Hands On: LaCie Network Space MAX

This year, LaCie have been prolific in launching a wide range of network attached storage solutions for the home and small business. We’ve previously reviewed the company’s d2 Network 2 and 2big Network 2 drives which are positioned for business and prosumers. Today, we meet the Network Space MAX, which is most definitely suited to the home user who cares as much about how their hardware looks as it performs. Available in 2TB (our review model, priced around $249/£225 online) and 4TB ($449 /£379) configurations, the Network Space MAX is a two-bay network storage server. Its cuboid shape, shiny black cladding and groovy blue LED glow lighting is a dead-cert giveaway that the MAX is another in LaCie’s series of Neil Poulton design collaborations. With an abundance of space, DLNA media and iTunes Servers for media streaming, RAID 1 data protection and LaCie’s friendly dashboard should equate to a first class network storage device. Let’s take a look at what it’s got to offer.

What’s in the Box

In box you’ll find:

• LaCie Network Space MAX
• Ethernet Cable
• USB Cable
• External Power Supply
• Utilities CD (with LaCie Network Assistant and LaCie Backup Assistant)
• Quick Install Guide

Specifications

First Looks

Like other products in LaCie’s Neil Poulton-designed storage range, the Network Space Max is black, shiny and cube shaped with a blue halo LED at the base providing a cool glow. If you’ve previously read our review of LaCie’s LaCinema Mini HD, you’ll see a lot of similarities in design, although the LaCinema is a lot smaller than the Network Space MAX. It’s a simple, unfussy design but it looks very cool. The black acrylic is bound to pick up a lot of fingerprints over time, so ensure you have suitable cleaning cloths to hand if you wish to keep the drive looking pristine. The front aesthetics of the device are marred somewhat by the inclusion of a USB port, although this is very practical for attaching a second disk, or printer.

Around the back, connections are provided for power, Gigabit LAN and a second USB port for attaching the drive directly to a PC as a direct attached storage (DAS) device. There’s no Firewire port however, if you’re looking for one.