LaCie refreshes connectivity options on Rugged eSATA portable HDD

LaCie's startlingly orange Rugged drive has been waltzing around and taking beatings for years now, but the company finally decided to give it an interface overhaul to deal with this phenomenon known only as "technological progress." The latest and greatest in the family is the Rugged eSATA, which maintains the iconic shape and color of the original, yet adds support for eSATA; reportedly, users can see transfer rates as high as 90MB/sec, and if you can only find a USB port, it'll also work with that when speed isn't a concern. It's up for order right now in a 500GB model, but you'll have to amicably part with $159.99 before calling it yours.

LaCie Rugged eSATA portable hard drive

[F C Posted Feb 12th 2010 8:14AM]

While you were at it LaCie, couldn't you have gone the USB 3.0 route?

[DAZA Posted Feb 12th 2010 8:31AM]

You still need a USB port to use eSATA, it draws power over USB and uses eSATA for data. My LG XD1 which you covered here http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/lg-reveals-xd1-family-of-portable-hard-drives/ also does the same using the JMicron controller.

Though I do resort to USB most of the time, eSATA is handy for when I'm doing large backups or copying really big files over a long period of time.

[Nitesh Posted Feb 12th 2010 8:41AM]

@DAZA My laptop has a e-SATA port integrated into one of its USB ports, would I still need a second USB port?

[Michael Scrip Posted Feb 12th 2010 2:27PM]

@Nitesh

You will still need to use a 2nd USB port for power.

They were slick and designed a combo eSATA/USB port to save space on the laptop... but it still uses a standard eSATA cable.. which only provides data.

[KosherTelephone Posted Feb 12th 2010 8:39AM]

I'm pleased I bought the firewire800 model. I'm surprised that they haven't made a 1TB version, or is that because you would need a power source for it?

[CrackedButter Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:17AM]

@KosherTelephone I think it is a price limitation rather than a technical one. A powered FW800 port is 15W, the highest from ANY transfer protocol. I've seen dual HD USB powered enclosures for a while now and still waiting for a FW version.

Also there can't be a 1 TB version until there is a single drive at the 2.5" size unless you RAID them.

[laxic Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:08AM]

funny this is just what I was waiting for!
now just gotta grab this and a usb 3.0 to esata adapter and im set!

[Prevacator Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:14AM]

160 dollars for 500GB external HDD that uses eSATA?

Shit son, I bought a 1TB Fantom Drive, that has an aluminum enclosure and eSATA for 100 dollars.

[DoctarPeppar Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:37AM]

Does this drive need the power adapteror can it get power from the USB bus? I would have liked to see USB 3.0 as well, USB 2.0 is so f'n slow.

[KosherTelephone Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:25AM]

@DoctarPeppar
It doesn't need a power adapter.