Does what it says on the tin (well, give or take 40GB). (Western Digital My Book Essential Edition WDG1U5000 500 GB)

Member Name: peeweepeter

Product:	Western Digital My Book Essential Edition WDG1U5000 500 GB
Date:	25/06/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple to use, reliable.

Disadvantages: Requires additional power source, quite large.

This is a 500GB hard drive from Western Digital, capable of storing anything you can store on your computer. That include photos, videos, music, documents, programs, games - you name it, this thing can hold it. It comes with a power cable and USB lead to connect it to your laptop or PC.

One important factor to bear in mind is that you will definitely not get access to the full 500GB when you purchase this hard drive. In any other industry, you have a right to expect whatever quantity that is advertised in a sale will be what you receive - if a bottle of milk says two litres on it, it contains two litres. Unfortunately, for whatever reason the computer world is slightly more complicated so when then say 500GB what they actually mean is that you will be able to use somewhere in the region of 460GB for storage.

Aside from this it is worth bearing in mind that this product requires its own power source so if for example you are using it with a laptop you will have to plug both in - not exactly ultra portable. If you are looking for something a little more convenient then I recommend the excellent FreeAgent Go range of ultra portable hard drives.

Summary: Good quality external hard drive - as long as you don't plan on taking it anywhere.

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