LaCie 1Big Dock SSD Pro Review

Final Score: 90 of 100

To be blunt, the LaCie 1Big Dock SSD Pro 4TB is not perfect but we still absolutely love this device. What it has to offer is a veritable siren song to us. It is fast, it is easy to work with, and above all else it is tailor made for satisfying (almost) all our needs. You may feel differently, as we are part of the laser like focus niche this specific model was designed for. Put simply, this model is designed by professionals for professionals and makes no compromises to appeal to a wider audience. You will either love what it has to offer and consider it an investment (as time is money)… or it will not be right for you. There is no middle ground with the LaCie 1Big Dock SSD Pro. That is key to understanding the LaCie 1Big Dock SSD Pro series.

Unlike its less expensive sibling the 1Big Dock series, this model really will offer what professionals need. Its card reader may not include XQD support or CFexpress 2.0… but that is the only weakness. The combination of CFast 2.0 (the de-facto standard for pro grade video cameras these days) with CFexpress 1.0 as well as SD UHS-II means the average professional does not need an expensive Thunderbolt 3 card reader. The blazing fast, 110mm long FireCuda 4TB NVMe SSD it makes use of means that professionals working with massive 4 and 8K vudeo files need not worry about adding more internal storage to their portable system… as this bad boy is both fast and big. Thanks to a rather easy to upgrade path, (in the future) upgrading to even larger capacity NVMe devices is also child’s play. That is all things pro’s look for in their tools – as they buy for the long-term. Not the short-term.

While yes it lacks enough USB Type-A ports, so a cheap hub will still be needed, it offers decent integrated laptop charging as well as a good DisplayPort 1.4 header for connecting to a big 30-inch monitor. While it does not offer audio or networking, neither are needed nor all that desirable on a work device. The typical pro’s “laptop” will come with a good soundcard and good ethernet connectivity already. While it lacks any lighting abilities, beyond a glowing blue button, that is a good thing. Work devices should not look like gaming devices… as that sends the wrong message to clients.

Equally important is while it is heavy… even a professional in a war zone, or the deepest darkest corner of the world, can slap this dock in to their ‘go bag’ and not worry about it breaking. Heck, in a pinch it could be used as improvised body armor (though in such scenarios it is always best to be the pitcher and not the catcher). As such, the asking price does not make the cut for things to consider when buying this model. It is an investment. An investment that will be amortized over 5 (or more) years and the asking price will be treated as such.

If all the above does not really describe you and your particular needs to a ‘T’… the LaCie 1Big Dock SSD Pro is not really meant for you. Yes, if you can get over the sticker shock it will make one heck of an addition to your setup, but it may not be optimal use of your money. For the typical amateur / home user, the much less expensive Seagate FireCuda Gaming Dock plus a 2TB FireCuda NVMe SSD would be a more optimal solution. In other words, as long as you understand who is and is not the focus of this particular model your decision will be easy. Either way most people will want to own this bad boy… even if they cannot justify it. It really does bring new meaning to the term ‘overkill’. Just the way a pro grade device should.