TIGARD, OR — LaCie (www.lacie.com) offers an affordable, Thunderbolt-equipped desktop/portable storage solution in its d2 USB 3.0. The release is part of the company's Thunderbolt Series of offerings, but also includes a USB 3.0 port, in addition to Thunderbolt connectivity.
LaCie offers dense 3TB ($299.99), 4TB ($399.99), and 5TB ($449.99) capacities. The unit features a fan-free aluminum heat sink design, which helps keep it quiet. The d2 makes use of a 7,200rpm drive and offers transfer speeds of up to 215MB/s using Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 with the 5TB unit. That's more than four times as fast as USB 2.0 and twice as fast as FireWire 800. Thunderbolt and USB cables are included. Hardware is also included for vertical or horizontal operation.
The d2 comes with a three-year warranty.