External drive - SSD or portable RAID?

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Geektastic

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#157526 3-Dec-2014 16:58

I'm trying to decide whether to get a WD Passport Pro portable RAID (Thunderbolt) or a Lacie portable rugged SSD (Thunderbolt)

The WD is 4Tb in Raid 0 or 2Tb in Raid 1 - or 4TB in JBOD.

The Lacie is only 250Gb at that price point. a 500Gb is almost $900

Main use is for storing image files (I can get approx 22 per Gb) and Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop files when I am on the move. Occasional sound and video clips also as well as general data.

I carry 3 portable drives and one is dying (making ominous clicking noises!) so needs replacing before I next hit the road (Jack).

Capacities of the remaining working drives are 2Tb (spinning metal) and 1Tb (ditto).

Machine they will be used with is a Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt and USB3.

Advice please.

Last trip I came home with around 4500 images so could (just) have squeezed them on the SSD.

SSD is quieter and more shock/dust/splash resistant. Raid safer and heavier - as well as using more power (although usually there will be mains as I would be in the hotel) and more delicate unless cased.

wellygary

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#1188117 3-Dec-2014 17:04

How much is load time worth to you?,
If you are jsut looking for storage/image transportation and you do not need SSD "blazing fast speed"as opposed to regular USB3 "fast" then just get some more spinning metal,

Geektastic

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#1188120 3-Dec-2014 17:13

Load time is no problem on spinning metal via Thunderbolt - I think the drive speed is slower than the transfer connection!

The SSD is tougher and quieter, uses less power. Also lighter.

timmmay

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#1188135 3-Dec-2014 17:51

Only you can prioritise what's important to you. SSD = robust but limited space and expensive. Other = reliable, heavy, cheaper. Given you're carrying 3 drives losing a little weight probably isn't that important, I'd get the cheaper option.

Though what I'd really do is upload the images via hotel wifi to dropbox, I did about 20GB of that in 3 weeks last time I was in Asia.

Geektastic

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#1188170 3-Dec-2014 18:35

I went for the WD Passport Pro. SSD is nice but still a bit silly money, especially here in NZ where they seem more than some other countries I might name..!