Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Pro - Versatile Portable Storage
More on the GoFlex Pro 500GB External Portable Drive
The GoFlex Pro 500GB External Portable Drive
The GoFlex series of drives achieve their versatility by sticking to basics. In this case, Seagate used the 2.5-inch drive's native SATA 3Gbps interface as the basis of all connectivity for their GoFlex storage system and the expanded ecosystem. By using a superior interface as the base, Seagate was able to offer a plethora of external connectivity options and ensuring the drive's capabilities are best utilized as per the individual users' needs. The GoFlex series of portable drives are very compact, besting those we've seen in our last roundup which represented the best of last year. As you'll soon see, this compactness is achieved partly because Seagate moved almost all other electronics on the add-on adapters while the drive itself is just encased in a plastic shell.
As mentioned earlier, the GoFlex Pro, such as the device in review here comes bundled with Memeo software for backup and synchronization, a GoFlex USB 2.0 interface cable and a desktop dock. In terms of hardware specs, the Pro version is equipped with a speedier 7200rpm drive. The standard GoFlex drives use normal 5400rpm laptop drives and forgoes the dock as well as the more comprehensive software options.
While the default GoFlex interface cable can be swapped out with other higher-end options, the desktop dock is however a USB 2.0 only device. So while we applaud the dock being included in the premium model, its interface should have been made modular as well if users want to pair their drive with a faster interface, just like the GoFlex cables that connect to the drive directly.