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LaCie d2 Quadra 301827U: Review

Posted to Hard Drives 2009-01-28

Review: LaCie d2 Quadra 301827U 1TB/ 7200 rpm/ eSATA 3Gbits/ FireWire 800/ FireWire 400/ Hi-Speed USB 2.0

If you find yourself quickly running out of space on what you once thought was a never ending pit of storage capacity, and you are looking to add more, then you may want to check out the LaCie d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB 301827U. Whether you are a PC or Mac user, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB is bound to fit a need you may not have known you had.

With a case designed by Neil Poulton, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB measures only 1.7 x 6.3 x 6.8 inches with a total weight of 52.91 ounces, which is not that much when you take into account the large amount of storage you have in such a small footprint. The d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB can hold up to 1,000,000 photos, 350,000 songs, or 70 hrs of DV video making it a great storage companion for all the multi-media files you can throw at it.

Rating:

4.6 out of 5

Features

With the large amount of storage that the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB offers, you would hope that it would come packaged with a wide range of connectivity options so you could quickly utilize all that the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB has to offer. LaCie delivers with three connectivity options. With eSATA, Firewire 400/800 and USB 2.0 the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB offers a variety of different connectivity options ranging from the fastest of up to 300 MB/ sec to the most portable.

The d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB also offers users three power management options. There is auto for energy efficiency, on for instant access or off for data protection, allowing the user to customize the hard drive to their specific needs.

The best feature is the EMC Retrospect Express Software that the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB comes bundled with. Once installed, the software offers several different backup options ranging from fast to scheduled backups of either a single file or your entire system. The software is also easy to use, making it great for those who are more concerned about protecting their prized photos then about how the backup actually works.

Performance

With a fanless design, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB performs quite well for what some may consider just another external hard drive. Some may think that the loss of a fan might cause the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB to turn into a mini space heater, but that is not the case. The case stays cool, no matter how long the hard drive is on for and is quiet as well.

The d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB also offers users the option to daisy, via Firewire, chain multiple hard drives together with one of two options. You can either choose Raid 1 for data protection and redundancy, or Raid 0 for speed.

The best part is that it can handle multiple tasks at once, which is just what you would expect from your hard drive. Feel free to edit videos or photos to your hearts content, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB can keep up.

Summary

In conclusion, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB makes a great companion to the multi-media hog in all of us. Whether it be storing music, videos or utilizing it as an expansion to your DVR, the d2 Quadra Hard Disk 1TB provides a wealth of storage that will not be consumed overnight.

Pros

Quiet
1,000,000 photos, 350,000 songs, or 70 hrs of DV
eSATA, Firewire 400/800 and USB 2.0 connectivity
EMC Retrospect Express Software
Raid 1 or Raid 0 daisy chain capable

Cons

There are no cons for this product