Not content with making desktops and glossy laptops for consumers, HP decided to jump onto the portable hard drive bandwagon as well. We were a bit pensive about HP making a product already sold by more recognized brands (in the HDD market). Maybe HP also realized this, and thus called upon WD to manufacture and market the product. HP is just re-branding it as their own.

The 320GB SimpleSave hard drive we received was the usual glossy stuff we expected from HP and WD. The inevitable scratches started to show up soon and the hunt for a pouch or a case began. Maybe it should be a part of the box pack (like A-Data did with the HDD we reviewed last month). However, the disappointments will soon end, because the backup feature and the overall performance of the HDD are delightful. The SimpleSave backup feature allows you to select drives, folders and even file formats which you want to back up. The SimpleSave feature keeps running (in case you keep the drive plugged in) and makes the necessary updates if you make changes to the files.

Using it as a normal portable hard drive is a pleasure. The speeds of data transfer range between 19MB/s to 27MB/s while transferring documents and video files. It also connected to the WDTV media player.

One is a virtual CD drive housing the backup software, while the other takes you to the other files you may have placed on the drive. This may be a bit confusing at first.

HP SimpleSave HDD Rs 5,510 (320GB) & Rs 7,450 (500GB)	Performance Coolness
Pros Backup feature, performance Cons Glossy surface prone to scratches Sold by HP, www.hp.com/in	Specs 2.5 inch portable hard drive, 320GB and 500GB capacity, HP SimpleSave backup software, automatic backup, 2 year warranty Verdict

Overall, the backup feature makes the drive worthwhile. However, due to the glossy nature, you will need to buy a case for it.