For those looking for both the best performance and best capacity available from portable, USB bus powered, hard drive based external storage devices no 4TB capacity model is going to be entirely satisfying. The newer 5TBs are going to be faster, and stay faster longer thanks to their extra platter (and two additional r/w heads). This of course is why 5TB’s come with flagship asking prices, and why the 4TB’s which were ‘last generations flagship’ performance models have gotten so reasonably priced lately. Through this lens the Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB does stand above most of the others with an even lower than average asking price but still good performance and decent overall aesthetics.
While it certainly is true that this particular model is not going to survive even remotely the same abuse as various LaCie or Silicon Power models, the fact remains that it is good enough to stand up to typical day to day abuse. The same is true of the overall aesthetics. The fairly appealing brushed aluminum topper does bring a dash of style to an otherwise typical plastic chassis. Yes, it is not as striking looking as the woven textile topper the Ultra Plus models come with, let alone the LaCie models, but it is a lot better than the older chassis designs Seagate is slowly moving away from.
In summary, for those not interested in the value-added software there still is a lot to be said for this model. Though it is those who actually want the Mylio and Adobe free activation’s that will find this drive unbeatable in the value department. After all, less than five dollars per Terabyte is a ridiculously low asking price. Even by modern standards that is too good a deal to pass up. As such the overall value of this drive may vary from person to person, but it simply goes from very good to amazing. If you are looking for a large portable drive that will not break the bank the Seagate Backup Plus Portable 4TB does deserve a closer look. You may just find it too good a deal to pass up.
The Review
Seagate Desktop Expansion 8TB
For some the great capacity combined with good to excellent performance is going to be winning combination. For others the short warranty, lack of on/off switch, and over-reliance on plastic will be this drives downfall. Either way, Seagate Desktop Expansion 8TB does deserve serious consideration as its asking price is awfully tempting.
