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There’s virtually nothing in the marketplace fairly just like the LaCie Boss SSD, which makes it irritating to categorise and evaluation. This do-it-all drive is so versatile it has numerous functions from skilled photographers, to drone fanatics, to anybody who takes their storage on the go. On the similar time, for anybody who sits outdoors these verticals, the Boss SSD is way too costly to think about as a viable possibility.

The easiest way to speak about it, is to point out you what it could do, and the way it does it. Let’s stroll via all the assorted options of the drive together with methods to again up your pictures and movies to the interior SSD, methods to use it as a hub to your Mac or iOS gadget, and methods to use it as a battery pack to your cellphone or digital camera.

It is loads for one gadget to aspire to do. As we evaluated the Boss SSD, we puzzled if this was a case of reaching for too many issues somewhat than doing one or two issues very properly. However, with time, we found out who the distinctive mixture is for, who will profit from its energy — and who ought to keep away.

Boss SSD design

The Boss SSD is similar to the opposite LaCie Rugged Drives within the product line. LaCie proudly touts its design by Neil Poulton with a vivid orange exterior and the matte anodized aluminum physique within the middle. That lifejacket-esque shell protects it from falls which is essential for a portable-first gadget.

We have owned a dozen LaCie Rugged Drives through the years, at all times including to our arsenal and transferring from a USB exhausting drive, to a Thunderbolt 3 exhausting drive, to USB-C SSDs. We have at all times liked them, however none have been as versatile as this.

The drive begins to distinguish itself while you take away the protecting cowl alongside one facet. Hidden behind is lives an array of ports, some we do not typically see on moveable storage. It begins with a small barrel connector used as an influence enter, then a USB-A port, a standing gentle, a USB-C port, an SD card reader, and at last, a micro USB port.

That final port on the record is exclusive because it connects to the blocky facet of the included connection cables. Within the field are three USB cables with a block-like micro USB connector that matches instantly into that port. LaCie features a micro USB, a USB-C, and a Lightning model of that micro USB cable within the field. That is the primary time ostensibly seen a micro USB to micro USB cable or a micro USB to Lightning.

There are a number of ports right here, so let’s break down precisely how every is for use.

• The barrel connector: That is the ability enter. Use the included energy brick to cost the drive.
• USB-A port: You need to use this port to attach any peripherals. Plug in your drone, a thumb drive, one other exhausting drive, a digital camera, or a distinct card reader
• USB-C port: Use this port to attach the drive to your Mac or PC
• Micro USB: That is the place you join one of many three included cables to attach your Boss SSD

If you join one of many three particular cables, it’s designed to wrap across the drive completely. That means, a cable is at all times with you as you’re taking the drive on the go. The quilt is well-designed in its personal proper, with exact recessions inside that may permit room for the wrapped cable or an SD card to stay inserted.

Whereas the aluminum sides look strong, the highest one can be in a position to double as a show. It might probably share pertinent data equivalent to how a lot capability is out there, how far alongside you might be in your switch, and the way a lot battery life is remaining. A superfluous groove denotes the solo hidden-button used to substantiate instructions, equivalent to starting an import.

Boss SSD – Backup and storage

That is an SSD, in any case, which makes storage the first perform. It’s out there in just one capability, 1TB, which must be lots for many every day storage however could also be devoured by giant media. Professionals could find yourself offloading media right here with some regularity to long-term storage in the event that they preserve bumping up towards that restrict.

As an SSD, somewhat than an HDD just like the previous DJI Copilot, it will get first rate efficiency when transferring recordsdata. In case you are going over USB-C to your Mac, LaCie says you’ll be able to anticipate as much as 430MB/s. In our checks utilizing the Blackmagic Disk Velocity Check, we noticed speeds of 405MB/s write and 421MB/s learn. That was with the drive formatted to APFS.

The drive comes formatted in ExFAT for common compatibility, however APFS is an Apple format designed to be used with SSDs and has velocity advantages for plenty of small recordsdata. That is exactly what we plan to make use of the Boss SSD for.

It may be used as a normal SSD, exhibiting up in Finder and permitting you to switch recordsdata to the Boss or from it. On this most elementary use case, it really works simply tremendous, although it is not the smallest or quickest SSD. Its worth comes from its different expertise.

A photographer’s dream

For photographers, there’s a lot performance to speak via— from backing up units to managing pictures and even cloning a drive.

Once more beginning with probably the most primary, in the event you plug in your digital camera, drone, or card reader, it will provide you with the choice on the display screen to import all photographs from that gadget. Equally, the built-in SD card reader will do the identical.

LaCie features a MicroSD to SD card adapter within the field simply on the off probability you do not have an adapter of your personal because it solely has an SD reader, not a MicroSD reader. The adapter may also be saved within the drive for while you want it.

As soon as your media is linked, the Boss SSD will detect it and ask you on the display screen if you wish to copy its contents. Brief press for sure, lengthy press for no. Assuming you hit “sure,” a hoop will go across the display screen to signify your switch’s progress.

Each time you join that media going ahead, Boss SSD will solely copy the following recordsdata. You possibly can flip off the incremental copy and as a substitute copy the complete gadget every time inside settings.

After you have recordsdata on the Boss SSD, you’ll be able to clone the SSD to a tertiary gadget. This may be helpful if the Boss SSD is getting tight on house or favor to have a number of backup copies of your media. Join one other storage gadget with larger than 1TB to the Boss SSD and designate it as a clone drive via the Boss app. As soon as set, clones can occur with out the app by confirming with the bodily button.

Together with your media on the drive, you’ve a backup copy, and also you’re free to delete them off your digital camera’s reminiscence, and you may join the drive to your Mac, PC, iPhone, or iPad to handle your recordsdata.

Utilizing the LaCie Boss SSD app

Talking of managing the gadget in your iPhone or iPad, this will all be finished within the aforementioned LaCie Boss app. This free native app is basically a full file supervisor purpose-built for photographs.

Upon first connecting the gadget to your iPhone or iPad, iOS will robotically detect it and take you to the app on the App Retailer to obtain. We need to spotlight how spectacular the app icon is. It’s a miniaturized model of the gadget itself, and it’s each cool and lovely.

The app optionally makes use of your basic location to mark the place your inputs had been finished, which could be very helpful to trace the place pictures had been taken and saved. This may be disabled, however we favor it enabled for our pictures.

From the app, you’ll be able to view your Boss SSD, its contents, its battery life, how a lot storage is remaining, in addition to a wealth of settings. The settings will let you carry out firmware updates, handle SSD clones, arrange your desire for media imports, handle when the drive goes to sleep, and arrange your proof sheets.

Shopping recordsdata is as simple as it’s with any file administration app. You possibly can navigate via folders, open photographs, copy, rename, duplicate, and another file-relevant activity. In fact, you’ll be able to share photos (or different media) by way of the Share Sheet to another app you utilize.

From the Boss app, you’ll be able to entry your cellphone’s recordsdata too. There are two classes for pictures — populated from the Photographs app — and your saved recordsdata that you have saved explicitly to your cellphone.

LaCie integrates with Apple’s Information app as properly, so you’ll be able to view the Boss SSD instantly from Information and transfer recordsdata between another linked app or storage.

Proof sheets are simple to create within the app, which is a singular photographer-specific characteristic. You possibly can select the structure, pic the pictures, optionally overlay the picture title for readability, watermark the entire thing and export it for shoppers.

LaCie Boss SSD – Different makes use of

If that wasn’t sufficient, there are a couple of ancillary makes use of to the Boss SSD.

If you are out and about, the SSD can be utilized as a battery pack to your units. Your iPhone, digital camera, or different cell units can get a fast increase to make it via the day and is only one extra gadget you’ll be able to go away at residence.

It is packing a 5300mAh capability battery which ought to yield a bit a couple of full cost for an iPhone 12 Professional.

One other nice use is the power to make use of the Boss SSD as a USB hub. Join it to your laptop or iPad and have entry to the cardboard reader or one other linked drive.

Must you put money into the LaCie Boss SSD?

Our largest gripe with the Boss SSD is that with so many ports and so many functions, the complete bundle could be a bit complicated — which port, which cable, what recordsdata did you switch, which gadget is copying to which? We additionally do not love the charger that was included.

It appears some points may very well be solved if the entire thing was simply USB 3.2 Kind C of some taste or ideally Thunderbolt throughout somewhat than micro USB paired with a barrel connector, however that will result in much more confusion on what every port can do.

When you get previous the slight studying curve and combine the drive into your workflow is makes an enormous distinction. You at all times have a spare battery backup, your pictures are at all times protected, and it’s simple to edit and handle your recordsdata on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

When you’re an informal person searching for a rugged and moveable SSD, many options in the marketplace match the invoice at a decrease price — and we won’t advocate this Boss in any respect for this market based mostly on what it supplies for the value. For that market, the Boss is at finest a 2.5 out of 5.

However, photographers or videographers who want rugged mass information storage with built-in seize and administration whereas out of the workplace are the Boss SSD’s goal market. For these of us, we give it a score of 4.5 out of 5 for that market.

Professionals

• Glorious design that’s rugged and dependable
• Good SSD and capability
• A number of cables and adapters inlcuded within the field together with USB-C and Lightning
• Strong app for iPhone and iPad that even contains Information integration
• Simple to make use of
• Extraordinarily versatile
• Nice for engaged on the go and defending information
• Can be utilized as backup battery

Cons

• Display screen will be exhausting to see in vivid gentle
• Must be charged, typically
• Far costly than plain SSD
• SATA SSD velocity, not NVMe

The place to purchase

You possibly can order the 1TB LaCie Boss SSD on Amazon for $449.