This is a portable, external PC-compatible Iomega zip drive which can read and write to 100-megabyte zip disks. It has a dark blue plastic exterior, with rubber "feet" on the bottom and side; this allows it to be placed vertically or horizontally on a desk. The Iomega Z100P2 connects to a computer's parallel port.

The Z100P2 used for this review has been successfully operated with computers running Windows 98 and MS-DOS 5.0, among other operating systems. It has backed up large numbers of files from the hard drives of a few different PCs. A minor annoyance is that disks may only be ejected when the zip drive is powered on.

The Iomega Z100P2 is powered by a fairly large 5V, 1A two-prong power supply, part number 02477800. It plugs into a standard AC electrical outlet. According to a wattage meter, it draws seven watts when idle with no zip disk inserted, nine watts while reading a disk, and ten to eleven watts while writing.

After a few years of occasional use with various computers, the Iomega Z100P2 zip drive continues to function reliably, as do its disks. The drive does make a bit of noise - about as much as a small laptop computer. It doesn't take very long to set up, is easy to use, and operates quickly.