LaCie has long been a worldwide leader in digital storage, and the LaCie Rikiki USB 3.0 is one of just a few USB 3.0 drives the company currently offers. A sleek, utilitarian device, the Rikiki proves to be an intermediate portable hard drive that’s definitely worth a look.
LaCie claims the Rikiki's cutting-edge USB 3.0 interface enables transfer speeds of up to 5 gigabytes per second (Gbps) or 480 Mbps when using a USB 2.0 host port. In reality, the drive seems to deliver just average read and write speeds that are slightly below comparable portable hard drives. But despite slower transfer speeds, the difference is nominal and most users won't likely be able to tell a difference unless they're transferring larger files.
The LaCie Rikiki USB 3.0 comes in two different storage capacities: 500 gigabytes and 1 terabyte. The 1TB Rikiki model obviously delivers the lower cost-per-gigabyte (there are 1024GB in one terabyte), but for users seeking the utmost portability, both capacity models deliver an exceptional ratio of portability to storage capacity.
A far cry from the flashier drives that seem to permeate the market, minimalism and simplicity define the Rikiki external hard drive. The sturdy but sleek aluminum casing tastefully combines style with function, giving the drive a sleek, sophisticated look while providing maximum protection. The only adornments found on the drive include a small status LED indicator and its inconspicuous USB output.
Size and weight of a portable hard drive are both design factors we heavily weighted in each of our reviews, and the Rikiki delivers impeccably in both aspects. The drive weighs approximately 6 ounces, so it isn't the lightest drive in our lineup but it's certainly the smallest in terms of dimensions; the Rikiki is roughly 0.5 inches thick and just 4.5 inches in length.
Our only complaint with the actual design of the portable hard drive is its corners; they are extremely sharp and seem like they could easily mar skin and gnaw their way through pockets over time.
The Rikiki USB 3.0 drive comes with LaCie Setup Assistant software, LaCie Backup Assistant software and one free year of online storage through Wuala (up to 10GB). The software is conveniently pre-loaded onto the drive, and both applications are relatively simple to use.
The setup software automatically launches when the drive is connected to a computer and helps users format the drive for the operating system they are using through a simple formatting wizard. The backup software includes applications for both Windows and Mac operating systems. Each offers basic backup functionality that provides folder- and file-based backups and incremental backups.
We were surprised to find that while the drive does offer hardware-based encryption, it's only 128-bit AES encryption. This is a little disappointing considering most portable hard drives with hardware-based encryption boast 256-bit encryption.
LaCie customer service and support seems disappointingly inadequate. The Rikiki only comes with a mediocre two-year warranty, which isn't very long for a device that should last for years to come. While the LaCie website does offer several resources, including FAQs and knowledge bases, we were particularly let down with the manufacturer's technical support. Users can open a support ticket on the website or receive telephone support for a per-incident fee. Even more annoying is that none of the company's support contact information can be accessed until users create an account on the site.
The Rikiki is a stylish yet simple portable hard drive that offers fantastic portability and storage capacity for the price. Although the drive's humdrum transfer speeds definitely leave something to be desired, the LaCie Rikiki USB 3.0 is still a great supplementary storage option for most users – so long as speed isn't a top priority.
