Firewire External Hard Drives
Firewire External Hard Drives are generally much faster than USB 2.0 External Backup Drives but you first need to ensure that you have the correct FireWire port on your pc before buying.
You can choose from FireWire 400 and 800 as well as the more familiar USB 2.0 port.
The FireWire 400 is a 6 pin port whereas the FireWire 800 is a 9 pin port. The difference can be seen in the diagrams below.
Based upon their respective specifications, you would reasonably expect the FireWire 400 to be slowest at 400Mbps, followed by the USB 2.0 at 480 Mbps and then fastest of all the FireWire 800 at 800Mbps. However, not so!!
The sustained throughput of the FireWire 400 is much higher than the USB 2.0. This is because a device on a USB chain can only use a maximum of two thirds of the available bandwidth. This means that in practice, the throughput of the USB 2.0 maxes out at circa 320Mbps which is actually slower than the FireWire 400. However, it should be noted that FireWire 400 outperform the USB 2.0 far more on Apple Mac computers as opposed to Windows pc's where the performance was more or less equal.
FireWire 400 Port 6 Pin
FireWire 800 Port 9 Pin
FireWire 400 6 Pin Port on the left.
FireWire 800 9 Pin Port on the right.
Mbps = Megabits per second
Cavalry Storage CACE Series 250 GB USB / Firewire 800 Mac-Ready External Hard Drive CACE37250
- USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 backwards compatible) and FireWire 800 (2) interface (unit supports daisy chaining)
- Plug and play for Mac OS 9.x or newer (pre-formatted to Mac OS X Extended)
- Oxford Semiconductor chipset guarantees cross platform USB 2.0 compatibility
- Unit Includes - One (1) year manufacturer's warranty, 250 GB 3.5-inch hard drive inside aluminum enclosure, USB cable, FireWire 1394b 9-pin to 9-pin cable, AC adapter, Stand and Quick Start Guide
- System Requirements - Available USB port or FireWire port, Mac OS 9.x or newer, Windows 98SE / Me / 2000 / XP / Vista
Product Description
Extend the storage space on your computer and back up your important files with the CACE series external hard drive! This drive was designed with ease of use with a Mac in mind and works well with Time Machine. The CACE is Plug and Play with Mac OS 9.x and higher, and with FireWire 800 you get blazing transfer speeds of 800Mbps, almost double that of USB 2.0! The CACE boasts exceptional heat dissipation, remarkable durability, state-of-the art shock absorption, and ... More >>
Cavalry Storage CACE Series 250 GB USB / Firewire 800 Mac-Ready External Hard Drive CACE37250
SmartDisk XF160 Crossfire 160GB 7200RPM USB 2.0/FireWire External Hard Drive for Mac and Windows
- Brand NEW ! Retail Package
- 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty
- Solve all your storage problems now
- Instantly adds high-performance storage in an attractive design for your PC or Mac
- Use the HDD to store thousands of digital photos,
Product Description
Solve all your storage problems now! This SmartDisk XF160 CrossFire 160 gigabyte (GB) external hard drive instantly adds high-performance storage in an attractive design for your PC or Mac. Use the Crossfire XF160 to store thousands of digital photos, videos and MP3s and with its USB 2.0 and FireWire interfaces you get ultra fast data transfers!
The Crossfire XF160 is powered by a 160 GB 7200 RPM hard drive so you can blaze through the most demanding audio/video a... More >>
SmartDisk XF160 Crossfire 160GB 7200RPM USB 2.0/FireWire External Hard Drive for Mac and Windows
Western Digital WDG1C3200N My Book Premium Edition 320 GB USB 2.0/Firewire400 External Hard Drive
- Store and back up your music, photos, videos and important documents with this external hard drive
- Easy to set up and use with built-in installation software
- Dual interface features FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connectivity
- Device holds up to 320 GB of data and is built with an easy-to-read capacity gauge
- Measures 5.55 x 2.25 x 6.71 inches (WxHxD)
Product Description
They're your photos¿your music¿your videos¿your important files. Make extra room for them, back them up, and keep them safe on YOUR book. WD's My Book Premium is the perfect external hard drive for all your precious digital assets.Amazon.com Product Description
Is your computer loaded with photos, music, video, and all sorts of important files? If so, you should make extra room, back them up, and keep them safe on Western Digital's WDG1C3200 My Book P... More >>
Western Digital WDG1C3200N My Book Premium Edition 320 GB USB 2.0/Firewire400 External Hard Drive
AcomData 250GB E5 USB 2.0/FireWire External Hard Drive with PushButton Backup
- Choose the blazing speed of USB 2.0 or the ferocity of FireWire
- Rubber feet and detachable zinc alloy stand included for vertical or horizontal setup
- Hot-pluggable drive can be turned off when not in use to conserve electricity
- PushButton Backup lets you back up your important files simply by pushing a button
- 7200 RPM hard drive, 8 MB cache
Product Description
AcomData E5 External Hard Drives combine high-performance data storage with the stark beauty and efficiency of aluminum alloy enclosures. Featuring fanless, near-silent operation, these drives can be placed horizontally or vertically - and they're stackable. So, whether you have one drive or several, you'll need only the smallest patch of desktop real estate to store mountains of music, video and data.... More >>
AcomData 250GB E5 USB 2.0/FireWire External Hard Drive with PushButton Backup
Cavalry Storage CACE Series 750 GB USB / Firewire 800 Mac-Ready External Hard Drive CACE37750
- USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 backwards compatible) and FireWire 800 (2) interface (unit supports daisy chaining)
- Plug and play for Mac OS 9.x or newer (pre-formatted to Mac OS X Extended)
- Oxford Semiconductor chipset guarantees cross platform USB 2.0 compatibility
- Unit Includes - One (1) year manufacturer's warranty, 750 GB 3.5-inch hard drive inside aluminum enclosure, USB cable, FireWire 1394b 9-pin to 9-pin cable, AC adapter, Stand and Quick Start Guide
- System Requirements - Available USB port or FireWire port, Mac OS 9.x or newer, Windows 98SE / Me / 2000 / XP / Vista
Product Description
Extend the storage space on your computer and back up your important files with the CACE series external hard drive! This drive was designed with ease of use with a Mac in mind and works well with Time Machine. The CACE is Plug and Play with Mac OS 9.x and higher, and with FireWire 800 you get blazing transfer speeds of 800Mbps, almost double that of USB 2.0! The CACE boasts exceptional heat dissipation, remarkable durability, state-of-the art shock absorption, and ... More >>
Cavalry Storage CACE Series 750 GB USB / Firewire 800 Mac-Ready External Hard Drive CACE37750
Desk Hammer 250GB USB 2.0/Firewire External Hard Drive
- Dual Interface: USB 2.0 and Firewire 400
- OneStep button performs instant incremental backups
- Sleek and sturdy aluminum case
- 7200 RPM
- Whisper-quiet operation
Product Description
The Desk Hammer 3.5 250GB External Hard Drive represents the latest in storage technology. Taking advantage of a USB 2.0 AND Firewire interface for true plug and play add on storage, this drive delivers maximum performance for data-intensive notebooks, desktop, and backup storage applications. The drive offers rotational speeds of up to 7,200 RPM, sustained data-transfer rates up to 34MB/sec and burst transfer rates of 480 MB/sec. The Desk Hammer has enough space fo... More >>
Smartdisk XF160F CrossFire USB 2.0 / FireWire External Hard Drive – PC / Mac
- Powered by a 160GB 7200 RPM hard drive with quiet, fanless operation
- Blazes through the most demanding Audio / Video applications, allowing you to work more and wait less
- Delivers outstanding quality, performance and reliability for professional and home use
- Light and rugged so it can go where you go
- USB 2.0 - 1.1 and FireWire ports
Product Description
The CrossFire external hard drive instantly adds high-performance storage in an attractive design for your PC or Mac. Connect it to either a FireWire or USB 2.0 port and you're ready to store thousands of digital photos, videos, MP3 songs and other electronic files.Powered by a 7200 RPM hard drive, the CrossFire blazes through the most demanding audio/video applications allowing you to work more and wait less. CrossFire delivers outstanding quality, performance and ... More >>
Smartdisk XF160F CrossFire USB 2.0 / FireWire External Hard Drive - PC / Mac
Western Digital 320 GB USB/Firewire External Hard Drive with Dual Option Backup
- Features high-performance 7200 RPM drive
- Plugs it into your PC through via USB 2.0 or FireWire port
- Includes a six-foot fire-wire cable, USB cable, and AC power cord,
- Stackable compact shock-absorbent design measures a mere 1.7 x 6.1 x 8.6-inches (HxWxL)
- Hold up to 91,445 digital photos; 80,015 MP3 songs; 8,001 uncompressed CD quality songs; 25 hours of Digital Video; 142 hours of DVD quality video; or 39 hours of HD video
Product Description
The WD Dual-option Combo Drive with USB 2.0/FireWire interfaces provides instant add-on storage for a PC or Macintosh. It has a USB 2.0 hub with front and rear ports and a convenient front-mounted power button with a Safe Shutdown¿ feature. Dual-option backup buttons let the user choose automatic or on-the-spot backup. With 7200 RPM rotational speed and an 8 MB cache, the WD Dual-option Combo Drive is ideal for backing up valuable data, music, photos, and movies. T... More >>
Western Digital 320 GB USB/Firewire External Hard Drive with Dual Option Backup
Western Digital 250 GB USB 2.0 and FireWire External Hard Drive
- 250 GB external hard drive
- 7200 RPM rotational speed and 8 MB cache for maximum storage performance.
- Built-in USB 2.0 hub with two ports for additional drive connections; two Firewire ports
- Dual-option Backup--automatic or on-demand
- Connects to PCs and Macs
Product Description
This powerful, feature-rich storage Media Center from Western Digital combines a high-capacity USB 2.0/FireWire external hard drive, 8-in-1 card reader and USB 2.0 hub for versatility and space-saving convenience. Dual-option Backup buttons let you choose automatic or on-the-spot backup and the front-mounted power switch features Safe Shutdown. The elegant, stackable case can be positioned vertically or horizontally. Ease of use, all-in-one convenience, and a high-s... More >>
Western Digital 250 GB USB 2.0 and FireWire External Hard Drive
Western Digital 250 GB USB 2.0/Firewire External Hard Drive with Dual Option Backup and USB
- USB 2.0 hub with two ports; one located on the front for easy connection of USB peripherals such as a keychain drive, printer, keyboard, or mouse
Product Description
Western Digital's high-capacity WD Dual-option Combo hard drive includes a USB 2.0 hub with front and rear ports. A convenient front-mounted power button is equipped with Safe Shutdown , a WD-exclusive feature that ensures all data has been transferred before shutting down the drive. Dual-option backup buttons let you choose how and when to back up your data--automatically or on-the-spot. The elegant, stackable case can be positioned vertically or horizontally. High... More >>
Western Digital 250 GB USB 2.0/Firewire External Hard Drive with Dual Option Backup and USB
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