication of data on your pc to prevent loss, as added storage if you're running low on space, or a combination of both.

hard drive speed

External hard drives are typically going to be slower to process than internal drives.  The primary factor of hard drive performance will be the RPM. (this is the same concept as the RPM's of your car, it just works faster at higher revolutions)    You'll find most either at 5200 RPM or 7200 RPM.   Obviously 7200 rpm will be faster.   How much so?    It may not be that important to you.  But if you're a high performance user, the 7200 rpm will be noticeably faster and something to focus on.

connecting to your pc

Most drives conveniently connect to your main PC via USB or Firewire.    Firewire will be the faster connection.   USB connections are the standard.   Keep in mind there are generally two types of USB connections; 1.0 and the newer 2.0.    Most 2.0 connections will be backward compatible with your older 1.0 USB port.   USB 2.0 connections will be faster than 1.0.    Yet Firewire is the fastest available connection method.

software

Besides the occasional complete drive failure, this is probably the number one concern of people that have bought external hard drives.   The software can be cumbersome and not very user friendly.   We wouldn't recommend making your buying decision solely on this factor though, as the drive itself is what is most important.   Once connected to your PC via USB, most drives will be read automatically by your Windows system and will show up as another drive (Drive D, E, F, etc).   At that point, a simple drag and drop will suffice for safekeeping of data.   Essentially, you're copying files and folders from one location on your drive, to another, in this case, your external drive.

noise and heat

We'd consider this to be a factor when looking at a new drive.  For the average user though, don't let it sway your decision.   When using your external drive as a data backup, you won't be running the drive all the time.   A slight increase in noise probably won't make or break the deal for most people.    Keep in mind that you'll need clear space on your desktop to allow for adequate ventilation.    Hard drive overheating leads to failure.   But again, this shouldn't worry you if you're buying a known brand.

what not tips  

Consumer feedback tells us that you will find complaints of hard drive failure for every single model out there.    We also believe that folks who have had problems will be more inclined to write up their disappointment, so this bias should be considered when reading feedback.  This tells us that while adding an external drive to your system will certainly help to prevent the chance of data loss, nothing can 100% guarantee it.    Because of this fact, if you have data that is absolutely critical and the effects of losing it would be devastating you should consider additional precautions, such as buying two external drives, online storage solutions, smaller handheld USB memory sticks, or copying the most critical data to CD occasionally.   But at the same time, the likelihood of losing BOTH your actual hard drive and your external drive are pretty slim indeed.   Our top picks below seem to have an overwhelming positive response, and would probably fit your needs quite nicely.

compare TOP PICKS                                            (skip to side notes)
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Level of Competition:  10  [?]
WhatNot Latitude:        6   [?]

	Fantom Titanium 300gb model: TFDU30072	LaCie USB - 250gb Design F.A. Porsche model: 300728U	Western Digital Dual Option - 80gb model: WDXUB800BBNN
	High Performance - High capacity performance from a lesser known manufacturer.   Reviews comment favorably on performance for this and prior models.	Great Choice - Provides exactly what you need without all the frills.  Plenty of capacity for most users.  Great price point!	Great Starter Drive - Simple drive with the most critical features.   You can find them for under $100 and for the price conscious, this is a great solution.
bottom line	Sleek design, fast performance, and quiet operation make this a drive worthy of investigating.	Great looking, sleek, small desktop footprint.   A few concerns (below) are offset by price and looks.   Highly recommended.	Well known brand with less capacity than others.   You can have it saving data in 5 minutes.   Feedback is very positive overall.
cost (approx.)	$182	$138	$82
capacity (size)	300 gb	250 gb	80 gb
cost/gb	$.61	$.55	$1.02
rpm	7200 rpm	7200 rpm	7200 rpm
connection	USB 2.0	USB 2.0 / Firewire	USB 2.0
dimensions	5.3” x 8.8” x 1.5”	1.4" x 4.4" x 7.4"	1.7" x 6.1" x 8.6"
other features or comments	* Quieter due to fan less construction * Less heat than similar drives * Installation directions are user friendly * Ease of multiple platform installs * Vertical or horizontal layout option	* Pre-formatted * Instant Win XP recognition * Great looking design * "fast, quiet, and impressive" * "looks smaller than pictures"	* Doesn't require computer restart to connect/disconnect. * Safe shutdown feature assures you don't power down while data transfer is in progress. * Stackable for expansion (with same brand drives) * One touch button to sync and update data.
concerns	* Longevity due to lack of name recognition	* Length of USB & firewire cables * Heat produced * Small on off switch	* A bit bulky * Heat produced * No firewire option