Seagate FreeAgent Pro

Multiple reviewers pick the Seagate FreeAgent Pro as the best external hard drive. It earns lower ratings from other reviewers primarily because it isn't the fastest, especially when the USB connection is used. Register Hardware, BigBruin.com and HardwareZone.com lead the reviewers that rate it as good, but not great, for that reason. ExtremeTech.com and MaximumPC give it average ratings because of disappointing speed. User reviews indicate that the FreeAgent Pro is one of the more reliable external hard drives (though experts say all drives fail eventually), but many users say the on/off button doesn't work and they have to unplug the drive to turn it off. The Seagate FreeAgent Pro is available in three sizes, and all of them need a power brick. If you want something smaller, the Seagate FreeAgent Go 250 GB (*Est. $135) can be powered through a laptop's USB port.

We found lots of reviews for the Seagate FreeAgent Pro. All but two are from last year; most were written in summer of 2007, and they predate some newer products. ExtremeTech.com, TomsHardware.com and HardwareZone.com all cover the drive as part of roundup reviews. This direct comparison approach is generally preferable to isolated, single-product reviews. TweakTown.com has the best individual review, breaking things down into six subcategories and offering superb testing, comparisons and documentation. CNET's review doesn't include eSATA testing, which greatly limits its usefulness. TomsHardware.com neither rates the drives nor picks a winner, and it is the least useful of the three comparison-type reviews.