Seagate's FreeAgent GoFlex: Modular External Storage

GoFlex Desk Adapters

The GoFlex Desk comes with a USB 2.0 desk adapter, but there are two alternatives for power users. You can purchase desk adapters with either eSATA or FireWire 800. The latter includes USB 2.0, making this choice rather versatile. Last but not least, there are two options for USB 3.0: one that includes only the desk adapter and another that is a full USB 3.0 upgrade kit containing a PCI Express x1 controller. This requires a modern PC with a free PCIe upgrade slot, but it allows for easy installation of two USB 3.0 ports.

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The FireWire 800 desk adapter currently costs $49.99, while you can get the USB 3.0 version for $39.99. Neither is cheap, but having a faster interface option is the smart way to go here. The question then becomes, if you know that the only reasonable interface to consider may be USB 3.0, what’s the price difference between a regular external USB 3.0 drive and Seagate’s FreeAgent GoFlex Desk plus the USB 3.0 adapter? This scenario makes limited sense if you already have USB 3.0 interfaces, but the USB 3.0 upgrade kit could fit just right for users willing and needing to upgrade.