In sync with its name, the 80 GB Western Digital Essential gives you all the essentials. The drive looks elegant-the special design of the drive allows good airflowto keep it cool while preventing dust from directly entering the drive. A single back-lit button on the front is provided to power up the device and the blinking backlit indicates activity.

The back panel is uncluttered with just a single hi-speed USB 2.0 connector along with the power input. The 7200 rpm drive with 2 MB buffer gives commendable performance for an entry-level product. Overall, the average linear read/write speeds of the drive are very close to 30 MB/s. It also boasts of the best average read access times of all eight drives.

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If you are looking for an affordable and reliable 80 GB 3.5-inch external storage solution, this one is for you. In terms of the overall package, the Western Digital Essential gives you the bare minimum-all you get is a driver CD, USB cable, power adapter and quick setup guide. Don't expect any backup utility or security software with this one.

For: Good performance; excellent read access times; sturdy construction,
Against: No software package.