External Harddrive - eSATA(?)

BlackWizard

I need more storage at home.

So I seen in a Lidl newsletter that this harddrive will be going on sale in a few days.
http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20070308.p.Targa250GBExternalHardDrive

But I think its the first time I've seen eSATA before. What does it mean? I will be using this external harddrive on an old PC, a new Laptop(XPS m1710) and in a few months a new PC. I was looking on adverts for a second hand external and strangely enough no one seems to be selling or sold them. Ones I did find did not mention "eSATA" either.

For an extra 22euro I can get this one
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4CHJ

It doesnt mention eSATA and is quite larger. I'm leaning towards this one unless this eSATA technology is very useful. Oh and does anyone know if I can collect off dabs or do I have to pay for delivery?

Khannie

eSATA is a new connection for external drives. Your new laptop may have a connection, but your old computer almost certainly wont.

edit: Dabs is in the UK, so you will have to pay for delivery.

Personally, I consider the 2.5" external drives (which can be powered without a plug) worth the extra money.

Steffano2002

E-SATA is indeed a new data transfer method (new to the general public that is) and it is much faster than USB 2.0. However, you will need to buy an E-SATA PCI card for your old computer.

What I find odd about the Lidl ad is that it says it has a USB 2.0 port and an E-SATA drive (7200RPM). I'm thinking it either has both USB 2.0 and E-SATA connectors or, they messed up the ad and it's only a standard USB 2.0 external HDD...

BlackWizard

I have a external drive which runs off USB power. I find it slower than my other externals which run off the mains. Space is not an issue either.

Well I had a look at the lappy. It has 6 USB's, Ethernet and 1394. I think the 1394 is Firewire. Looks like it anyway.

I noticed on komplett that they sell enclosures that are able to take SATA and IDE.
Linky. So does this mean I can put in an old IDE or even a new SATA drive and still connect it to my PC via USB? Thats what I read from it but I'm not 100% sure I read it right.

Alun

Steffano2002 wrote:

What I find odd about the Lidl ad is that it says it has a USB 2.0 port and an E-SATA drive (7200RPM). I'm thinking it either has both USB 2.0 and E-SATA connectors or, they messed up the ad and it's only a standard USB 2.0 external HDD...

According to www.targa.de it has both USB 2.0 AND eSATA connectors. It's not the first time Lidl have screwed up their adverts

Stephen

Ooh, tempting

I have an eSATA port and all, but only the one.

CyberGhost

Even if your laptop doesn't have an esata port as a default, you can always get an eSata express card(which XPS uses)

Plus, the advantage of eSata is that you can replace your slow laptop hard drive and run your OS from an external desktop(7200) esata one.

But if you want it just for storage, why not get this...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-083-WD&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=801

Looks much more attractive, is smaller, and only 15 euro more expensive.

CyberGhost

BlackWizard wrote:

I noticed on komplett that they sell enclosures that are able to take SATA and IDE.
Linky. So does this mean I can put in an old IDE or even a new SATA drive and still connect it to my PC via USB? Thats what I read from it but I'm not 100% sure I read it right.

Yes, you read it right.