Buying hard disk, go for firewire or the size?

[fekimoki]

Hi, I'm planning to buy WDC 320G, mybook premium (firewire, usb2) as a time machine backup disk (maybe to store superduper image file too) and also have 2nd FAT partition so my PC can use it also.

Problem arisen when my friend finds out that WDC 500G, mybook essential (no firewire, just usb2) priced just a little bit higher compared to the above one.

What should I choose? firewire or size? I'm confused. Thank's in advance!

 

[ethernet76]

Size. Firewire is fast, but a novelty for file storage.

If you're really need the speed look internal, not external.

 

[ab2650]

What should I choose? firewire or size? I'm confused. Thank's in advance!

I'd go for size.

However I think I've heard that USB can be spotty if you want to boot from the drive, so if that is in your plans I'd consider the FW drive. Otherwise I'd go for as many gigs as you can afford (and damn be the interface)

And finally, USB vs. Firewire for speed; In my experience, they're the same (and on paper USB2 beats FW400). Obviously this is for FW400 not FW800, but I'm assuming that's what the drive you're looking at has.

 

[ethernet76]

I'd go for size.

And finally, USB vs. Firewire for speed; In my experience, they're the same (and on paper USB2 beats FW400). Obviously this is for FW400 not FW800, but I'm assuming that's what the drive you're looking at has.

Nah. Firewire can sustain transfer rates a lot better. It's like the G4 vs the P3. P3's numbers looked better, but architecture doesn't translate on paper.

 

[byakuya]

I'd say go with firewire...
if you are going to put a superduper clone on the hd also a firewire connection might be a good choice to boot from it.
I feel with firewire you get a more constant transfer rate than with usb.

 

[koobcamuk]

I would go firewire given a choice.

It frees up a USB port and makes for fast backups.

 

[ab2650]

Nah. Firewire can sustain transfer rates a lot better. It's like the G4 vs the P3. P3's numbers looked better, but architecture doesn't translate on paper.

I had a FW400/USB2 drive enclosure that I tested and tested and kept coming up with the same numbers - It mattered more what computer I was copying to/from than what interface I selected... However this could totally be due to the chip on the enclosure, so I'm just sayin'...

 

[samh004]

It depends how much you have to back up, if your rapidly going to use that 320 (298) GB, than go for size, if you think your likely to last quite a while, go for the FW feature.

Other things to consider, if your transferring a lot of data/large files, FW will be faster, it's a faster "sustained transfer rate" as compared to USB2 with is a "burst". If you ever wanted to boot from it, at this time you could only use FW.

 

[tjcampbell]

I have a 500 gig Maxtor Drive and it's USB. It's a reliable drive, but I wish it were firewire. I had trouble finding a firewire drive. USB is very slow. No matter how advanced the iPod gets I still remember my first gen one syncing like a rocket. Firewire is ace.