LaCie Mobile Drive Secure Review: A Beautiful Way to Backup Your Data

LaCie Mobile Drive Secure (2 TB version)

Design

Features

Value

Sustainability

Summary

LaCie Mobile Drive Secure password protects content, mirrors data, and provides integrated backup (Windows) and cross-platform compatibility. The drive offers functionality and stunning design with its Neil Poulton corrugated aluminum case.

4.5

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LaCie Mobile Drive Secure Review

The $99 LaCie Mobile Drive Secure (2 TB) is not intended to be part of a disk array that serves up data continuously throughout a day. It’s meant to be a backup or a way to move large files securely between machines. Video editors know that sometimes the cloud isn’t fast enough and that some clients don’t trust it. Big assets often still move on physical media.

And that is what the LaCie Mobile Drive Secure does: hold and move files. And it does so beautifully and responsibly. The artfully designed Neil Poulton corrugated aluminum case not only protects the drive it encloses, but it also protects the environment with its use of 25% recycled plastic and aluminum.

LaCie Mobile Drive Secure. 2 TB version front. Image: Seagate

The drive works with Windows and MacOS, as well as iPad. It requires Seagate’s Toolkit for the security feature, which locks data with a password. The Toolkit also manages file mirroring. Backup is managed by Toolkit for Windows or TimeMachine on macOS.

The Seagate Toolkit was a quick install on Windows and MacOS. I left the drive formatted as exFat for cross-platform compatibility. I have moved the drive seamlessly between a MacBook Pro 14 and Lenovo X1 Nano without an issue. Should I choose to format as an Apple disk, Seagate includes a download of Paragon’s driver to allow a PC to read it.

The LaCie Mobile Drive Secure also falls under Seagate Rescue Data Recovery Services (RDRS), which defends against data loss regardless of the source, which includes an act of G-d or a lack of responsibility. Seagate includes three years of RDRS coverage along with a three-year warranty.

LaCie Mobile Drive Secure comes in 2TB, 4TB and 5TB versions. At speeds of 130MB/s file for backups and file transfers, it can’t match the speed of an SSD, but it is fast enough for most work and leisure activities. Those shooting on CFexpress and other high-capacity media will probably want significantly more speed to transfer files but probably aren’t looking at this class of drives in the first place.

At less than half-a-pound (0.440lb) and measuring 3.358-inches x 4.657-inches x 0.4094-inches, LaCie Mobile Drive Secure is also a great, lightweight travel companion with the security needed to protect company secrets or family details. The drive comes in silver and space grey.