Plextor has announced a capacity update to its pocketable range of personal storage products with the advent of the new 500GB portable unit, also known as Plextor PX-PH500US. The device is extremely suitable for road warriors, as well as for users who carry large amounts of data.

The external shell is extremely stylish, and the brushed aluminum case looks more like an accessory than like a piece of hardware. The drive connects to the host computer via a high-speed eSATA interface, able to deliver data transfer rates of up to 3 Gbps - the same speed as a high-end internal hard disk drive. More than that, computer enthusiasts who have not upgraded to eSATA yet can use the secondary USB 2.0 port, an ideal option for cross-platform (Windows/Mac) environments.

"As easy to transport as a mobile phone, Plextor's modern pocket hard drives set the standard for convenience - yet offer disk speeds comparable to internal units", claimed Rudy De Meirsman, Sales & Marketing Manager at Plextor. "This popular design offers ease of use for novices, high reliability for enthusiasts and are robust enough for business users and even students - all housed in a cool, contemporary brushed aluminum chassis", he continued.

Unlike the eSATA option, the USB 2.0 port can also provide the external hard disk drive with the necessary amount of power. However, when connected to the eSATA interface, the drive requires an additional power adapter.

Plextor's new drive also comes loaded with security options. The manufacturer bundles the device with its specially crafted PlexTools software for hard disks in the Professional HDD series. The drive is also password protected, which means that users will gain access to the stored data after they correctly authenticate.

The drive weighs only 190 grams and comes in a 17-millimeter thick aluminum enclosure. The PX-PH500US will become widely available later this month, but the company did not announce pricing for the 500GB version.