Best external HDD for Time Machine?

[jaywong87]

I searched and couldnt find the exact answer, so i'll ask you guys..

Whats the best external HDD for TM?

How big should it be for this purpose?

Specifically, i would love to buy one that doesnt require an external power source, because i will be using it with the laptop, on the road, a lot.

Which is better for this? FW800 or USB?

Whats the disadvantages of not having an external power source? Slower read/write speeds..etc?

Thanks everyone! Love the community!

 

[GfulDedFan]

I searched and couldnt find the exact answer, so i'll ask you guys..

Whats the best external HDD for TM?

I like Western Digital fire wire but I suggest any major brand that's on sale in your budget.

How big should it be for this purpose?

At least as big as your internal but I like to use at least double the size. The external drive can be partitioned for multiple uses and your storage/backup needs often change so a large drive can accomodate and grow as your needs change.

Specifically, i would love to buy one that doesnt require an external power source, because i will be using it with the laptop, on the road, a lot.

Now you are talking about a usb powered HD and you will be somewhat limited in your search for one but they can still be obtained.

Which is better for this? FW800 or USB?

Firewire is a streaming connection that has an advantage that makes it somewhat faster. Todays USB connections have improved (2.0) but it sends information in packets which slows down the communication.

Whats the disadvantages of not having an external power source? Slower read/write speeds..etc?

The external-powered drives have more power to operate. If the drive needs more power than what can be obtained though your usb port, it must be plugged in to a power source. Some are usb powered only, some are external power source only and some are either or depending on the enclosure.

Thanks everyone! Love the community!

Me too!

 

[killerwhack]

WD Mybook 2.0 TB

After the beginning of the year, I am getting a mybook 2.0 TB and I will run it in RAID 1 mode (1.0 TB mirrored)

It has firewire and USB 2.0 interfaces.

 

[nikhsub1]

I have THIS and I love it. It is USB 2.0, needs no power adapter and is VERY small. It uses a 5400 RPM 2.5" Laptop hard drive which is why it can be so small. It is not much bigger than an iPhone... has worked VERY well for me.

 

[skyrider007]

I have a LaCie USB2.0 7200RPM 500GB US$120... it works well, gets a little noisy when transferring large files tho. Otherwise it's a great value HD.