Best 2.5" external hardrive out there??

As for specific types, I've not seen a single "best" out there. I suggest something from Western Digital, such as the MyBook. The one I purchased has 3 different ways to plug it in (USB2.0, eSATA, and Fire Wire), and came with easy to use instructions for formatting it for use with Windows (it was a MAC version). It was also one of the cheapest 500gb drives. I have not had any problems with data loss at all, and it came with a USB cable, a connector for Fire Wire, and an extension cable for Fire Wire. USB2.0 speeds are very good all things considered, and I haven't used it with FireWire often enough to make a comment on that. I imagine eSATA is even faster than USB2.0.