LaCie released the first 5big Thunderbolt DAS back in January 2013. The device is so popular with professional users that three years later it sells for more than the original MSRP. Like the LaCie NAS of similar design, this system was designed by Neil Poulton, an artist that has worked with the company on many products, like the Rugged RAID Thunderbolt Portable Storage. Today, LaCie updated the system with a new 5-year warranty and a larger 40 TB capacity size.
The 5big capacity expansion comes via Seagate's new 8 TB Enterprise Capacity hard disk drive that was designed for 24x7 operation. The Enterprise Capacity HDD features a large 256 MB DRAM buffer and 7,200 RPM platters. The drives use RV sensors to combat disk and appliance vibration that can reduce performance and product life. The drive is one of the fastest high-capacity mechanical hard disk drives available today with a SATA 6 Gbps interface.
The 5big utilizes a hardware RAID chipset to increase performance and add redundancy over a single disk. Users can choose a single or multiple arrays that spread across the five internal hard disk drives. The system uses dual Thunderbolt 2 connections back to the host to deliver up to 1050 MB/s of sequential read and write performance. There is enough throughput to sustain 4K workflows for professional users.
Old features that carry over from previous 5big models are also included. The system uses a high volume but quiet Noctua fan to cool the disks and internal system components. Thunderbolt 2 offers 20 Gb/s per interface, and users can daisy chain other Thunderbolt accessories like monitors and other storage devices through the dual connections on this system.
The 5big now ships in four capacity sizes. The 10 TB model sells for $1,299. The 20 TB model moves the needle to $1,999, and the 30 TB model goes up to $2,999. The new 40 TB model with a 5-year warranty and Seagate enterprise-class hard disk drives will be available this quarter for $3,999.
