Conclusion
These three storage products are certainly different from mainstream products, but it is questionable as to whether or not the different approaches make sense.
The Buffalo device looks like a portable 1.8” hard drive with a USB interface cable wrapped around the drive. It is available in capacities of up to 100 GB, and it comes at a premium price due to its flash memory architecture. It is robust, but it does not deliver the performance you’d expect from a flash-based premium storage device, even if you install the TurboUSB drivers. The Microstation Portable Silicon Disk works well, and it is convenient, but it’s expensive, and not really superior to other portable storage solutions. Check prices before shopping—you can get a portable 320-500 GB hard drive for the same money.
Chaintech provides a flash SSD with SATA/300 and USB 2.0 interfaces, which in theory provides ideal connectivity. But the device faces the same challenges as Buffalo’s Microstation: portable hard drives provide much greater capacity at a lower cost with similar performance, making robustness and SATA performance the only real advantages. We included this drive in our most recent SSD roundup, so if you'd like to check out its SATA performance, be sure to give that story a read.
Finally, there is LaCie’s Little Big Disk Quadra, which provides excellent benchmark results and impressive build quality. The drive is fast, very power efficient and relatively light, thanks to its RAID 0 array layout and two 2.5” 500 GB hard drives. It can even be bus-powered if you use FireWire, while USB 2.0 or eSATA require using the power supply. However, there is no option to set the drive to safe RAID 1 mode, and its backup software is disappointing considering the device’s hefty $599.99 price.
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I wanted an article with the tiny HDD used as the image on the homepage.
mee too
yup, tiny hdd where is the info!
big fail to use that picture and not even mention the frigging hdd, that was what I wanted to read about
Well what can you say.
They lift articles directly form the American site and don't change spelling or prices.
Then when they actually get the finger out to make a new article for the UK they can't get it right.
Yet another reason Tom's should have a UK based office for the site, like every other country it does articles for.
It's becoming like shoutwire this place, sad times
Tom's used to be GREAT, it was the place to go, but for the last year+ it's gone down the drain, half done articles, US prices instead of UK prices.
If they're gonna use an unrelated picture why not use a picture of some tits while they're at it?
You will have to wait - Tom's only show tits at Xmas! Nice women though!
I'd go with tits with two of those tiny hdds for nipples. Maybe there's another QOTD "news" article suggestion?
WHy would they use a picture of Devastator_UK tho?
SO what we are all saying is
This site is not as good as it used to be; but so long as there is soft-core porn mixed into the hardware review some where, we will all be happy.
HOWEVER, due to the crapness of the site in recent times, the girls used should be extremely good looking to address the balance.
Browser boob babe being a good example. We need CPU babe, GPU babe, HDD, bade, Mobo babe. Monitor babe will need huge eyes and Case babe (should be a butch lass).
All those in favour say "aye"
It's not a tiny hard drive. It's a regular 3.5 demonstrated by a giant you fools!