Fujitsu HandyDrive review (400GB)

Fujitsu throws a wild card into its product line with a new addition, an external hard drive dubbed the "HandyDrive." Its design and functionality are as basic as they come; you don't get extra features like a ruggedized chassis or automatic data backups, but Fujitsu puts extra effort into performance, offering quick data transfers while maintaining an affordable 27 cents per gigabyte for our $110 400GB test model. With a focus more on utility rather than extra features, the Fujitsu HandyDrive model fits the mold for a casual user who simply needs more storage space than an internal disk can hold.

Design and Features
The Fujitsu HandyDrive should consider itself lucky to achieve fast benchmarks because it certainly couldn't get by on looks alone. Fujitsu's bland design and unfortunate lack of color choices just can't compare with undeniably attractive HDDs on the market, like the Transcend StoreJet 25f. Strangely enough, the HandyDrive closely resembles the Seagate FreeAgent Go in size and shape with its downturned curve toward the base. The device is the average size for an external hard drive, measuring 5.6 inches long, 3.2 inches wide, and 0.87 inch deep.

Inside, the 2.5-inch hard-disk drive is encased by a shiny black plastic enclosure that protects it from impact using a "shock-endurance mechanism." Be forewarned that its skin isn't nearly as tough as the Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile or the Iomega eGo Camo, but the outer layer of plastic certainly feels durable enough to withstand a short drop or the random bumps that occur during day-to-day transportation. At the same time, we don't recommend intentionally abusing it to test this theory.

Fujitsu offers the HandyDrive in 250GB, 320GB, 400GB, and 500GB capacities that all use a USB 2.0, bus interface to power the drive and pair it to your computer. The top of the drive also features a useful DC-in port if your laptop doesn't provide enough power to the USB bus, but no plug is included in the package. The drive does, however, come bundled with the full versions of several software programs that make it easier to organize, back up, and password-protect your data. Most notable is the Acronis True Image Personal HDD that lets you create mirrored images of your data and copy it to several computers at once. We played around with scheduled backups as well as the easy-setup tool and found the process to be simple and intuitive--we especially like the clever "Secure Zone" feature that hides images on the disk for restoring sensitive data.