At a look
Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Professionals
- Mac-compatible with USB4
- Good efficiency
- Rugged design
- Aggressive worth
Cons
- Lacks full Thunderbolt help
- Detachable USB cowl is definitely misplaced
Our Verdict
There are quicker Thunderbolt drives accessible for Macs, however the Rugged SSD4 with USB4 strikes a very good stability between efficiency and worth and is a wonderful choice for routine Time Machine backups. LaCie’s trademark rugged design additionally supplies additional safety for out of doors use.
Value When Reviewed
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Finest Pricing At the moment
Finest Costs At the moment: LaCie Rugged SSD4
We’ve seen a number of solid-state drives that help the most recent Thunderbolt 5 commonplace in current months, akin to LaCie’s personal Rugged SSD Pro5, however Thunderbolt 5 drives are nonetheless fairly costly – and, after all, there’s presently solely a handful of Mac fashions that really help Thunderbolt 5 proper now (though Apple is broadly rumoured to be launching plenty of new MacBook Professional fashions as I sit right here righting this assessment).
In case you don’t have Thunderbolt 5 in your Mac, otherwise you don’t need to pay a premium for Thunderbolt 5 efficiency, then LaCie’s Rugged SSD4 is a extra reasonably priced choice that opts for USB4 somewhat than Thunderbolt, however can nonetheless present good efficiency for backing up all of your necessary information.
Costs for the Rugged SSD4 begin at simply $119.99/£139.99 for a drive with 1TB of storage, or you’ll be able to step as much as 2TB for $214.99/£249.99, or 4TB for $399.99/£449.99. Clients within the U.S. can purchase straight from Seagate’s web site (as Seagate now owns the LaCie model), however you’ll have to buy round on-line for those who’re primarily based outdoors the US.
LaCie’s trademark orange rubber sleeve supplies safety in opposition to the climate, and even crushing stress as much as one tonne.
Thomas Bergbold
Sturdy Storage
The design of the Rugged SSD4 shall be instantly acquainted to anybody that’s owned considered one of LaCie’s Rugged drives earlier than, with the drive wrapped in LaCie’s trademark shiny orange rubber sleeve, which is designed to guard the drive if you’re working in an out of doors atmosphere.
The drive measures simply 17.4mm thick, 66.9mm huge and 105.4mm lengthy, so you’ll be able to simply match it right into a jacket pocket or bag if you’re travelling. The drive has a protecting score of IP54 that, admittedly, isn’t fairly as sturdy as a few of LaCie’s different Rugged drives – the SSD Pro5 boasts a totally waterproof score of IP68 – however it could possibly nonetheless deal with outbursts of rain and publicity to mud if you’re outdoor.
LaCie additionally states that the drive can survive being dropped from a peak of three metres, and may face up to a crushing stress of 1 tonne. The drive supplies a three-year guarantee, reflecting LaCie’s confidence within the sturdy design, and it is usually lined by LaCie’s Rescue Information Restoration Service in case it actually does get badly broken (though the Information Restoration Service will not be accessible in all areas).
Our solely criticism in regards to the design is that the protecting rubber flap that covers the USB-C port isn’t really hooked up to the drive. The flap comes proper off the drive if you connect the USB cable, so you may lose it fairly simply for those who’re not cautious.
You need to use the LaCie drive together with your iPhone.
Stephan Wiesend
Backup Efficiency
As talked about, the Rugged SSD4 helps USB4 somewhat than Thunderbolt – and, sure, it’s really referred to as ‘USB4′ somewhat than ‘USB 4.0’ – and it has a single USB-C interface for connecting it to a Mac, PC or different cell gadgets akin to an iPhone (with USB-C cable included).
Nevertheless, USB4 is definitely primarily based on Thunderbolt 4, so – in contrast to the older USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 – it’s absolutely appropriate with Macs, and LaCie states that it supplies learn and write speeds of as much as 4,000MB/s. Our exams didn’t fairly match that efficiency, with the Rugged SSD4 coming in at a mean of two,975MB/s for learn efficiency, however then stepping as much as 3,300MB/s for write efficiency.
That’s clearly not as quick because the professional-level Rugged SSD Pro5 with Thunderbolt 5, however it needs to be greater than quick sufficient for normal day-to-day use and Time Machine backups. It’s additionally greater than twice as quick as LaCie’s previous-generation Rugged Mini SSD – which makes use of the aforementioned not-fully-Mac-compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 – so it’ll be a very good improve for Mac customers who desire a quicker backup machine with out paying for a top-of-the-range Thunderbolt 5 drive.
Ought to You Purchase The LaCie Rugged SSD4?
Skilled or inventive customers who’ve a current Mac that helps Thunderbolt 5 might desire to pay additional for a high-performance drive that may deal with Thunderbolt 5 speeds. And, after all, not all customers will want a rugged drive akin to this that’s designed for out of doors use. However, for those who merely want a quick, reasonably priced drive that may deal with your day by day Time Machine backups then the Rugged SSD4 matches the invoice at a aggressive worth.