Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

By Troy Richards

Due to the nature of my work, I am one of those that believe that there is no such thing as 'enough storage'. Here is a quick review of the ever reliable, Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive.

I have always been a fan of Western Digital hard drives as they have proven to be quite durable and very reliable. Some of my work involves the access of large files on a daily basis so it is very important that my hard drive can keep up with my work. I have been using the v1.0 storage device for a couple of years now and have been anticipating the release of the v2.0. Lets take a look at the new Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive and what it has got to offer.

The new Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive is slightly thinner than its predecessor and has a shiny black casing. It looks prone to scratches and finger prints but seems to be a small compromise for the new cool looks.

Costing a little over $100, this model proves to be quite a bargain for a 1TB hard drive. The lower price tag does come with a few trade offs though. Most consumers today prefer their hard drive to be quite so like most models, the My Book does not come with a built-in cooling fan. Because of that, it is vital that you keep the air holes behind the unit unobstructed to prolong the life of the storage device. The power on/off button is also missing from this model, probably to reduce cost. Nevertheless, it is programmed to automatically turn off after about 10 minutes of inactivity or when the PC is turned off.

The Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive comes with the FAT format that does not support files that are larger than 4GB each. The first thing that you should do when you get the hard drive is to reformat it to the NTFS format. This can be done under 'Administrative Tools' under Control Panel.

As mentioned earlier, this model does not come with a cooling fan so your hard drive should be virtually silent. Loud clicking noises or grinding sounds may be signs of failure. I have been using one of this for about 14 months now and it has been functioning without a glitch. My older v1.0 model is currently almost 3 years old. The Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive comes highly recommended for those who are looking for a reliable storage at a reasonable price.

For more real reviews and product information, visit WD Hard Drive. For reviews and product info on other coll gadgets, visit http://www.cool-gadget-reviews.com

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