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Seagate’s Backup Plus Desktop has a removable connector in its base that lets you swap out the USB3 interface for an alternative one. Currently, only Thunderbolt and FireWire 800 adaptors are available, but it means that should a new interface replace USB3 in the future, you won’t need to go out and buy a new external hard drive.
Our review sample uses a single 3TB 3.5in hard disk, with a fast 7,200RPM spindle speed. Over USB3, it certainly didn’t disappoint with 95.5MB/s write speed in our large file and 127.9MB/s read speeds. These are among the fastest speeds we’ve seen from a mechanical hard disk. Small files proved a tougher challenge, but 31.7MB/s writes and 42.87MB/s reads are still very respectable scores.
The Backup Plus gets its name from the software suite that comes bundled on the disk. Seagate’s Dashboard utility has been overhauled with extra features to help active social network users get the most out of their media libraries. Logging in with your Facebook or Flickr account, you can directly upload photos to either site from within Windows and you can also send videos straight to YouTube. It can also pull down photos (in fairly low resolutions) from those sites, so you can archive snaps locally if you don’t have the originals.
It just takes a few clicks to share whole albums online, although you’ll still need to visit each respective webpage to tag or rename your files. Of course, Seagate Dashboard can also perform automatic backups of your important data, so you’ve always got a second copy of it in case your PC’s hard disk fails.
At an incredibly low 4p per gigabyte, the 3TB Backup Plus is exceptionally good value. Transfer speeds are quick and the software suite is a great addition for social network users. If you don’t need to take your data on the move, it’s a fantastic buy.
