What's the difference between this mini and the thunderbolt?

If I understand the question, the only difference between the two drives is that the one you are referencing has a USB 3.0 port, and the other has a Thunderbolt port. The drives themselves are identical. If you have a computer with a USB port, of any generation, the drive with the USB 3.0 port will work well with it. The drive is fastest when it's plugged into a USB 3.0 port, but is backwards compatible with a USB 2.0 port. The drive with the Thunderbolt port will work only with a computer that also has a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt is faster than USB, but is not yet in really wide use. Step one: Determine which ports your computer has. The LaCie drive itself is a gem, regardless of which port it uses. (P.S. Some drives have BOTH USB and Thunderbolt connectivity.)

Is this a solid-state (flash storage) drive?

I searched Amazon for a LaCie solid state (SSD) external portable drive and was brought to this page. Most of the reviews don't mention SSD and it appears that all the reviews for the several different models of this LaCie external drive are combined together. So, 4 people said no, this is not about drives with SSD, and then one person said yes. Far more people are not going to have an SSD model because it's WAY more expensive. Most people will prefer to get one that is in the $150-$250 price range at most. The ones with SSD cost a lot more than that. And worth it too if you have the money because they are so fast, no comparison. If i scroll up from this Question section, this is what is at the top of the auction page but again these same questions and reviews will show up no matter which model you search for, with a different name at the top: LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 SSD 1TB Portable Hard Drive LAC9000602

can i have a new macbook pro. can i get either the thunderbolt usb-c or the usb-c?

A USB-C hard drive is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 ports on a Mac, so this will work. Also works of course with USB-C ports, and older USB 3.0 ports using supplied cable.

How does usbc differ from the thunderbolt usb-c option? i see thunderbolt usbc is more expensive

USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 share the same physical connection type (USB-C). USB-C devices can be connected to Thunderbolt 3 ports, as TB3 supports USB-C devices. However, TB3 drives cannot be connected to USB-C ports on computer. So, this USB-C drive will connect to USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, or using included cable, USB 3.0/2.0 ports.

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Description

🚀 Rugged speed meets unstoppable creativity

MASSIVE 1 TB CAPACITY - Carry a terabyte of your essential files, projects, and creative assets in a sleek, ultra-portable design.
BLAZING FAST TRANSFERS - Experience lightning-speed USB 3.0 connectivity with up to 130MB/s transfer rates—cut your wait time and boost productivity.
BONUS CREATIVE CLOUD ACCESS - Unlock your creative potential with a complimentary 1-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan—edit, design, and innovate on the go.
RUGGED ALL TERRAIN DURABILITY - Built to survive drops up to 4 feet, crushes, dust, and rain—your data stays safe wherever your hustle takes you.
SEAMLESS CROSS PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY - Works effortlessly with Windows and Mac (reformatting required for Mac), ensuring smooth workflow integration.

The LaCie USB 3.0 1TB Rugged Mini Hard Drive combines ultra-portable 1TB storage with shock, dust, and water resistance, ensuring your data stays protected in any environment. Featuring USB 3.0 for transfer speeds up to 130MB/s and compatibility with both PC and Mac (reformatting required), it’s designed for professionals on the move. Plus, it includes a 1-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan membership to elevate your creative projects instantly.

Specifications

Hard Drive	1 TB External
Brand	LaCie
Series	LaCie Rugged Mini
Item model number	LAC301558
Hardware Platform	PC;Mac
Operating System	Latest version of Windows® 7 or later / Mac OS® X 10.5 or later (LaCie Private-Public software requires Mac Intel® processor)
Item Weight	9.9 ounces
Product Dimensions	5.32 x 3.4 x 1.02 inches
Item Dimensions LxWxH	5.32 x 3.4 x 1.02 inches
Computer Memory Type	72-Pin EDO SIMM Memory
Flash Memory Size	1
Hard Drive Interface	USB 2.0/3.0
Hard Drive Rotational Speed	5400 RPM
Manufacturer	Seagate
Language	English
ASIN	B0058VIWTM
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Date First Available	July 16, 2011

Reviews

A**.

Solid product all-around

It is a good product, lightweight, with no issues, and easy to set up. Would recommend.

7.09.2025

D**F

A great little external drive for backing up the laptop; small but mighty.

this was recommended to me by a friend who retired from a career in computer science. It is fantastic. very easy to use, I didn't need to go through the whole process and registration. Just plug and go; the directions for setting up various plans for back up are right on the screen and I've put the icon on the task bar. It has more than enough capacity for the typical computer user and has backed up my whole laptop. I have it on continous back up. Am very pleased with this.

9.08.2025

J**E

Reliable, Tough, and Fast – My Go-To Portable Drive

This is my third LaCie Rugged, and it continues to impress. I use it primarily for backing up video footage and large photo libraries, and the transfer speeds over USB 3.0 are consistently fast and stable. What really sets this drive apart is the build—it's survived multiple trips in my backpack, a couple drops, and even a coffee spill (not kidding). The orange bumper might not be subtle, but it's instantly recognizable and protective. Whether you're a creative professional or just want reliable storage on the go, this drive delivers both performance and peace of mind. Worth every penny.

21.07.2025

B**F

Sturdy with a lot of storage

It’s rigged and has a ton of storage. I use this all the time and have yet to have a glitch. High quality.

31.08.2025

L**Q

Worth the cost

This item is durable and easy to use. It comes with different storage capacities and I have a 1TB and a 4TB which I use for home and office work respectively.The model I purchased works quickly with regard to downloading items to the drive.It has the ability to set up folders/partitions which makes it better at keeping files organized.

12.08.2025

M**A

Compact and Reliable Portable Hard Drive

This portable hard drive is exactly what I needed. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and transfers files quickly without any issues. Perfect for backing up my important data on the go.

6.09.2025

B**G

It’s amazing that this has such great storage for such a small device. I love it.!!

I purchased this Lacie 2 TB SSD external hard drive to back up my Apple computer using Time Machine! It was so fast and so easy to create the back up I’m thrilled with that. I wish there was an 8 TB SSD hard drive just like it —they’re hard to find!

2.09.2025

K**R

not reliable for me on Mac machines; REVISING MY REVIEW

I regret that my two year experience with this drive using Mac machines is not positive. I have not found it to be reliable. To recover files on the drive now...again...I must fire up an antique Chromebook, which sees my files so I can back them up elsewhere. It worries me and I'm not messing with this drive further.--Same issues on newer UnionSine drive. Drives mount one time but not the next...Disk Utility hangs trying to find it...workaround is to mount the drive on my ancient Chromebook...which sees the drives and files fine...then retry on Mac...usually this works but it is really weird...I see now it has to do with how I formatted these drives as exFAT as advised...both my Macs randomly spit it out and say yuck...nerve wracking as these are important back up drives...honestly WTH why are we still having drive compatibility crap like this? So apologies LaCie it does not seem to be your fault...

20.07.2025

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