Firewire or USB to External Hard Drive?

[Gene K]

Just received a new external Hard Drive [Maxtor, 200GB]. It has provision
for either USB 2.0 or FireWire (i-Link, IEEE 1394) connection. The question:
which would be better; that is, faster? I have both types available.
Appreciate any help. It will used for backup.

 

[Jim Macklin]

Bandwidth is shared, so whichever one you don't use for
something else would be faster. Since thumb drives, mice
and keyboards use USB, a Firewire would probably have a
higher average connect speed.


| Just received a new external Hard Drive [Maxtor, 200GB].
It has provision
| for either USB 2.0 or FireWire (i-Link, IEEE 1394)
connection. The question:
| which would be better; that is, faster? I have both types
available.
| Appreciate any help. It will used for backup.
|
|
| --
| Gene K
|
|

 

[NiteOwl]

Use the 1394 Firewire. Despite USB2.0 480mbs versus 1394 400mbs. The 1394
Firewire has much less overhead and is definitely faster. I have the Maxtor
250 One Touch and I tested both connections to verify the above..

NiteOwl...