My old non-brand name external drive bit the dust after several years use and unfortunately still has some infomation on it which I haven't been able to retrieve. I decided I wasn't going to go cheap and cheerful again with my next drive so I was delighted to see this model on special offer at PC World last year, not a huge reduction but enough to get my attention.

The real clincher for me was the feel of it. It gives the impression you could run over it with a tank and it would still boot up quite happily the next time you need it. Unlike some other makes this is has a metal case that inspires confidence in the build quality although I'd advise against trying to test exactly how robust it is if you value your data.

Plugged in using a standard usb A to B cable it is very quiet in use and only the little light on the side gives away the fact it is powered up. It's a sensible size so doesn't take up a great deal of space on my desk and can either be laid flat or with the handy plastic support it can be held vertical and tucked away neatly.

These days 1.5Tb can get used up very quickly with high resolution photos and movies so when I need a bit more stoage I'll be looking for something bigger but will definately check out what Iomega have to offer.