CNET editors' review
- CNET editors' rating: stars Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/16/2009
The Samsung S1 Mini represents one of latest consumer external drives to use the smaller, lighter 1.8-inch design. Most of the external drives we review on this site use the more popular 2.5-inch enclosure that allows for more space (at times up to half a terabyte) for a little over $100. Although the Samsung S1 Mini is undoubtedly slender and attractive, the $140 price is currently far above average. For a much cheaper portable hard drive that retains an equally sexy, if larger, body, check out the Transcend StoreJet 25f instead.
Design and features
The most appetizing feature of the Samsung S1 Mini external hard drive is the chassis itself. It's small enough to easily slip unnoticed into a jacket or shirt pocket thanks to the 1.8-inch hard disk inside--it measures only 87mm long, 62mm wide, and 15.5mm deep and weighs just 0.201 pounds.
| Drive type | External USB flash hard drive |
| Connector options | USB 2.0 |
| Available capacities | 120GB |
| Product dimensions | 87mmx62mmx15.5mm (LWH) |
| Capacity of test unit | 120GB |
| Price of test unit | $140 |
| Hard disk size | 1.8 inches |
| Rotations per minute | 4,200rpm |
| OSes supported | Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X |
| Software included | SecretZone, SafetyKey |
The S1 Mini only comes in a 120GB capacity and is available in four colors: piano black, snow white, wine red, and chocolate brown, according to Samsung. Each color wraps around the front and sides of the device, and the top is embellished with a subtle circular lattice pattern with speckles of glitter that accent its features. Similar to the Transcend StoreJet 25f, the back of the S1 Mini is covered with a roughly texturized black plastic that prevents the drive from slipping on a smooth surface. The S1 Mini is self-powered by the USB port on its host computer, so the only port you'll find is for the super short mini-USB cord included in the box. A soft blue light glows off the top of the S1 Mini to notify you when it's transferring data.
In an effort to create less waste, Samsung ditches the software CD and bundles all the software directly onto the drive instead. If you need to reformat the drive to match your operating system, the software is also available as a free download on the Samsung Storage Web site. SecretZone allows you to create multiple virtual drives on the S1 Mini with optional security encryption options, including 128-bit AES, 256-bit AES, and Blowfish 448. An included Auto Backup program also helps you schedule archiving.
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Where to buy
Samsung S1 Mini (120GB, Silver): $49.99 - $77.18 | store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | $49.99 | Yes |  |
 | $77.18 | Yes | |
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