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I’ve been using the SmartDisk FireLite 120 GB hard drive to store my Aperture library for the MacBook Pro 17″ I take on the road. I was down to 1 GB on my previous 80 GB LaCie drive, and it was time to move up.

Even though the FireLite is only a 5400 RPM drive, I’ve been impressed with its snappy performance while using Aperture. I have the USB 2.0 model that is port-powered so I don’t have to use an external power source. It’s small enough to easily fit in my backpack or back pocket. The drive also includes a Mac version of the BounceBack Express backup utility.

Before moving my Aperture library over to the FireLite, I reformatted the drive (after saving BounceBack to another location) for Mac OS X Extended, then moved my managed library and referenced masters over. The drive is performing beautifully, and extending the usefulness of my MacBook Pro on the road.

I purchased the unit at CompUSA for $179 US with a $20 rebate.