On CNET Labs' test bench, the 500GB MyBook was very sluggish when writing, via both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connections. The drive took almost 36 minutes to write our 10GB test folder, about three times slower than other hard drives with the same specs. On the other hand, in the read test, the MyBook drive took slightly less than 10 minutes to get the job done, which was the fastest among all of the external hard drives we've tested.
The Western Digital MyBook comes in a very sleek design that is shaped like a medium-size book and weighs about the same. It features a button in front that activates the bundled Retrospect backup software. The coolest thing about the MyBook drive is that the button has a round, blue LED ring around it that indicates the amount of space available on the hard drive.
Product Specifications:
Product Description:
My Book Premium Edition WDG1C5000 - Hard drive - 500 GB - IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB
Device Type:
Hard drive
Type:
Hard drive - External hard drive
Dimensions (WxDxH):
2.2 in x 5.6 in x 6.8 in
Weight:
2.9 lbs
Capacity:
500 GB
Interface Type:
IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB
Average Seek Time:
8.9 ms
Spindle Speed:
7200 rpm
Buffer Size:
16 MB
OS Required:
Microsoft Windows XP
,
Microsoft Windows 2000
,
Apple MacOS X 10.2.8 or later
,
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
,
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Power Source:
Included AC adapter
Voltage Required:
AC 120/230 V
Manufacturer Warranty:
1 year warranty