LaCie external hard drives, SSDs and RAID storage in the UAE
Portable SSDs, rugged drives and desktop RAID for photo, video and audio work
LaCie is Seagate's storage brand for creative professionals. PRO TECHnology has distributed LaCie in the Middle East since 2006 and helps photographers, video editors and studios in the UAE choose between portable SSDs, rugged hard drives and desktop RAID, then quotes and supplies from Dubai. Our partnership profile explains how buying through us works.
Start with the table below, or send us your workload, computer and ports for a quotation.
Which LaCie storage fits your work?
Portable SSDs suit fast work on the move, portable hard drives suit capacity and transport, and desktop RAID suits larger projects at a desk. The table compares eight current LaCie models, from pocket drives to an eight-bay RAID.
| Storage category / model | Suitable workload | Capacity options | Connection | Key limitation | Details / buying link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rugged SSD Rugged portable SSD |
Card offloads and editing on location, where dust, rain or knocks are likely | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB or 4TB | USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s); rated up to 1,050MB/s | Tops out at 4TB. Needs a 10Gb/s or faster port to reach its rated speed. | Request a quote Seagate specifications |
| Rugged USB-C Rugged portable hard drive |
Carrying footage and archives between set, studio and client when capacity matters more than speed | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 5TB | USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s); rated up to 130MB/s | Too slow to edit high-bitrate video from. Rain-resistant only, with no IP rating. | Request a quote Our Rugged USB-C guide |
| Portable SSD Compact portable SSD |
Working drive for photo libraries, proxy files and lighter 4K editing, including on iPad | 500GB, 1TB or 2TB | USB-C; rated up to 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write | No IP rating (drop-resistant to 2 m). Tops out at 2TB. | Request a quote Seagate specifications |
| Mobile Drive Portable hard drive |
Everyday backups, second copies and handing files to clients | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 5TB | USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb/s); rated up to 130MB/s | A hard drive for storage and transport rather than editing. Not part of the Rugged range. | Request a quote Seagate specifications |
| 1big Dock Single-drive desktop dock |
One editor's or photographer's desk: card ingest, storage, displays and laptop charging on one cable | 8, 10, 16, 18, 20, 24 or 30TB | 2× Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s); rated up to 300MB/s | One drive, so no redundancy: pair it with a separate backup. | Request a quote Seagate specifications |
| 2big Dock Two-bay RAID with card readers |
Edit suites that want RAID storage plus CFexpress B, CFast 2.0 and SD card readers | 16, 20, 28, 32, 36, 40, 48 or 60TB | 2× Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s); rated up to 550MB/s | RAID 1 halves usable capacity. RAID is not a backup. | Request a quote Our 2big Dock guide |
| 2big RAID Two-bay RAID |
Project storage and archives for a USB-C computer, set up for RAID 0 speed or RAID 1 redundancy | 8, 16, 28, 36, 40, 48 or 60TB | USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s); a USB drive that also works from Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 ports; rated up to 550MB/s | No card readers or dock features. RAID 1 halves usable capacity. | Request a quote Seagate specifications |
| 8big Pro5 Eight-bay RAID |
Multi-stream, high-bitrate editing and large project stores on one Thunderbolt 5 workstation | 32, 64, 128, 192 or 256TB | Thunderbolt 5; rated up to 2,800MB/s (RAID 0) and 2,500MB/s (RAID 5) | Direct-attached to one computer, not a NAS. Seagate quotes its speeds over Thunderbolt 5. | Request a quote Our 8big Pro5 guide |
Speeds are Seagate's published maximums; real speeds vary with the host computer, interface, capacity and RAID mode. Figures come from Seagate's current data sheets and its Middle East product and support pages, checked on 25 September 2026. Availability of each model and capacity is confirmed at quotation. Seagate's LaCie range also includes encrypted versions (Mobile Drive Secure, Mobile SSD Secure and Rugged Secure), the Rugged Mini, Rugged RAID Shuttle, Rugged SSD Pro (Thunderbolt 3), 1big Dock SSD Pro and d2 Professional; ask us about any of them.
LaCie storage by requirement
Five common jobs, and the LaCie drives that suit each.
Portable storage for photographers
For card offloads in the field, the Rugged SSD is the fast option: up to 1,050MB/s over USB 3.2 Gen 2 in a drive rated IP67. When capacity per dirham matters more than speed, the Rugged USB-C hard drive holds up to 5TB. According to Seagate, LaCie Rugged drives have been used by filmmakers, photographers and music producers since 2005.
Protection, by model
Ratings differ by model, and a rating on one Rugged drive does not carry over to the rest of the family. Our LaCie Rugged USB-C details cover capacities, speeds and use on location.
Working drives for video editors
A working drive holds the project you are editing now, so speed matters more than capacity. The Portable SSD and Rugged SSD, both rated up to 1,050MB/s, suit proxy workflows, lighter 4K editing and photo libraries. Projects that outgrow a portable SSD move to desktop RAID: the 2big Dock adds capacity (up to 60TB, rated up to 550MB/s), and the 8big Pro5 adds capacity and speed for multi-stream, high-bitrate work (rated up to 2,800MB/s in RAID 0 over Thunderbolt 5).
Port speed is not drive speed
The Rugged SSD connects over USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 10Gb/s link; its 1,050MB/s rating, about 8.4Gb/s, is the drive's own published maximum. A hard drive at 130MB/s uses about 1Gb/s, so a faster port will not make it quicker.
Using the Portable SSD with an iPad
According to Seagate, the Portable SSD works with an iPad Pro (3rd generation), an iPad Air (4th generation) or a newer model running iPadOS 14 or later, so you can open and move files directly on the iPad.
For codecs, RAID 0 versus RAID 1 and on-set backup, read our LaCie video editing storage guide.
Desktop storage for creative studios
The 1big Dock suits a single desk. It is a Thunderbolt 3 dock holding one 7,200 RPM IronWolf Pro drive of 8 to 30TB, rated up to 300MB/s. It also reads CF and SD cards, connects up to two 4K displays if your computer supports them and charges a laptop at up to 60W. For audio work, a Portable SSD suits sessions and sample libraries you carry between studios, and the 1big Dock suits the session archive at your desk. One drive means no redundancy, so pair it with a separate backup.
RAID storage for larger projects
RAID spreads a project across two or more drives for speed, capacity or protection against a drive failure. The two-bay 2big Dock (Thunderbolt 3, with card readers) and 2big RAID (USB 3.2 Gen 2) are both rated up to 550MB/s. The eight-bay 8big Pro5 runs over Thunderbolt 5 and is rated up to 2,800MB/s in RAID 0.
RAID 1, 5 and 6 protect against a drive failure, not against deletion, corruption, theft or ransomware: that is why RAID is not a backup. The 2big Dock, 2big RAID and 8big Pro5 are all direct-attached storage for one computer, not network storage (NAS).
The LaCie 2big Dock and LaCie 8big Pro5 guides cover each model, and our LaCie partnership profile explains how quotations work and how Seagate's warranty and Rescue apply to drives bought in the region.
File transport and secondary copies
For moving projects to clients and keeping a second copy, a portable hard drive gives more capacity for the money than an SSD. The Mobile Drive holds 1 to 5TB, runs at up to 130MB/s over USB-C and works with Mac, PC and iPad USB-C. Where drives travel rough, the Rugged USB-C does the same job.
Keep at least three copies of important work, on two different types of storage, with one copy off-site. Our guide explains the 3-2-1 backup rule and how to plan recovery.
Buying LaCie through PRO TECHnology
We quote, advise on the choice and supply LaCie storage from Dubai, for single drives and for team or studio orders.
Quotation and selection
We suggest suitable LaCie models for your workload and quote for them, and confirm availability of each model and capacity at quotation.
Compatibility check before you buy
We compare your computer's ports with each drive's requirements. For example, the 2big RAID is a USB drive that also works from a Thunderbolt port, and Seagate quotes 8big Pro5 speeds over Thunderbolt 5.
Warranty and Rescue
The models in our table carry Seagate limited warranties of three or five years, and many include Rescue Data Recovery Services, which Seagate says is not available in every country. Keep the invoice and the drive's serial number, which Seagate uses to look up its Rescue plan. If a drive bought from us develops a fault, contact us and we will advise on the next step.
What to send for a quotation
- Capacity needed
- Workload: video resolution and codec, photo library size or audio sessions
- Computer model and operating system
- Available ports: Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5; USB-C at 5, 10, 20 or 40Gbps; or USB-A
- Quantity
- Delivery location (emirate or country)
- When you need it
or call +971 4 343 5501, or use our enquiry form
LaCie in the UAE: common questions
Where can I buy LaCie storage in the UAE?
Request a quotation from PRO TECHnology in Dubai, for a single drive or for team and studio orders. PRO TECHnology has distributed LaCie in the Middle East since 2006. We confirm availability of each model and capacity when we quote. Some LaCie drives are also listed on EVO, PRO TECHnology's online store; check the model name against the table on this page, as the listing also includes older models.
Should I choose an HDD, an SSD or a desktop RAID?
Choose a hard drive (HDD) for capacity at a lower cost: the Mobile Drive and Rugged USB-C hold up to 5TB at up to 130MB/s. Choose an SSD for speed and shock resistance: the Portable SSD and Rugged SSD are rated up to 1,050MB/s. Choose a desktop RAID for larger projects: the 2big models add capacity (up to 60TB, rated up to 550MB/s) and the 8big Pro5 adds capacity and speed (up to 256TB, rated up to 2,800MB/s in RAID 0); RAID 1, 5 and 6 keep working through a drive failure. A RAID still needs a separate backup.
Will a LaCie drive work with my computer?
Check the port first. The 1big Dock and 2big Dock connect over Thunderbolt 3 and, according to Seagate, also work with Thunderbolt 4 and 5 computers and with USB-C ports from 5 to 40Gbps. Seagate quotes 8big Pro5 speeds over Thunderbolt 5, and it also works with Thunderbolt 4 and USB 40Gbps computers. The Rugged SSD, Rugged USB-C, Portable SSD, Mobile Drive and 2big RAID connect over USB-C; Seagate says the Rugged SSD, Portable SSD, Mobile Drive and 2big RAID also work from Thunderbolt 3 and 4 ports. Send us your computer model and we will confirm which drives suit it.
Which LaCie storage suits video editing?
It depends on the codec, resolution and number of streams. The Portable SSD and Rugged SSD, rated up to 1,050MB/s, suit proxy files and lighter 4K work. The 2big Dock, rated up to 550MB/s, suits larger projects on hard drives. The 8big Pro5, rated up to 2,800MB/s in RAID 0, suits multi-stream, high-bitrate work. Our video editing and photography storage guide covers codecs, RAID levels and on-set backup.
What warranty and data recovery cover come with LaCie drives?
Seagate sets the limited warranty by model. According to the data sheets it is five years on the Rugged SSD, 1big Dock, 2big Dock, 2big RAID and 8big Pro5, and three years on the Rugged USB-C, Portable SSD and Mobile Drive. Many models include Rescue Data Recovery Services for a set period, but Seagate says the service is not available in all countries. You can check a drive's Rescue plan with its serial number on Seagate's data recovery support page.
How do I request a quotation?
Email sales@protech.ae or call +971 4 343 5501 with the capacity, workload, computer model, available ports, quantity, delivery location and when you need the storage. We reply with suitable models and a quotation. You can also use the enquiry form on our contact page.
Talk to us about LaCie storage
Send the capacity you need, your workload, your computer and its ports, and we will suggest suitable LaCie models with a quotation.