LaCie Big Disk

Enter the LaCie Big Disk -- with up to half a Terabyte of capacity this beastie will store enough pr0n to keep you satisfied for years to come.

One of the strongest emerging areas in the PC world is digital video, and we're not just talking about nudie Net flicks. Unfortunately most desktop machines simply don't have anywhere near enough storage capacity to keep up with the demanding storage needs of DV, especially for those in the professional DCC arena. Enter the LaCie Big Disk -- with up to half a Terabyte of capacity this beastie will store enough pr0n to keep you satisfied for years to come.

Thanks to the wonders of FireWire this device is hot swappable and doesn't require any drivers when used under Windows XP or Mac OS X. This speedy interface allows data to be transferred to and from the device at a sustained throughput of between 30MB to 40MB per second. Unfortunately USB 2.0 support is absent, which would have been a nice option considering the vast number of motherboards that now support this interface.

The Big Disk is available in one of two configurations: a 400GB version which uses 7,200rpm Maxtor drives with 8MB of cache, suitable for those who demand the ultimate in performance, and a slightly larger 500GB version using 5,400rpm Maxtor drives and 2MB of cache. If 400GB+ of storage space still doesn't satisfy your storage requirements, up to 63 Big Disks can be chained to provide even more capacity, which can then be set up in RAID1 (Mirroring) or RAID2 (Striping) configurations.

If you're looking for a rack mounted storage device, the Big Disk will squeeze into a 19in rack thanks to its 5.25in form factor, and the use of an external power supply unit helps to keep temperatures nice and low without the need for an internal cooling fan. The device uses a very sturdy Aluminium/ZAMAC alloy, which helps to dissipate heat as well as give the Big Disk a rugged construction that you'll feel confident moving around. This alloy shell also looks shtonkingly sexy, which can be an important factor for designers and/or Mac users.

At approximately $4 per gigabyte, the Big Disk is only slightly more expensive than a stack of standard IDE drives, and is infinitely more convenient. Highly recommended for users with a need for wads of storage space, although USB 2.0 support would have been desirable.