Storage and peripheral maker LaCie has upped the game for external desktop RAID devices with its new 2big USB 3.0, which the company claims is the first RAID storage device to offer USB 3.0 support. In theory, that means the array can theoretically manage data transfer speeds over 200 MB per second—which should make backups and transferring enormous files like video a snap.
“We are proud to announce the first RAID storage solution to fully leverage the performance of the USB 3.0 interface,” said LaCie professional desktop solutions product manager Clement Barberis, in a statement. “Developed for users that require sizable data flow, such as print professionals, recording engineers, and video producers, the 2big USB 3.0 allows them to take advantage of high capacities while delivering industry-leading transfer speeds.”
The 2big external device comes with two hot-swappable hard drives: each can be 1 or 2 TB drives, giving the 2big total storage configurations of 2 or 4 TB. The 2big supports three RAID modes (Raid 0 for full capacity, Raid 1 for mirroring, and JBOD for mounting the devices separately for backups). The 2big also features a fanless design and customizable sleep and deep sleep modes to help with power management when the device is idle or not in use. Of course, the device is backward compatible with USB 2.0, but users will be limited to USB 2.0 speeds. The 2big is compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7 and Mac OS X 10.5 or newer, although no Macs currently ship with USB 3.0 ports.
The 2big USB 3.0 RAID is available now, with the 2 TB version going to $349.99 and the 4 TB version available for $579.99.
