Review: Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex

June 25, 2010 | By Admin In Technology |

Flexibility. That is the real key to mobility…the ability to quickly and effortlessly swap between devices and platforms. Seagate appears to have unlocked this mystery with their new line of portable drives, the FreeAgent GoFlex. This is the first drive which can be all things to all users. I mean, really, who has not suffered that sinking feeling of trying to share your photos with your friend, mother, sister, brother, or anyone else for that matter, only to find that their system was not compatible with your drive. This is a significant problem, and one which Seagate aims to resolve with this latest offering. Seagate was kind enough to send along a sample for review, so let’s go ahead and check it out.

Like most portable drives, the GoFlex looks deceptively simple on the outside. Just a simple, silver box. It is a little smaller and boxier than the FreeAgent Go that Seagate released last year. I have to admit that while Seagate advertised the new GoFlex as being sleeker than the FreeAgent Go, I actually preferred the design and shape of the original Freeagent drive (in the picture above, the GoFlex is on the right).

The big difference lies in the back. Instead of the standard microUSB port, which can connect to any standard USB, there is an open end. An endcap plugs into that open end. By default, the cap has a USB connection dangling off of it. Just connect the endcap to the drive, and then plug the cable into the USB on your computer (it will even work on a Mac).

Now, here comes the flexible part. In addition to the default USB 2.0 connection, you can also add alternate endcaps featuring USB 3.0, Firewire 800, or eSATA connections. This is plug and play at its finest. Just pull off the endcap and replace it with whichever alternate cap you wish to use. The advantage here is that you can significantly increase the speed of your device depending upon which endcap you choose to use. In addition to the drive, Seagate also sent along the USB 3.0 cap (they call it a personality cable) and the Firewire version. I absolutely loved how easy it is to switch from one connection to the next. Plus, who doesn’t want a quick preview of the new, super fast USB 3.0. Before you ask, no, I do not have a special USB 3.0 connection on my computer, and neither does anyone else for now. Recognizing this, the USB 3.0 cable included a USB 3.0 Express Card. So, you can use it with any computer that can utilize the Express Card.

The really great thing about this setup, however, is what the GoFlex cannot do yet. I have no idea what that might be, but you can be sure that some new connection is coming soon and your next computer will not be complete without it. Unlike the good old days (last week) when a new computer meant all new peripherals, the GoFlex will upgrade right along with you. So, go ahead and buy that new computer with the fancy new connection. Just be sure to buy the correct GoFlex cable along with it and the whole drive will be ready to go.

That being said, I do have to admit that I really missed the desktop cradle from the FreeAgent Go. Particularly the DockStar, which allowed me to connect the FreeAgent family of drives to my network. Hopefully, more connection options, like these, will be coming soon.

Pretty much the only thing I could not connect the drive to was my iPad, which is a real shame as it would have been incredibly useful to have an extra 500 GB of storage on there. To be fair, though, I do not have the camera kit, so there is still hope.

A wide variety of cables, however, is not the only flexibility and personalization option. Adding to the fun are four color options (black, silver, blue, and red) and three sizes (320 GB, 500 GB, and 1TB). The one I tested, for the record, was a 500 GB silver model.

Like previous generations of Seagate drives, the GoFlex also comes with a pretty snazzy software package built into the drive. That means the Meemeo, which features Instant Backup and other tools.

The Meemeo Instant Backup is a really nice program. On a single screen, it delivers all of the necessary stats about what is stored on your GoFlex drive. Push a single button to backup this content from any drive straight to the GoFlex. This worked great,and I was impressed by how fast the whole process was.

In addition to the Instant Backup solution, you also receive a complete Meemeo software package, including Auto Sync, Share, and Send. All of this just adds to the flexibility of the device, allowing you to access your important information from just about any location.

I have always been impressed by Seagate’s products. Their external storage devices are absolutely incredible. Some of the best on the market. So, what happens when you take the best drives around and mix in a cup of flexibility? You end up with the FreeAgent GoFlex, a single drive which can connect with virtually any computer, anywhere, now…and into the future. What can I saw…this one goes to eleven!

The SeaGate FreeAgent GoFlex is available from SeaGate. The 500 GB version I tested costs only $129.99. Additional Personalization Cables cost rom $40 to $70.

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