Review on LaCie Rugged eSATA

There is no change in the rugged series since the first hard drive was launched almost four years ago. Compared to the new hard drives that have been launched recently, our model looks cheap, especially when comparing with the Hitachi Simple Touch. LaCie Rugged eSATA is the only drive with eSATA interface for laptops. However we do not recommend you go for it unless you are in a great demand for it. Else you can opt for the USB hard drives.

Design:

The hard drive is encased in an aluminum shell covered by an orange removable bumper which is removable. It will help protect from shocks and while accidental drop. Dropping the device while transferring data is however not recommended. The safe drop distance is been increased but is still in the second position following the Hitachi SimpleTouch offering a drop resistance up to 10 feet. LaCie offers a safe drop distance of 86.6 inches. The Rugged eSATA will not take up that much as the Hitachi and to precise it will not stand up for even a ton.



The eSATA and USB 2.0 ports are found at the top of the drive. The new power cable for the eSATA port is capable of transferring energy and data at the same time. However it works only on laptops that are equipped with the new port. Thankfully, LaCie has included a USB power sharing cable so that you can use it with desktops and old laptops. LaCie claims that the drive is ideal for protecting your valuable data but it doesn’t look so, as there are three USB ports exposed to dust and dirt. Applause to Hitachi as it has designed its hard drive in a simple and in a smart way.

LaCie has reduced its size and it now weighs just 8.7 ounces. The hard drive doesn’t look good to eyes with checked pattern and orange colored exterior. It might have best the shows during its starting stage but there is no chance for now with the same color and design.

LaCie charges a premium considering the drive’s protective nature. It charges about 2 cents more than the Hitachi for each gigabyte. Hitachi however offers better drop safety features and the same three years warranty. If you take care of you device softly, you can benefit a lot more from cheaper devices like Samsung G2 Portable which is priced at just $89.

Performance:

LaCie Rugged eSATA performed better than its competitors in both USB 2.0 and eSATA connection. However considering this alone it is unfair that LaCie is pricing so much. If you are looking for a USB 2.0 hard drive, you can go with other hard drives like Samsung S2 Portable, Hitachi SimpleTough, Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile and Samsung G2 Portable which are having almost the same USB read and write speeds.

Service and Support:

LaCie backs up the hard drive with 3 years warranty and this is the same offered by Hitachi. LaCie also includes Web based resource for free, technical support and repair and replacement coverage worldwide. LaCie also offers an Advanced Care option which lets you swap out the defective product without returning back to the company. However the plan doesn’t mean that it extends the warranty period.