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Vox V1 review: Vox V1

Vox V1

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
Dong Ngo
4 min read

We'd never recommend this device based on its name. Vox External Hard Drive USB 2.0 & SATA V1 (Vox V1) is probably the least enticing name we've seen on an external hard drive. However, we looked past that and actually liked the drive a lot for its great performance. So far, it's the fastest USB 2.0 external hard drive we've tested. The drive also has an e-SATA connector, which potentially yields even higher throughput rate. We wish its bundled backup software were more robust and--most importantly--that it functioned as expected. Nonetheless, at $180 for the 750GB version, the V1 will make a nice expansion to your computer's storage. However, if you are looking for a backup solution right out of the box for about the same price, we'd recommend the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus.

7.4

Vox V1

The Good

Easy to setup; fast throughput speed; supports e-SATA; sturdy casing.

The Bad

Flaw-laden backup software; no phone support listed on Web site.

The Bottom Line

The Vox V1 is a simple, straightforward external hard drive. We liked it for its high performance and ease of use as an external hard drive. However, the drive is bundled with underdeveloped backup software so if you want to use it as an automatic backup solution, you will need to spend a little more for a third-party application.

Drive type External hard drive
Connector options USB 2.0; e-SATA
Available capacities 250GB, 500GB, 750GB
Capacity of test unit (if applicable) 750GB
Drive speed 7,200rpm
Cache 16MB
Dimensions (LWH) 12.5x10x3.5 inches
Notable design features One-touch backup button
OSes supported Windows XP, Vista; Mac OS9, X
Software included iniBackup
Service and support 1-year warranty; e-mail support. Vox's Web site includes FAQs, user guides, and data sheets

The Vox V1 comes in three versions: 250GB ($80), 500GB ($119), and 750GB; the last is the one we evaluated. All of them have a simple design that looks like a brick, yet are still stylish with the black sturdy aluminum casing and the blue status light on the front. All of its ports, which include USB 2.0 and e-SATA, are on the back together with the power switch. The front status light also works as a button that activates the included backup software.

Included in the box are the drive, the power supply, USB and e-SATA cables, a short manual, and a software CD. That's more than enough to get you started. As with most USB external hard drives, if you run Windows 2000 or later, you just have to plug it in and the system will recognize the drive. That was also the case on the Vox V1. We had no problem hooking it up to our Windows XP system. However, if you run Windows 98, you will need to install the driver provided on the included CD first before you can hook the device to your computer. According to Vox, the drive works also with Apple computers running OS 9 or later.

The CD also contains a backup application, iniBackup, that works with the button on the front of the device (much like the OneTouch button in the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus). However, we found the software sloppy at best. The incoherent interface looks as if it's a mock-up of an application that's still under development. It took us a while to do one manual backup job, which worked very much like Windows' drag-and-drop copy function, and then created the scheduled backup job. However, the scheduled job didn't run at the specified time. There is also inconsistency between the manual and the software. For example, the manual mentions (with illustrations) the security feature that lets you protect the drive with a password; however, the software (version 1.17) doesn't seem to have this feature,one of several missing from iniBackup. In short, you'd be better off using third-party software such as Acronis True Image if you want to use the Vox V1 as a reliable backup solution. Alternatively, you can use the drive without its backup software.

As an external hard drive, the Vox V1 excelled in our testing with the scores of 157Mbps in write tests and 164.5Mbps in read tests. These scores are currently the fastest among all the USB 2.0-based external hard drives we've tested. The drive was also very quiet during our test. However, it got rather hot, even though the power adapter is not included within the casing. We find this is normal with most of external hard drives where the casing is just a little bit bigger than the hard drive itself. We recommend that you use them in open spaces.

Vox ships the V1 with one-year limited warranty during which time they will fix or replace the defective unit for free. On the Web site, you can download drivers, software, and the manual in PDF format. Vox's preferred medium for technical support is e-mail; we couldn't find information about phone support on their Web site.

Portable hard drive read/write tests (in megabits per second)
(Longer bars indicate faster performance)
Write  
Read  
Vox External Hard Drive USB 2.0 & SATA V1
157 
164.5 
Maxtor OneTouch4Plus
150.2 
147.2 
Maxtor OneTouch4 Mini
140.2 
151.8 
Toshiba 200GB
77.1 
152.7 
Iomega eGo
72.7 
158.2 

Learn more about how we test hard drives.

7.4

Vox V1

Score Breakdown

Setup 6Features 6Performance 9Support 5