Iomega’s 1TB desktop hard drive is an unapologetic slab, a brushed-metal brick that looks like something from another decade. Although it offers the same storage capacity as our Labs-winning Western Digital drive, it weighs a kilo more and demands around twice the desk space.

Looking inside the case, we discovered why: while the Western Digital unit uses a single terabyte drive, Iomega has bolted two 500GB units together to achieve the requisite capacity. It’s wholly transparent to the user and, since terabyte drives currently command a significant price premium, it doubtless helps keep costs down. Twice the drives means twice the moving parts, though, and we’re concerned this approach might reduce long-term reliability.

Whether or not the size is justified, we’re afraid we felt the Iomega looked cold and intrusive on the desk. You can stand it up on its side, but then its small non-detachable rubber feet act as a constant reminder that it’s the wrong way up. We were pleased to find a proper on/off switch at the back, but the single blue LED at the front, which indicates both power and disk activity, looks incongruously tiny and cheap in such an imposing case.

Ergonomics aside, though, it’s very hard to complain about getting a whole terabyte of external storage for just $381. If you want a scratch drive with a huge capacity and don’t care about looks, it’s an excellent deal. Remember, though, that it’s USB-only, and its weight makes it the least portable of this month’s crop.