There are a million storage solutions out there, from your run-of-the-mill WD external to the increasingly popular multi-drive, RAID setups like NewerTech’s and Drobo. How does this so-called “green” system stack up, and what exactly makes it green? More inside.
NewerTech says its Guardian Maximus uses half the power of a normal 1TB drive. That’s great, but I do feel that there’s more to being green tech than simply lowering power requirements. What about recyclable components or future-proofing so you don’t have to throw it away? Anyway, they’ve got a few setups and they’ve got advantages and drawbacks. They’re compact and look solid, and have a ton of ports. Two Firewire 800, one firewire 400, and one USB 2.0, so you’ve got your pick. That puts it one up on the Drobo and many other, cheaper solutions, but when you look at capacity, things tip the other way.
The best deal to my eye is the 750GB (1.5TB in RAID-1) for $440. You’re paying a premium for the green-ness, I suppose, and the multi-drive setup, but when you’ve got 500GB externals in the wild for $100 it looks a little pricey. A Drobo with somewhat more space is going now for $750, and while it’s limited to a USB connection, it’s a much more robust and expandable option.
The Guardian Maximus is the better choice if you really need that Firewire 800 interface, and I know some people do. But if you’re not sure, you probably don’t need it, and Drobo or something like an HP MediaSmart might be more up your alley.