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Single-PC Backup Savvy

The Iomega drive won our performance tests, but the Seagate and our Best Buy, the Western Digital, have better designs.

Melissa J. Perenson

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Western Digital Dual-option Media Center PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0

Last Rated:

1. Western Digital Dual-option Media Center

320GB, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 interface, EMC Dantz Retrospect Express 6.5, Price when ranked: $280,

Bottom Line: This reasonably priced model has less capacity and is slower than competitors; but with media card slots and a two-port USB 2.0 hub, it's more than just a storage drive.

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Seagate Pushbutton Backup PCW Rating: 73.0PCW Rating: 73.0PCW Rating: 73.0

Last Rated:

2. Seagate Pushbutton Backup

400GB, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 interface, CMS BounceBack Express 6, Price when ranked: $330,

Bottom Line: Unit has great design and documentation. It's a little slow when using its limited bundled backup software, but competitively fast when simply copying files.

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Iomega Desktop Hard Drive Triple Interface Platinum Series PCW Rating: 79.0PCW Rating: 79.0PCW Rating: 79.0

Last Rated:

3. Iomega Desktop Hard Drive Triple Interface Platinum Series

400GB, USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800 interface, Iomega Automatic Backup Professional 3.2, Price when ranked: $380,

Bottom Line: Noticeably swifter at system backups than the other drives here. Its included PC software can automatically back up changed files; its Mac software is Retrospect Express.

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Hammer Storage Desk Hammer PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0

Last Rated:

4. Hammer Storage Desk Hammer

400GB, USB 2.0, EMC Dantz Retrospect Express 6.5, Price when ranked: $330,

Bottom Line: This model was fastest at our drag-and-drop copying, in part because it was the only drive preformatted with NTFS. USB-only, but otherwise a good value for the money.

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Maxtor OneTouch II PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5

Last Rated:

5. Maxtor OneTouch II

300GB, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 interface, EMC Dantz Retrospect Express HD, Price when ranked: $260,

Bottom Line: Its moderate capacity, price, and performance (when formatted as FAT32) are pluses; but Maxtor hobbles this drive with oversimplified Retrospect Express HD software.

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CMS Products ABSplus Desktop Backup System PCW Rating: 3.0PCW Rating: 3.0PCW Rating: 3.0

Last Rated:

6. CMS Products ABSplus Desktop Backup System

400GB, USB 2.0, CMS BounceBack Professional 6, Price when ranked: $500,

Bottom Line: A little pricey for the capacity, and it comes in a generic, buttonless, USB 2.0-only drive enclosure (FireWire and external SATA versions are available separately). The included software isn't pretty, but it is capable.

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IOGear Tri-Select Combo ION Drive PCW Rating: 3.0PCW Rating: 3.0PCW Rating: 3.0

Last Rated:

7. IOGear Tri-Select Combo ION Drive

250GB, USB 2.0, EMC Dantz Retrospect Express 6.5, Price when ranked: $290,

Bottom Line: Each of the three buttons on the front of this drive's case can launch a different backup routine. But it has a somewhat unstable vertical stand and an aggravating manual.

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