Conclusion:
There are many options out there when it comes to external hard drives, so it is difficult to get too excited about any of them unless they do something really special. While the 80GB Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini looks good, works well, and is easy to use, what really sets it apart from many of the other drives on the market is the software. The OneTouch feature makes backups simple and convenient, while items like SafetyDrill and DrivePass add peace of mind to different aspects of the security of your data and your systems operation.
As mentioned at the beginning of the review, the OneTouch 4 Mini is available in 80GB, 120GB, and 160GB capacities, and the retail prices for these can be expected to be about $99.99 for 80GB, $119.99 for 120GB, and $149.99 for 160GB. A search of PriceGrabber doesn't return any results, and while a broader search of the Internet does show some stores with these drives listed, not many seem to be in stock (yet). While the suggested price of $99.99 isn't bad, you are paying a premium for the OneTouch software. Taking a look at the prices of other external 2.5" drives, shows you could pay up to $30 less for something similar, but you may be on your own for any sort of application to manage backups, archives, or a system recovery.
Given the cool and quiet operation, as well as the extremely useful and simple to use software, the 80GB Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini external hard drive earns the awards of "Recommended" and "Whisper Quiet".
 
Pros:
» Runs cool and very quiet
» Respectable performance
» Software is easy to use and provides useful features
» SafetyDrill provides simple system recovery solution
» Protect your data with password protection and/or encryption
» Easy setup
Cons:
» Paying a premium if you don't intend to use the software
» Probably not enough disk space to use all software features at once
Special thanks to Seagate for providing the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini 80GB External Hard Drive to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
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