With storage device prices plummeting, they have become an inevitable investment. Even a 60GB hard drive, which is now almost de rigeur with any entry level machine,cannot store all your data. Then arises the need to invest in an external solution.The advantage of external hard drive storage is that you can carry it around and also use it as a centralised storage device where all users can dump their daily work data.

Buffalo DriveStation is one such device that lets you back-up your data without much fuss.The DriveStation 250GB is a large external hard disk; large in both the size ofthe disk and the size of the case that houses it.The box trumpets that the disk spins at 7200rpm and that it uses a serial-ATA connection - a step up on what is on offer by many of Buffalo's competitors today.

The Drivestaion can be carried around the office. Weighing in at l.5kgs, it can easily fit into your desk space The drive is also free from any noise as it is fanless.A SATA interface 7200rpm hard drive acts as the storage inside the casing.
Installation ofthe drive is simple.

Although the drive gets detected automatically in Windows XP and Vista, to use the TurboUSB feature of DriveStation you need to install the drivers from the accompanying CD.

With the TurboUSB enabled, the data transfer speed was really fast as compared to without it. 4GB of data transfer took approximately 3 minutes to complete. Buffalo also bundles Memeo, a back-up software that lets you schedule automatic backups.

The question is whether or not any of this
makes any difference. In our tests, the Buffalo DriveStation disk performed at much the same speed as most of its competitors that usea USB2 connection to the PC, transferring mu data at about 1 GB per minute.

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There are several the other features that sm make the disk worthwhile, however. The Secure Lock Ware program can encrypt data on the disk, while the Auto-Power-Off means it will automatically power up and down with the PC (it still needs its own power supply though).

This is a good disk, but some of Buffalo's competitors make cheaper models that aren't that much different in what they offer. DriveStation supports Windows and Mac as. The price for this device is comes with a 2 year warranty.