Review: LaCie 1 TB d2 Quadra Hard Drive

[I wrote this review, with additional revisions here, for a major electronics purveyor's Web site.]

“No problems so far,” written 3/26/2010

Pros:
Easy to setup, High capacity, Easy to use
Best uses:
Backup, Additional storage
Describe yourself:
Casual user
Primary use:
Personal

I know starting my review with the headline “no problems so far” doesn’t convey much confidence. But before I bought the d2 Quadra, I did a lot of research into an external hard drive for my ancient PowerBook, and it seemed like for every review I found praising a hard drive, another was posted in which the consumer complained the drive failed out of the box.

In the end I went with the d2 Quadra primarily because I felt it was the best VALUE. I thought the Western Digital and Seagate external hard drives were more aesthetically pleasing. But I didn’t like the idea of having to use the WD software (necessary, I believe, if one wants to take advantage of the drive’s energy saver option). And I didn’t like that the Seagate drive had only one orientation, according to a reviewer who wrote that the drive’s base doesn’t allow it to fully rest on its side.

The d2 Quadra was several dollars cheaper than the WD and Seagate drives I looked at. I consider LaCie a pretty reliable brand. I have another external LaCie drive, a small, portable model that’s a few years old now that I still use . And I liked the d2 Quadra’s PORTABILITY, or FUNCTIONALITY, with its four interface options (eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0). I expect this hard drive will be around when my computer meets its demise, so COMPATIBILITY with future computers I might get was a must.

The d2 Quadra is UGLY, however. The weight and noise, which other reviewers have mentioned, haven’t bothered me, however. I keep it upright and plugged in on my desk. I was easily able to create three partitions on it. Every few days I turn on the d2 Quadra, connect my laptop via FireWire 400, and do a Time Machine backup as well as a Clone update with SuperDuper!

Which reminds me of another great feature of this hard drive: its SIZE. I can’t comment on how much of the advertised space is actually accessible to me because I’m nowhere near reaching the limit. With 1 TB at my disposal, I don’t have to worry about running out of disk space.

Incandescent vs. Compact Fluorescents

60w incandescent bulb.

Philips 14w Universal Marathon compact fluorescent bulb (40-50w equivalent).

Philips 16w A-shape compact fluorescent bulb (50-60w equivalent).

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) have gotten a boost from different quarters recently. I’ve noticed, however, that many people still have reservations about the quality of the light given off by CFLs. My first CFL was from IKEA, and I found out, along with many other consumers, that its light was truly soul-sucking.

After reading a discussion on purchasing “non-killer” fluorescent lightbulbs, I felt prepared to give them another try. For one, I learned that the quality of a CFL differs from brand to brand. A CFL’s color rendering index (CRI) is also important. The higher a bulb’s CRI, the better its ability to render visible colors. (The sun has a CRI of 100.)

One brand people seemed to recommend consistently was Philips. So I got the Philips Universal Marathon ($9.50) and the Philips A-shape bulb ($10.50) (from online retailer EFI). Both bulbs boast “Alto” technology, meaning less mercury content and thus less hazardous waste when they are disposed of.

L-R: 60w incandescent, Philips 14w CFL, Philips 16w A-shape CFL.

I’m pleased so far with both bulbs, which I use in my bedroom. I took some pictures and have posted them here. Although it’s hard to tell by the pictures, I haven’t noticed a difference in the light given off by the CFLs. I highly recommend them. And the cost shouldn’t be a deterrent. They are pricey, but they should save one money in the long run.