There is no denying that hard drives are the kings of portable MASS storage; however portable hard drives are either stylish yet delicate or ugly totalitarian tank like devices that can take a pounding with seemingly nothing in between the two extremes. Iomega and their eGo Portable line is trying to change this and offer a portable drive which is not only durable but is also stylish! Add in a USB 3.0 interface and on paper these drives my just be perfect for most situations. Does the eGo 3.0 500GB portable hard drive have what it takes to impress on both the speed and durability fronts? Let's find out!

The Verdict:
The Iomega eGo Portable certainly is more robust than most portable hard drives. It also has a stylish good looks that leaves most looking like ugly ducklings in comparison. With that being said the use of a slower 5400-rpm drive is the weak link in the eGo chain as it doesn't have exactly awe inspiring performance.

The Good:
+ Surprisingly robust
+ Stylish design
+ Simple to use encryption
+ Software is preloaded on the drive, no need of CD/DVD to install it
+ 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption
+ 3 year warranty

The Bad:
- No active cooling
- Sealed unit so hard drive replacement will be difficult
- No power On/Off switch for drive
- 5400-rpm drive means less than blazing speeds