Buffalo Technology has come to market with what it claims is the first external portable hard drive with a capacity of 320GB.

The storage vendor has beaten some of the more well known disk drive makers, such as Seagate, to the punch.

Buffalo's MiniStation TurboUSB HD-PS320U2 boasts an armoured casing with shock absorbent features to protect the drive from knocks and bashes. It also has a fixed, wraparound USB cable which supplies all the power for the device.

The company has used a 5,400rpm drive, which it claims is up to 64 per cent faster than the more typical 4,200rpm speeds.

The MiniStation is bundled with Buffalo's Secure Lock Ware, which offers 256-bit AES encryption, as well as Memeo AutoBackup software, which provides scheduled backup and password protection.

The HD-PS320U2 is available in December for £155 excluding VAT.