One-minute evaluate
Confusingly, LaCie has many similar-looking exterior drives which might be arduous to distinguish based mostly on related names and any scale proven within the promotional photos.
All of the merchandise within the Rugged Mini collection have codes that begin with STMF, and the 2TB mannequin reviewed right here is the STMF2000400.
What divides this from different LaCie exterior drives is that it is in a brand new and simply pocketable kind issue. This drive helps USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 mode for enhanced file switch speeds, and it’s IP54-rated for water and dirt safety.
The outward look of this unit seems to be like one thing that is likely to be dropped to assist a pilot that has ejected over water, with a silver metallic monolith surrounded by a daring orange rubberised bumper.
It’s doable to take away the bumper, however it’s in all probability higher to go away it in place. In contrast with the equal choices from Essential and Kingston, this drive is bigger at over 10cm lengthy and 6cm large. It’s additionally heavier at 114g, however not sufficient that anybody would fear about carrying it.
Within the field is the drive, a 20cm USB-C cable, and that’s it. There isn’t a USB-A cable or adapter and no pouch. Contemplating the price of these merchandise, that appears poor.
The place we’ve no such complaints with the connection efficiency, with assist for all switch speeds of USB, it additionally works with Thunderbolt variations 3 and 4.
In optimum situations and linked to the high-specification PC, switch speeds of two,000MB/s are doable when you have a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port.
The snag is that the Kingston XS2000 and Essential X10 Professional supply related efficiency profiles. However they’re smaller and lighter, and critically a lot, less expensive.
An efficient drive with wonderful efficiency and a barely odd aesthetic, however it’s wildly overpriced.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Pricing and availability
- How a lot does it price? From $119.99/147.99 for 1TB mannequin
- When is it out? It’s beginning to be obtainable now
- The place are you able to get it? Direct from Essential or via on-line retailers like Amazon.
It’s price stating that the disparity between the quoted costs for this product on the LaCie web site and people requested by on-line retailers is hanging.
For instance, the quoted UK price for the 4TB capability drive is a whopping £719.99, however it’s offered by the net retailer Perception for under £505.19. That’s nearly 30% much less.
At Amazon.co.uk, the 500GB, 1TB and 2TB fashions promote for £109.90, £147.99, and £271.99, respectively, with no worth or inventory at the moment for the 4TB choice.
American suppliers are awaiting inventory, however B&H has $119.99, $189.99 and $349.99 as the costs of the 1TB, 2TB and 4TB, with no point out of the 500GB choice.
If we have a look at the present costs of the principle competitor for this line, the Essential X10 Professional, that at the moment prices $107.99, $167.99 and $289.99 for the 1TB, 2TB and 4TB choices on Amazon.com.
The query you would possibly moderately ask your self if why wouldn’t you pay an additional $18 for a 4TB Essential X10 Professional over a 2TB Lacie Rugged Mini SSD? Except you’re mesmerised by orange, that appears an unlikely determination.
As good a model as LaCie is, this SSD isn’t price something near what they’re asking.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Specs
| Mannequin No. | STMF2000400 |
| Capacities | 4TB/2TB/1TB/500GB |
| Capability examined | 2TB |
| Examined sequential efficiency (Learn/Write) | 2049/1842MB/s |
| Connection | USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 utilizing Sort-C or Thunderbolt 3/4 |
| Encryption | Software program |
| Dimensions | 105.3 x 66.9 x 17.3mm (WxHxD) |
| Weight | 114g |
| Guarantee | 3 years |
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Design
- Inflatable raft aesthetic
- Rugged-ish
- 3-year guarantee
All Lacie’s rugged drive has this mini-inflatable-raft aesthetic, that means these gadgets are metaphorically lifeboats.
The issue with this and the shortage of chromatic variety is that it’s simple to finish up complicated the arduous drive designs with the SSDs and the mini fashions from the bigger gadgets.
One facet that shocked your reviewer was that the IP score of this drive is very depending on a rubber plug that covers the USB-C port and a tiny exercise LED.
Sometimes, on telephones, tablets or rugged PCs, a plug like that is hooked up come what may to the machine, however right here, as soon as eliminated, it may be simply misplaced as it’s purely a friction match.
Additionally, as a result of orientation and size of the USB-C cable, seeing the exercise LED is a problem as it’s recessed into the top the place the cable connects.
The aim of the orange bumper is to maintain the SSD inside secure, and LaCie quotes an IP54 score, the power to resist a one-metre drop and one metric ton of car-crushing resistance. Curiously, in some locations, just like the field, it says a three-metre drop, however the one metre on the product brochure.
Neither of those harm resistance capabilities seems remotely spectacular since nearly each exterior SSD we’ve seen might deal with a drop of 1m or 3m, and the crushing worth doesn’t make any sense. Analyzing the notes on the LaCie brochure, the crush check was a one-ton automotive, however presumably, it had 4 wheels that shared the mass equally. That works out at 250kg displayed over the 60 sq. centimetres of the drive, equally simply 4.2kg per cm sq.
We’d contest that this drive is mildly ruggedised, and to attain its modest IP54 score requires you to not lose the plug and to have it in place when the drive is uncovered to water or mud and never ever absolutely immersed.
On the brighter aspect, this design does get restricted 3-year protection. LaCie gives a knowledge restoration service in some nations, however not all. Nevertheless, most competitor gadgets get 5 years of guarantee.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Software program
- Adobe trial
- Seagate software program
- No firmware device
This product is certainly one of many exterior drives from numerous manufacturers pushing a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe Inventive Cloud All Apps Plan.
However when you already pay for this, it in all probability doesn’t get you a free month, and when you don’t, it’s signing you up for an additional $54.99 invoice every month for Adobe’s dear software program.
I am unsure in regards to the worth of that proposition for almost all of homeowners, however the different software program on supply doesn’t want a subscription to make use of.
That’s the LaCie Toolkit, which permits folders to be synced to the drive with automation. It’s the identical device that Seagate (who personal LaCie) supplies with a lot of its exterior drives, and it may both again up the usual folders (paperwork, footage, and many others.) or you may create a wholly customized collection of folders to be repeatedly secured.
It’s not the perfect software program we’ve seen that does this, but it surely works, and it is precisely what most purchasers of the drive would need.
There aren’t any copy cloud providers choices or any instruments to test for firmware upgrades and set up them. Given the price, the software program offered is fairly primary.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Efficiency
- Wants USB 3/2 Gen 2×2
- No {hardware} encryption
| Bench | Check | LaCie Rugged Mini SSD 2TB | Essential X10 Professional 2TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskM. | Default Learn | 2049.14 | 2060.77 |
| Row 1 – Cell 0 | Default Write | 1842.78 | 1840.27 |
| Row 2 – Cell 0 | Actual World Learn | 1870.79 | 1857.01 |
| Row 3 – Cell 0 | Actual World Write | 1695.04 | 1694.03 |
| AJA System 16GB | Learn | 1887 | 1898 |
| Row 5 – Cell 0 | Write | 1702 | 1709 |
| AS SSD | Learn | 1897.46 | 1881.74 |
| Row 7 – Cell 0 | Write | 1679.8 | 1693.37 |
| ACT | Learn | 1920 | 1920 |
| Row 9 – Cell 0 | Write | 1720 | 1710 |
Once we initially examined this drive, our first port of name (pun meant) was an Acer laptop computer that has Thunderbolt 4, with the belief that this might yield the perfect efficiency.
It didn’t. Whereas the drive can work with Thunderbolt, it does so through a USB compatibility mode, capping the throughput at round 1,000MB/s.
To get the complete efficiency that the drive gives requires both USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, and with out certainly one of these, the perfect you may anticipate is similar 1,000MB/s. If you happen to solely have USB 3.2 Gen 1, you will notice solely 500MB/s, the identical as the most cost effective USB SSDs supply.
Its incapability to use Thunderbolt correctly is a disappointment, however it’s also widespread amongst drives primarily designed for USB, as it really works with the least quantity of effort on the a part of the drive maker. What’s extra regarding is that it may’t exploit USB 4.0 both.
Utilizing the optimum USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port studying speeds of 2049MB/s and writing speeds of 1843MB/s on CrystalDiskMark 8. That’s quick, however we’ve seen quicker from absolutely Thunderbolt-compatible drives just like the SanDisk Skilled Professional-G40.
Nevertheless, utilizing the RealWorld profile diminished that efficiency to studying at 1871MB/s and writing at 1695MB/s.The opposite benchmarks supported these numbers throughout the board, strongly hinting that the underlying velocity isn’t sufficient to hit these magically 2,000MB/s throughput in most circumstances.
Utilizing the AJA System check, 64GB file mode was run to see if efficiency was impacted over the lengthy haul. The check ran with none detectable lack of velocity, suggesting the drive’s cache is massive sufficient to deal with writing massive information with out choking on them.
When these outcomes are in comparison with these of the most well-liked competitor, the Essential X10 Professional, they present that the LaCie Rugged Mini SSD is on par with that drive in lots of checks. Nevertheless, the X10 Professional is a considerably cheaper choice, far more extensively obtainable, has a 5, not three-year guarantee and helps {hardware} encryption.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD: Verdict
The extra this reviewer dug into the LaCie Rugged Mini SSD, the much less spectacular it turned.
Whereas assist for USB 3.2 2×2 is admirable, it’s a distinct segment functionality as a result of comparatively few machines have that port.
With out that exact interface, the drive has 1000MB/s peak efficiency, which the Essential X9 Professional can supply for $250 for the 4TB or $100 much less. As well as, the X9 Professional has an IP55 score, is smaller, is less complicated to hold, and comes with a extra prolonged guarantee interval.
For those who need USB 3.2 2×2, the Essential X10 Professional 4TB continues to be $70 cheaper.
The one {hardware} that’s extra expensive than that is the SanDisk Skilled Professional-G40, and in Europe, even that’s cheaper than this product.
Together with some software program utilities and trials doesn’t steadiness this equation since a lot of the different manufacturers supply related issues, if no more.
General, a premium product should include a USB-A cable or adapter, a greater plan for what occurs to the port plug, and a worth that acknowledges what competitor merchandise are promoting. However alas, LaCie gave the Rugged Mini SSD none of these items.
Ought to I purchase the LaCie Rugged Mini SSD
| Worth | Costly for a drive that doesn’t have a 5-year guarantee or {hardware} encryption | 2 / 5 |
| Design | An odd liferaft motif and a scarcity of inventive enthusiastic about the lack of the port plug | 4 / 5 |
| Software program | Adobe trial, some helpful software program however no firmware administration | 3 / 5 |
| Efficiency | Nice efficiency, however you want Gen 2×2 to get probably the most out of it. Efficiency on Thunderbolt is underwhelming. | 4/ 5 |
| General | Confused design that isn’t good worth for cash. | 4 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
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