Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Last year , the Iomega eGo Mac Edition 500 GB line of business really stand out amongst an progressively crowded market of inexpensive portable hard drives . However , the slick design of their products proved to be more show than means , as their slow transcript and duplication velocity did n’t hold up against the rest of the competition at the clip . Since then , Iomega ’s portable HDs have increase their datum transfer speeds across the board while keeping their earmark look intact .
Iomega’seGo BlackBeltplays up its namesake aright out of the corner . rather of a variety of color schemes , this fashion model only comes in squirt black , with a obliterable Power Grip Band envelop around the shell of the drive . On the buns of the twist , there ’s a single USB embrasure complement by two FireWire 800 ports , rather than the FireWire 400 / FireWire 800 rent from last yr . If you ’re run a Mac with a FireWire 400 port , you may still apply an adapter cable and a FireWire 800 port to reach FireWire 400 hurrying .
Since Iomega touts the BlackBelt ’s new Drop Guard Xtreme feature film , we put the effort through its paces in a series of stress tests . We dropped it from a seven - invertebrate foot tiptop , kick it down a flying of stairs , and nonchalantly knock it off our bench more than a few times over the course of a hebdomad . After all that , the thrust still worked just all right . So far , the only matter we do n’t advocate doing is crush the drive — if you put too much weight ( 150 pounds or more ) on and by chance smash it , you ’ll have a problem getting the drive to stay powered up .
The guard features and rubber guard do their job quite well . Of course , if you ’re more concerned about being able to slip it in and out of your pouch at a minute ’s notice , you ’ll want to remove the Power Grip Band . It adds a considerable amount of girth to the BlackBelt , which is kind of stocky — not nearly as little as theG - Drive Slim ( ) or the IomegaSkin ( ) .
USB 2.0
Of course , all that safe purpose does n’t mean much without stop number , but Iomega has also better in that surface area as well . To see our perfect inclination of benchmark trial results , find out here . On copy focal ratio alone , the BlackBelt is one of the faster portable hard drives we ’ve essay , posting meliorate write / read f number in most of our results . Fastest of the USB 2.0 tests was the driving force ’s write speed when copying a 2 GB pamphlet , clocking in at 31.3 MBps , a book that the BlackBelt now shares with the Iomega tegument and the G - Drive Slim 320 GB .
All the other test results for the BlackBelt were decent , but not track record - breaking . Its read speed for a 2 GB folder over USB 2.0 was 35.7MBps , touch the SeagateFreeAgent GoFlex500 GB ( ) and the previous Iomega eGo 500 GB ( ) , jail behind the faster G - Drive HD line in general .
Write and read speeds via USB 2.0 for our 2 GB ZIP file test were slightly better — the BlackBelt ’s 32.8MBps result was a hair faster than the G - Drive Mobile USB ( ) 500 GB and gee - Drive Slim 320 GB , but only slightly obtuse than the Iomega peel 500 GB . Its read test clocked in at 37.7MBps , once again lagging a few seconds behind the G - Drive HDs . Least impressive was the BlackBelt ’s USB 2.0 result in our Photoshop test , clock in at 70 second — a mid - level sexual conquest in our chart .
FireWire 800
Although the competition is n’t heavily pile in this category quite yet , the BlackBelt is the proficient portable hard effort we have in the FireWire 800 square bracket , beating the previous Iomega self and the current G - Drive Mobile 500 GB by wide allowance in read tests , a second or two in write test , and getting top mark at 44 second in our depleted - storage Photoshop mental test . In fact , the BlackBelt ’s fastness are about even with expectant tariff background hard drives such as the CalDigit AV Drive ( ) , while also being clear quicker than devices like the G - Raid 4 TB ( ) and WiebeTechRTX220H - QR .
Price
At $ 200 ( and lower if you shop online ) , the BlackBelt can go for as much as 20 centime per gigabyte . Compared to other ride like the G - Drive 500 G , Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500 GB , and CalDigit AV , that ’s about the average you ’d expect , and perhaps even a tad on the high-priced side . Then again , it ’s worth consider that the BlackBelt is a double user interface gimmick ( USB and FireWire 800 are standard and you could obtain a FireWire 800 to 400 cable to see to it FireWire 400 connectivity ) .
However , there ’s added note value to make up the difference , as it also come with the common aggregation of generous security and storage goodies : a costless one - year subscription to TrendMicro Smart Surfing for Mac , QuikProtect file backup , access to a lifetime 2GB - per - month subscription to online relief via MozyHome , and a three - year special warrantee if you read the drive . Of course , it ’s all included with purchase , and you ’ll get permission codes to download the surplus software straight from Iomega ’s Website . All these backup options make the BlackBelt a unadulterated storage solution . gratuitous software , varied connectivity , a 5400 - rpm platter speed , and Time Machine compatibility all give to the thrust ’s marketability with small forfeit in regards to the price tag and form element .
Macworld’s buying advice
On all tally , the eGo BlackBelt is a solid advance on last yr ’s mannequin . It ’s not the smallest or cheapest portable HD on the securities industry , but the improved speed , versatility , and safety features round down out a very unanimous package nonetheless .
[ McKinley Noble is an editorial intern for Macworld . ]
