On Tuesday LaCie said that its best-selling hard drive, the d2, now features USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity. The external drive is offered in two capacities, 3 TB for $299 and 4 TB for $399, and features transfer speeds up to 180 MB/s, twice that of FireWire and nearly four times faster than USB 2.0.
According to the spec sheet, the LaCie d2 consists of a 7200RPM HDD with 32 MB or greater cache. Additional features include AES 256-bit software encryption, system monitoring and email alerts for temperature events, Kensington lock compatibility and cable management. The external drive also utilizes silent cooling via an aluminum enclosure with a heat sink design designed by Neil Poulton, providing 60-percent better fanless cooling.
"Since effective cooling is a critical factor in hard disk reliability, the LaCie d2 features a solid aluminum casing that provides 60-percent more surface area than flat designs, which diverts and dissipates heat more efficiently," the company said. "Its innovative design means it stays cool without requiring a fan, making it perfect for noise-sensitive creative environments."
On the software front, the new external drive comes packed with LaCie Desktop Manager which controls encryption, front LED behavior, shortcut button configuration, and email alerts. There's also Wuala Secure Cloud Storage, Genie Backup manager Pro for PC, Intego Backup Manager Pro for Mac, and LaCie Private-Public password protection for data security.
"The LaCie d2 has been trusted by creative professionals for almost a decade," said Erwan Girard, Business Unit Manager, LaCie. "We’ve leveraged industry leading technology and supercharged the LaCie d2, so our customers can stick with their favorite hard drive while improving efficiency."
To purchase the new USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt-ready LaCie d2 external hard drive, head here or pick one up at a LaCie Reseller starting at $299 USD.
