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LaCie Unveils Designer Mirror Hard Drive, New Rugged RAID Thunderbolt Drive
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This. I have got Lacies 2TB thunderbolt drives and I can't tell the difference between it and USB3 portable drives on large transfers or while editing video.
I had to go to the LaCie website to get basic specs for these drives, would appreciate if MacRumors would include them in future:
- the Mirror drive is USB 3.0 only. I agree that it's expensive for what it is, but hey, for those who can afford it and want stylish products, I can see the appeal.
- the 4TB Rugged RAID Thunderbolt hard drive is USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt-1. I can also see the appeal for a portable high capacity drive with RAID, for some users.
The point made earlier regarding the disc speed (5400 rpm, which is not in the specs on the LaCie website) is a good one. I purchased one of the LaCie Thunderbolt 2 desktop hard drives (7200 RPM) just a few months ago, to use with my new iMac Retina, and went with the Thunderbolt 2 since the iMac also has that capability. At the time I didn't realize that the disc speed would in fact limit the data transfer rates. Those desktop drives do have an SSD upgrade available, which would possibly remove that limitation (or minimize it), but it is an expensive upgrade.
Bottom line from my point of view is that until we have these products available with SSD hard drives, the data rates will not generally be achieved in real life. And there is no gain to be achieved from Thunderbolt 2, as far as I can see, unless you have an SSD drive at both ends.
- the Mirror drive is USB 3.0 only. I agree that it's expensive for what it is, but hey, for those who can afford it and want stylish products, I can see the appeal.
- the 4TB Rugged RAID Thunderbolt hard drive is USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt-1. I can also see the appeal for a portable high capacity drive with RAID, for some users.
The point made earlier regarding the disc speed (5400 rpm, which is not in the specs on the LaCie website) is a good one. I purchased one of the LaCie Thunderbolt 2 desktop hard drives (7200 RPM) just a few months ago, to use with my new iMac Retina, and went with the Thunderbolt 2 since the iMac also has that capability. At the time I didn't realize that the disc speed would in fact limit the data transfer rates. Those desktop drives do have an SSD upgrade available, which would possibly remove that limitation (or minimize it), but it is an expensive upgrade.
Bottom line from my point of view is that until we have these products available with SSD hard drives, the data rates will not generally be achieved in real life. And there is no gain to be achieved from Thunderbolt 2, as far as I can see, unless you have an SSD drive at both ends.
Obviously it's super nice and when I saw it I was sure I'd get one until I saw the price.
I've been needing one so I ordered a Western Digital Elements 1 TB.
Only $54.99 no tax.
I am happy.
I've been needing one so I ordered a Western Digital Elements 1 TB.
Only $54.99 no tax.
I am happy.
I think I have had three or four Lacie Drives and none of them have lasted me over a year. Never again. Unless Seagate is making better quality fans and control boards, I say no thank you.
No, $270 is not a bad price but WHY ONLY 1TB?
How much more would it have cost to place a 4TB drive in the same glass box? You are paying the big bucks for the glass and thunderbolt why a cheap drive inside?
I bought one specifically for its firewire port which so after pooped out, leaving me with USB2 only. No point.
I bought a aluminium cased hd from them, I was out of my mind. The thing weighed a ton and would break your floor if you dropped it. When my mind came back, I returned it to the store. That was a close one.
I currently am LaCie-free
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The sad truth. Thunderbolt is actually about attaching monitors and not about external drives for video editing. Quietly weeping.
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Floppies were great. But I miss tape... Paper tape.
I had a 1TB one a long time ago, before 1TB was common. It died within a year. My friend's "rugged" portable FireWire one (I think 250GB) died then died again after a replacement. They use Seagate hard drives, which have always died on me. Maybe I just got unlucky with them, but I now avoid LaCie/Seagate completely.
I owned in total about 10-12 Lacie Rugged drives, from the 500GB FW/USB to the new 1TB Thunderbolt/usb3 and never had a failure. Only problem I had is that the Firewire 800 port died on a tripple connection drive, the usb2 and FW400 did still work though, and the FW800 worked when it was daisy-chained.
I don't know what you guys do to your hard drives but my drives survive everything from being on remote shooting locations to being in my bag when I travel and everyday work. I'm not particularly gentle with them.
I try to switch them after 1-2 years so they don't die when working, but I still have old ones that work when I connect them.
I don't know what you guys do to your hard drives but my drives survive everything from being on remote shooting locations to being in my bag when I travel and everyday work. I'm not particularly gentle with them.
I try to switch them after 1-2 years so they don't die when working, but I still have old ones that work when I connect them.
"and only on second glance is it revealed to be a slim high-performance hard drive"
Idk man, that USB cable hanging off the end was a pretty good clue.
Idk man, that USB cable hanging off the end was a pretty good clue.
So you have been using these drives since 5 or 10 years ago?
I simply keep them in my house and expect the drive to last at least 3 years.
I have Hitachi, NewerTech, OWC, and recently WD. All running strong since 2003, 2006, 2008, 2012. The reason I bought more to increase or match capacity, no failures (knock on wood).