The LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive provides 500GB of space for storing your data. In addition, the drive, as its name suggests, has a hard-boiled design that can stand up to the hazards of daily living. In fact, this drive can take a fall from up to 47.2" (non-operating mode) without harm to the drive or your information. The Rugged Mini is also pressure-resistant and rain-resistant as well. However, the familiar orange trim probably already told you that.
Being tough is one thing, but the Rugged Mini is also a true performer. The drive features a USB 3.0 interface - which is also USB 2.0 compliant - and a transfer rate of up to 5GB/s. When it comes to RPMs, the drive functions at 5400 rotations per minute. Beyond speed, the Rugged Mini has security on its agenda. The LaCie Private-Public software that comes built-into the drive ensures that you can keep private files private with the help of a password protected section of the drive. Additional features like Automatic Backup and 10GB of free storage on Wuala's Online Storage also give you peace-of-mind when it comes to your data.
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 500GB |
| Interface | USB 3.0USB 2.0 compatible |
| Interface / Transfer Rate (Max) | USB 3.0: Up to 5GB/sUSB 2.0: Up to 480Mbps |
| Disk Speed (RPM) | 5400 |
| System Requirements |
Computer with a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 portHigh-speed Internet for online storage Latest version of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 / Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6Minimum free disk space: 600MB recommendedFor USB 3.0 Mac compatibility: Mac Pro with LaCie USB 3.0 PCI Express Card (requires available PCI Express slot)MacBook Pro with LaCie USB 3.0 ExpressCard/34 (requires available ExpressCard/34 slot) |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 3.4 x 5.3 x 0.75" / 86 x 135 x 19mm |
| Weight | 8.5 oz / 240 g |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Most Liked Positive Review
The perfect mobile brain...
I'm a professional photographer from Ontario, Canada. I use this drive as a mobile backup for my original files before turning them into live work and editing them. The LaCie Rugged Mini is a...Read complete review
I'm a professional photographer from Ontario, Canada. I use this drive as a mobile backup for my original files before turning them into live work and editing them. The LaCie Rugged Mini is a reliable, great way to achieve that.
Bus Powered, and utilizing USB 3.0 on the drive side, its a fast, easy and "rugged" way to transport large amounts of files. Definitely a worthwhile buy for these reasons alone.
I had some difficulty with the compatibility of their setup assistant on my Macbook Pro. I found the customer support utility to be easy, but a little tedious to use. I would prefer to have a number to call, or have the compatibility issue resolved altogether, however LaCie was very quick to get my problem solved in a very easy, interactive way.
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Most Liked Negative Review
good hard drive but NOT FOR A MAC!
You cant get it to work on a mac except for 10% of it if you partition it! CANT use for windows and mac! BEWARE MAC USERS!
You cant get it to work on a mac except for 10% of it if you partition it! CANT use for windows and mac! BEWARE MAC USERS!
Reviewed by 15 customers
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
It's small and portable, extremely durable, pretty good price. Maybe a bit much bloatware (is it considered bloatware?) on it already- I mean, I don't need any software on my external hard drives. But no complaints.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I use this product only for photos and holding all of my LR catalogs and it works Brilliantly so far.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
Received this product last month and before I had the opportunity to install it, it took a dive down a concrete and steel staircase at my college. Needless to say standing there looking down on a brand new hard drive and just wondering if it was going to live up to its name. It really bounced on the five concrete stair trends until it hit the landing below me.
Needless to say it worked like a charm, plugged it in and it was an effortless installation. I am using it for both platforms and have finally got a handle on keep all my photos and data backup.
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I'm a professional photographer from Ontario, Canada. I use this drive as a mobile backup for my original files before turning them into live work and editing them. The LaCie Rugged Mini is a reliable, great way to achieve that.
Bus Powered, and utilizing USB 3.0 on the drive side, its a fast, easy and "rugged" way to transport large amounts of files. Definitely a worthwhile buy for these reasons alone.
I had some difficulty with the compatibility of their setup assistant on my Macbook Pro. I found the customer support utility to be easy, but a little tedious to use. I would prefer to have a number to call, or have the compatibility issue resolved altogether, however LaCie was very quick to get my problem solved in a very easy, interactive way.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
Good quality! Easy to install. Files are transfered quickly with USB 3.
Shipping was fast and product was has expected!
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
Have used as a backup and flash drive to carry around with me. It has been easy to use so far. Only pain was that the setup software did not work for my generation of Macbook so I had to do it myself. It has been reliable to this point.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
You cant get it to work on a mac except for 10% of it if you partition it! CANT use for windows and mac! BEWARE MAC USERS!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I purchased this hard drive to edit a project on Final Cut Pro. Seems to work great keeps up with playback and rendering decently. I sometimes switch back and forth from my desktop to my laptop. When I use this hard drive on the laptop I have to plug in a usb power cord to add power to my Lacie usb 3.0 expresscard34 so that it will give enough bus power to the hard drive. That's probably the only inconvenience I notice.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I use this drive to offload P2 media in the field. As with my other Rugged Minis it is durable and compact. I was hoping that the USB 3.0 would work with my Sonnet USB 3.0 expansion card but I couldn't get the drive to mount via USB 3.0. Works great with USB 2.0 though.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I was looking for a reliable portable drive and chose Rugged-Mini. The device is very sturdy. Data encryption and password protection offer extra security. Setup is easy. The drive works well with large files and demanding tasks. Disk capacity is enough for storing all my photos and videos. An excellent device, highly recommended!
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
Great for any kind of on-the-go data storage. Very fast, very durable. Lowest price around!
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I've been using Lacie hard drives for awhile and have been happy with their products. I bought this drive to back up video. So far so good.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
very easy to use for regular backups
compact and tough
Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
Easy to use, small and compact, we'll see if it can stand up to me. The cord is overly long, the end of the cord that plugs into the drive is a bit awkward to get in and doesn't stay well, would be nice if there was a cover for the drive to cord port so than nothing could get in there - big weak spot.
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Comments about LaCie Rugged Mini Portable Hard Drive (500GB):
I work with loads of files. Of course I regularly do backups as losing a document can be a real nightmare. That's what I bought this portable hard drive for. It's very fast and has lots of storage space. Anti-shock protection makes the drive very reliable. The backup software is very useful. The drive works flawlessly.
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