making your own external drive v.s. buying pre-made

okay so i don't get something there.
I'm considering making my own external drive which seems to be the cheaper route, but, I'd like to know why they price things the way they are.
here's the link to the store i plan to buy from
http://www.logiccomputerhouse.com/site/main.php?module=catalog&catID=84
the fourth drive, top row, maxtor 250 gig is $118
the second drive, 2nd row, maxtor 250gig is $279
other than buying a casing for the drive i'm making...why is there such a price gap? (besides the push button thing and firewire...don't care for that)

 

You've really answered your own question.

The external unit has firewire, one button backup, and the backup software which is usually Dantz Retrospect.

You are paying for that as well as the assembly.

Also remember that 3.5" drives cannot get enough power from USB or FireWire, so the case you buy must have a power adaptor or you will need to supply one.

 

when you purhcase a case, usually it comes with its own power supply cable doesn't it?

 

Usually they are built in or in the form of a powerpack (plugpack) adapter, but I have seen ones that don't have them at all, so I always make sure first. (3.5" cases)

2.5 cases (for laptop hard drives) don't come with, nor need one, as they get all their power from the USB 2.0 connetion.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817155223

I have two IDE versions of this enclosure. Nice, modern, metal design, but they are noisy and have no real cooling. They work very well thus far, however.

 

As usual I must add www.cooldrives.com
I use empty cases and buy my own drives, so I can upgrade and not be
stuck.

 

2.5" external drives often are NOT able to work on just USB power, especially if you have other power-drawing USB devices. Often you have to connect to BOTH USB and PS/2 connector to get enough power. So I wouldn't buy one of those that didn't also have its own power available as a backup if needed.

.bh.