TrekStor DataStation microdisk external hard drive review

Do you need data on the move?

22 April 2008 17:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

If you carry data around with you, a high-capacity USB memory stick is often enough but what if you need even more space? This drive from TrekStor takes a standard 1.8-inch notebook drive – the sort you'll find in most iPods – and places it in a compact but tough shell.

Weighing 26g and measuring 90 x 56 x 8mm, this is a small and compact device. It is available in a range of capacities but our test unit came with 80GB of space, which for the price isn't great compared to standard portable drives but the trade-off in size is worth the cost.

The design is minimal but is none the less usable for that. With only a mini-USB port connection on the drive, you may think it is limited but it can be used with either Windows or Mac OS X devices.

Simply plugging it into any available USB port will install it. You'll find an icon placed in My Computer, or the Desktop on a Mac.

We found it installed instantly and with 80GB of storage, this is a highly portable drive. When it comes to speed, we were able to copy 1GB of mixed files in 78 seconds.

The drive is supplied empty but a disc is included that holds drivers as well as Nero BackItUp 2 software, which is good news for a drive of this size as it means you can instantly back-up files with your main notebook or PC.

Verdict

At first sight, the TrekStor DataStation may look a little small and gimmicky but we found it a highly versatile drive that installed quickly and worked smoothly.

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Review Recap

Made by: TrekStor
Price as reviewed: £120
The good: Small, easy to use
The bad: Not the fastest external drive
Quick verdict: It is small enough to fit in your pocket and packs in 80GB of space, which is great for the price
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