LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB: 30-second overview
Specs
Capability: 2, 4TB
Switch charge – Learn: 6,700 MB/s
Switch charge – write: 5,300 MB/s
Dimensions – 17× 65 x 98 mm
Weight – 150g
Score – IP68
The LaCie Rugged drives have been the go-to for creatives for the previous 20 years and have typically led the sector with regards to adopting the newest applied sciences. Whereas the efficiency of the Rugged drives has lent itself to make use of by the artistic sector, particularly videographers, it is the design that has actually made them stand out. I exploit the older iteration of the Rugged drive, in its unmissable brilliant orange rubber shell, on most shoots—they provide massive capacities, they’re simple to find at nightfall in addition to within the backside of a bag as a result of contrasting color, and better of all they’re going to survive a knock or two.
Ranked as a few of the best rugged hard drives, the one situation I’ve had with them lately is that whereas the capacities have elevated—I stack up the 5TB variations to deal with 4K RAW video recordsdata—the speeds have not usually saved tempo with the newest SSDs, even the wonderful LaCie Rugged SSD. The present SSD model is USB 3.2 Gen 2 and solely provides 10Gbps, whereas now there is a true ultrafast choice with this Pro5 and its native Thunderbolt 5.
Eradicating the Rugged SSD Pro5 from the field, and just like the Rugged SSD, it takes the small kind issue that has been made potential by the brand new storage expertise, though this time it is blue fairly than orange.
Aesthetics and design apart, I most popular the orange to be used out on website, and whereas the blue seems nice and aligns with the unique LaCie model colors, I am not so eager—I am going to go into why within the efficiency part, together with the IP68 certification, which I’ve to say is a good improve.
In use, the efficiency of the drive immediately impressed, and whereas I wasn’t in a position to check the total Thunderbolt 5 pace, the switch charges nonetheless surpassed most different drives I’ve examined.
The selection of Thunderbolt 5 has vast backward compatibility and can work with USB Kind-C and Thunderbolt ports, in every case enabling the speeds that you simply want to be used as a scratch disc for video modifying and, due to this fact, the rest.
Whereas I’ve reservations concerning the color selection, there is no doubting the construct high quality—it is a drive that can stand as much as way over most, together with being dropped into water or run over by a Ford Transit Customized. After which there’s the pace. The pace of the switch and the compact measurement make this an important selection for any artistic on the lookout for one of many best portable SSDs round; nevertheless, when you can see the affect of the long-lasting design, a bit extra of an evolution of the design would have been welcome.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB: Worth & availability

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 is broadly obtainable and might be bought from most photographic, video, and electronics retailers, together with Adorama, CVP, and B&H Photograph, in addition to straight from LaCie.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB: Design & construct

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 is the newest iteration of the long-lasting transportable laborious drive and one which has been the go-to for creatives for the previous 20 years. I’ve previous LaCie Rugged drives that I’ve used through the years and had chosen for 3 distinct traits.
Firstly, the pace and capability of the inner drives made them splendid for video and photographic work. Secondly, they’re robust, with that rubberised outer providing loads of safety. And eventually, the color made them simple to find when figuring out within the area. There isn’t any lacking a brilliant orange laborious drive once you pack up.
This newest iteration takes that design, if not the color, and, just like the small SSD model, downsizes the drive to 17 x 65 x 98 mm with a weight of 150 g, so it is extraordinarily small and lightweight. It retains a lot of the aesthetics, so there is no mistaking the make or mannequin of the drive from a look. The one factor is, as talked about, it is now blue fairly than the long-lasting orange.
The design of the drive is straightforward, with simply the one Thunderbolt 5 port on the facet, which, just like the SSD model, is positioned on the lengthy facet of the drive fairly than on the finish.
The replace to Thunderbolt 5 is welcome, because the SSD model for Mac compatibility remained at USB 3.2 Gen 2, which restricted speeds to 10Gbps. Whereas quick, that is beginning to be challenged by the newest 4K and 8K video file codecs. This new model will deal with these massive video information recordsdata with out situation.
The opposite main level concerning the construct, except for the top quality, is the truth that this drive is now IP68, up from IP67 on the earlier model. This basically means that you could drop it into water as much as 1.5 m in depth, and it’ll survive for as much as half-hour. It is a large improve over the SSD model, which you possibly can solely submerge briefly. It can additionally stand up to 3m drops and as much as two tonnes of stress, once more reinforcing the construct high quality and its suitability to be a go-to for creatives.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB: Options

In the case of the options, the small SSD retains issues easy, with the headline being the ultra-fast switch charges offered by the Thunderbolt connection. This connection kind, when linked to a machine that helps Thunderbolt 5, will obtain learn speeds of as much as 6,700 MB/s and write speeds of as much as 5,300 MB/s with a 50GB cache. To realize these speeds, you may want one of many newest Apple Mac machines, and at current, the provision of Thunderbolt 5 on PCs is nearly non-existent.
This makes it a super choice for videography as a scratch disc, which means that after the cache, the efficiency will nonetheless allow as much as 5,000 MB/s learn and 1,800 MB/s write. The truth that it is obtainable in each 2TB and 4TB variations additionally provides you loads of flexibility and finances decisions, and contemplating the capability and pace, it is really not that costly.
At current, it is solely the newest Mac computer systems that supply the total Thunderbolt 5 speeds, making it a super accomplice for anybody needing to edit 6K and 8K video. Whereas these speeds are good to have, outdoors of video modifying, these switch charges will likely be far in extra of the wants of most customers.
One of many options that actually pursuits me is the IP68 ranking and resistance to water, mud, drops of as much as 3 m, and 2-tonne stress. Whereas I by no means intend to drop a tough drive right into a puddle, run over it in a automobile, or drop it from a peak, these are all potential outcomes once you work within the area—so figuring out that it could possibly take this abuse in its stride is reassuring.
One different level concerning the construct is that the Rugged SSD Pro5 is constructed with at the least 45% recycled supplies, giving the drive a small environmental tick with regards to sustainability.
As with all LaCie drives, the brand new Rugged Pro5 comes with a 5-year restricted guarantee, Rescue Knowledge Restoration Providers, and Toolkit backup software program, all of which I’ve discovered very helpful previously, particularly the information restoration.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB: Efficiency

Benchmarks
These assessments had been carried out on a MacBook Professional M1 Max with Thunderbolt 4
Blackmagic Disk Velocity Take a look at learn: 3518.7MB/s
Blackmagic Disk Velocity Take a look at write: 2968.1MB/s
AmorphousDiskMark Learn: 3451.97MB/s
AmorphousDiskMark Write: 1795.47MB/s
AJA System Take a look at Lite Learn: 3024MB/s
AJA System Take a look at Lite Write: 2015MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Learn: 3280MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Write: 2830MB/s
Opening the field, the small drive may be very paying homage to the SSD model, the primary distinction being that the brand new drive is blue fairly than orange. The distinction in color is a pleasant contact, though I do want they’d additionally launched an orange model. The orange is way over an aesthetic selection—for a similar purpose that the insides of digital camera baggage are sometimes brilliant yellow, purple, or gray, these colors are chosen to create distinction with package so you’ll find issues when Gentle is low.
Nonetheless, in opposition to the within of the Vanguard and Manfrotto baggage, the brand new blue drive contrasts effectively, though, at this measurement, it is now higher observe to pop the drive into one of many small zipped interior pockets fairly than leaving it free contained in the bag. I might even have appreciated to see a lanyard loop for a drive of this measurement simply to safe it, as that is now a standard function elsewhere with drives of this sort.
One other function, and a difficulty that’s common with the brand new wave of robust drives, is that there is nowhere to stay a label. The rubber outer pores and skin of this and different drives simply would not permit labels to stick with ease, and once you’re coping with a stack of those, some indicator is at all times helpful. If LaCie included a 3M sticker or comparable for that high part, it could undoubtedly be welcome, and a flush fairly than raised brand on this floor would allow the label to put flat fairly than have a bump within the center. On the again, nevertheless, there’s a good flat part with the information label, making it an ideal floor to connect Velcro to safe it to the again of a laptop computer or different gadget.
The brand new smaller measurement of the drive, made potential by the small kind issue of SSD expertise, undoubtedly makes this an enormous improve in efficiency and value over the earlier technology.
In the case of efficiency, there may be little to fault. Used as a scratch disk for Adobe Premiere Professional and Last Lower Professional X, the drive works seamlessly and on the similar tempo as the inner MacBook Professional M1 Max SSD when below load. Any worries about thermal throttling efficiency when modifying RAW Gentle had been rapidly dismissed, and a 15-minute edit utilizing 4K and a few 8K footage from the Canon EOS R5 C confirmed the drive’s potential, with the constraints coming from the MacBook Professional fairly than the drive itself.
Because the outcomes from the benchmarking check spotlight, the pace and talent of this drive as an exterior entity is among the quickest obtainable and the primary to utilise the Thunderbolt 5 interface.
Must you purchase the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 4TB?
As an all-around transportable SSD, its small measurement and number of capability choices make this a discreet and straightforward selection. The minimal measurement and weight will attraction broadly, because it takes up little or no room within the pocket of a jacket or bag, making it a super accomplice for imaging professionals.
The cable’s weight influences its place on a desktop, however with a bit Velcro, this drive might be completely connected to the again of a monitor. This function is especially useful for these on the transfer, working in varied areas like trains, espresso outlets, or hotdesking round an workplace, because it ensures the protection of the driving force’s connection throughout motion.
Though small pen drives with massive capability choices can be found, this devoted drive provides sustained efficiency, making it a super selection for actions that require quick switch speeds and dependable entry to information. It’s notably suited to these within the video sector who demand dependable file entry and want storage that’s protected, safe, and light-weight sufficient to be simply transported in a busy atmosphere with out extreme concern about cables disconnecting.
iPhone 15 Professional and Max customers can even profit from the connection to larger storage when taking pictures video within the Apple ProRes format. It is a very good, barely distinctive function. There’s the difficulty of easy methods to connect the drive comfortably, however finally, it pushes the operate and options of the iPhone 15 Professional even additional. In actual phrases, the video that you could retailer on an iPhone with round 70GB of storage goes from 18 minutes to 1,183 minutes with the 2TB drive connected.
General, contemplating the capability, measurement, and pace, that is an impressive SSD that can swimsuit many makes use of however will discover specific attraction with photographers and videographers.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| Worth | Utilising the newest connection expertise, this drive is not low cost, however all issues thought-about, it is nonetheless nice worth | 4.5 |
| Design | It follows the long-lasting design, and whereas rugged, there are a number of design tweaks that might make it excellent | 4 |
| Efficiency | Compact, quick, and one of many solely transportable SSDs that is in a position to sustain with 8K video modifying | 5 |
| Complete | An ideal selection for artistic professionals figuring out within the area, with unmatched pace | 4.5 |

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