Question 1

What's the difference between this mini and the thunderbolt?

Accepted Answer

If I understand the question, the only difference between the two drives is that the one you are referencing has a USB 3.0 port, and the other has a Thunderbolt port.  The drives themselves are identical.  If you have a computer with a USB port, of any generation, the drive with the USB 3.0 port will work well with it.  The drive is fastest when it's plugged into a USB 3.0 port, but is backwards compatible with a USB 2.0 port.  The drive with the Thunderbolt port will work only with a computer that also has a Thunderbolt port.  Thunderbolt is faster than USB, but is not yet in really wide use.  Step one:  Determine which ports your computer has.  The LaCie drive itself is a gem, regardless of which port it uses.  (P.S.  Some drives have BOTH USB and Thunderbolt connectivity.)

Question 2

Is this a solid-state (flash storage) drive?

Accepted Answer

I searched Amazon for a LaCie solid state (SSD)  external portable drive and was brought to this page.  Most of the reviews don't mention SSD and it appears that all the reviews for the several different models of this LaCie external drive are combined together. So, 4 people said no, this is not about drives with SSD, and then one person said yes. Far more people are not going to have an SSD model because it's WAY more expensive. Most people will prefer to get one that is in the $150-$250 price range at most. The ones with SSD cost a lot more than that. And worth it too if you have the money because they are so fast, no comparison.  If i scroll up from this Question section, this is what is at the top of the auction page but again these same questions and reviews will show up no matter which model  you search for, with a different name at the top:
LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 SSD 1TB Portable Hard Drive LAC9000602

Question 3

can i have a new macbook pro. can i get either the thunderbolt usb-c or the usb-c?

Accepted Answer

A USB-C hard drive is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 ports on a Mac, so this will work. Also works of course with USB-C ports, and older USB 3.0 ports using supplied cable.

Question 4

How does usbc differ from the thunderbolt usb-c option? i see thunderbolt usbc is more expensive

Accepted Answer

USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 share the same physical connection type (USB-C).  USB-C devices can be connected to Thunderbolt 3 ports, as TB3 supports USB-C devices. However, TB3 drives cannot be connected to USB-C ports on computer. So, this USB-C drive will connect to USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, or using included cable, USB 3.0/2.0 ports.

ASIN	B0058VIWTM
Brand	LaCie
Brand Name	LaCie
Cache Memory Installed Size	1
Color	multicolour
Compatible Devices	Laptop
Connectivity Technology	USB
Customer Reviews	4.6 out of 5 stars 6,270 Reviews
Data Transfer Rate	5120 Megabits Per Second
Digital Storage Capacity	1 TB
Form Factor	Portable
Global Trade Identification Number	00093053827984
Hard Disk Form Factor	2.5 Inches
Hard Disk Interface	USB 3.0
Hard Disk Type	Mechanical Hard Disk
Hard-Drive Size	1 TB
Hardware Connectivity	USB 3.0
Hardware Platform	Mac
Installation Type	External Hard Drive
Item Weight	280 Grams
Manufacturer	LaCie
Manufacturer Part Number	LAC301558
Model Name	LaCie Rugged Mini
Model Number	LAC301558
Network Connectivity Technology	USB
Product Features	Password Protection
Read Speed	130 Megabytes Per Second
Special Feature	Password Protection
Specific Uses For Product	Ruggedized or Industrial Applications
UPC	093053827984

LaCie Rugged 1 TB USB 3.0 Mini Disk Portable Hard Drive 301558

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