OWC launches high-capacity 7200 RPM external drives

Traveling photographers take note: Other World Computing (OWC) has launched what is the "highest capacity 7200 RPM portable bus-powered storage solution" currently on the market, the OWC Mercury On-The-Go 320 GB external storage drive.

According to the manufacturer, the drive promises "desktop hard drive performance in a 2.5" solution," making it an ideal, ultra-portable solution for shooters on the go. The new drive's slim size and impact-resistant plastic enclosure provide additional design cues geared toward road warriors and others needing high-capacity, high-performance portable storage.

Although there are other 320 GB bus-powered (that is, powered through a FireWire or USB connection, rather than via a separate AC adapter) drives out there, the Mecury On-The-Go is the first such drive in this capacity to offer a 7200 RPM spindle speed – meaning faster file access that more closely matches the performance of a high-speed internal drive.

The Mecury On-The-Go enclosures (which are available with Hitachi 7200 RPM HDDs in capacities from 100 GB to 320 GB) can be configured with several connection options, including FireWire 400/800, USB 2.0, and eSATA, as well as nearly any combination of these protocols.

Several configurations, including the 320 GB, 7200 RPM model, are currently available through OWC's online store, www.MacSales.com. Pricing for the flagship model starts at $239.99 with a USB 2.0 connection.