Verbatim 2-Disk Raid External Hard Drive

The Verbatim 2-Disk Raid External Hard Drive provides a mammoth 2TB (that’s 2,000GB) of storage and a speedy eSata connection to cut the time it takes to transfer files.

The case actually contains two 1TB hard disks. Using a technology called Raid, the unit offers three setup options. In the simple mode that Verbatim charmingly calls ‘Big’ the drives can be used exactly like any external disk. You can also opt for Raid 0 mode, which splits files between the two disks in such a way that reading them back is slightly faster – although in our tests the difference was too small to make this mode significantly useful. In both these modes, you get the full 2TB to use.

The final mode adds a layer of security to your files. In this Raid 1 mode files written to one disk are automatically copied to the other, so if one disk suffers damage you have a backup. In this mode, you get 1TB of actual storage space.

A switch at the back of the unit flicks between modes and it's recessed so it can’t be inadvertently changed. That’s important because if you do, the drive will reformat itself when it is next turned on, destroying all data on both disks. While the manual notes that you have to format the disks after changing mode, it does not give any instructions.

If you have an eSata socket on your PC the Verbatim drive is attractive for backup. In our tests we copied a 1GB folder using the supplied USB cable in 43 seconds, but using eSata (this cable is also in the box) the same folder whizzed across in just 16 seconds, around a third of the time.

We were disappointed that the supplied cables are only 2ft long, so the device will have to be positioned right next to your PC, and unlike the Linksys NMH305 (see opposite) it doesn't have the ability to share files across a home network.

If you need this much storage, the Verbatim 2-Disk Raid External Hard Drive is a good choice. The inclusion of Nero’s Back It Up 2 Essentials utility means you have a simple way to protect your entire PC hard disk, and there’s a two-year warranty.