Are there any modern desktop Macintosh computer that use a 3.5" internal hard-drive?
If so, what are they?
If so, what are they?
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3.5" HDDs in Desktops
- Thread starter Ambrosia7177
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As far as I'm aware, all the current iMacs still do.
Edit: I stand corrected - as noted below, some models use 2.5" drives.
Edit: I stand corrected - as noted below, some models use 2.5" drives.
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Seriously?
I wouldn't think there is enough space, plus having cooling issues.
I figured everything was solid-state these days...
I know nothing about Mac desktops. Aren't the Mac Pros the biggest as far as case size?
The 27" 2015 iMac and earlier have the option of a 7200rpm platter drive, Fusion or SSD/Flash. The 2017 27" model only offers Fusion with a 7200rpm platter, SSD or PCI-e Flash.
All iMacs 21.5" back to the 2012 model use slow old 5400rpm drives, with the option of Fusion or PCI-e Flash storage.
2012 and earlier Mac Pros came with a 7200rpm platter drive with similar options to above. The 2013 is all PCI-e Flash storage only.
All iMacs 21.5" back to the 2012 model use slow old 5400rpm drives, with the option of Fusion or PCI-e Flash storage.
2012 and earlier Mac Pros came with a 7200rpm platter drive with similar options to above. The 2013 is all PCI-e Flash storage only.
So it sounds like traditional hard-drives are still the norm for desktop Macs, right?
I figured everything was solid-state these days...
BTW, what is a "Fusion" drive?
SSD and HDD in a tiered storage configuration (most commonly-accessed stuff on the SSD, with the HDD for capacity).
Just to clarify (you asked about 3.5-inch hard drives)
27-inch iMacs with a hard drive, or a fusion drive, have 3.5-inch drives.
The 21.5-inch iMacs, which Redheeler nambuccaheadsau mentioned, use 2.5-inch devices (and a hard drive will be 5400rpm on those 21.5-inch models, not 7200rpm.
Fusion drive is the name of the storage system that Apple uses. It has a large (spinning) hard drive (to give you more storage for less money), coupled to an SSD (booting much faster, and launching apps much more quickly) The fusion drive is two separate internal devices.
So, on different Macs, you may see a spinning hard drive, or the Fusion drive system, or SSD drive, with no accompanying spinning hard drive, just the SSD. This is the most expensive option, so is part of the reason that Apple decided to start offering the Fusion system several years ago.
27-inch iMacs with a hard drive, or a fusion drive, have 3.5-inch drives.
The 21.5-inch iMacs, which Redheeler nambuccaheadsau mentioned, use 2.5-inch devices (and a hard drive will be 5400rpm on those 21.5-inch models, not 7200rpm.
Fusion drive is the name of the storage system that Apple uses. It has a large (spinning) hard drive (to give you more storage for less money), coupled to an SSD (booting much faster, and launching apps much more quickly) The fusion drive is two separate internal devices.
So, on different Macs, you may see a spinning hard drive, or the Fusion drive system, or SSD drive, with no accompanying spinning hard drive, just the SSD. This is the most expensive option, so is part of the reason that Apple decided to start offering the Fusion system several years ago.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+Retina+4K+Display+(2017)+Hard+Drive+Replacement/92700
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+Retina+5K+Display+Hard+Drive+Replacement/30522
it does look like the two imacs use different hard disk sizes-- though, admittedly it's a been a long time since I've mucked about building a PC.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+Retina+5K+Display+Hard+Drive+Replacement/30522
it does look like the two imacs use different hard disk sizes-- though, admittedly it's a been a long time since I've mucked about building a PC.
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No, not on the same desktop 
21.5-inch iMac uses 2.5, unless you go back 4 or 5 years.
27-inch uses 3.5-inch.
Unless there is an SSD, which are blade-type SSDs - so neither 2.5 nor 3.5 if SSD only.
Then, there's the new iMac Pro, which will be SSD-only, dual SSDs set up in a matched configuration similar to a RAID.
Wicked fast storage on that iPro.
21.5-inch iMac uses 2.5, unless you go back 4 or 5 years.
27-inch uses 3.5-inch.
Unless there is an SSD, which are blade-type SSDs - so neither 2.5 nor 3.5 if SSD only.
Then, there's the new iMac Pro, which will be SSD-only, dual SSDs set up in a matched configuration similar to a RAID.
Wicked fast storage on that iPro.
No, not on the same desktop
21.5-inch iMac uses 2.5, unless you go back 4 or 5 years.
27-inch uses 3.5-inch.
Unless there is an SSD, which are blade-type SSDs - so neither 2.5 nor 3.5 if SSD only.
That is what I meant... Some Mac desktop use the older 3.5" drives, and some use the 2.5" drives, and furthermore it sounds like it is a combination of traditional HDDs and then some of the newer ones switched to SSD.
Was just curious with my other threads about storage on laptops.
Thanks!
And, of course, the fusion drives use BOTH traditional (spinning) hard drive, and SSD at the same time.
A desktop Mac may have any of those combinations.
You can STILL purchase a brand new desktop from Apple with only a traditional HDD.
SSDs have been an option in iMacs since 2010. You could purchase a new Mac with both devices (but not configured as a Fusion drive until 2012
No laptop from Apple came with both trad HDD, and SSD. But, a used laptop might have two storage devices (optical drive replaced with HDD, or SSD. But, no laptop ever shipped from Apple that way.
The 2012 13-inch MBPro was the last laptop sold by Apple with traditional HDD.
A desktop Mac may have any of those combinations.
You can STILL purchase a brand new desktop from Apple with only a traditional HDD.
SSDs have been an option in iMacs since 2010. You could purchase a new Mac with both devices (but not configured as a Fusion drive until 2012
No laptop from Apple came with both trad HDD, and SSD. But, a used laptop might have two storage devices (optical drive replaced with HDD, or SSD. But, no laptop ever shipped from Apple that way.
The 2012 13-inch MBPro was the last laptop sold by Apple with traditional HDD.
And now Apple laptops don't have any concept of a "hard-drive" anymore (Just some big ass chip on your logic board that can never be removed or upgraded...)
Why are you so attached to spinning rust? The latencies will kill you.And now Apple laptops don't have any concept of a "hard-drive" anymore (Just some big ass chip on your logic board that can never be removed or upgraded...)
Doesn't make me any less pissed off...
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That isn't what I said. I am pissed off that Apple chooses to make the hard-drive part of your motherboard moving forward, and thus I can't truly get my data off the drive, nor can I upgrade the drive.
I couldn't give a rat's ass about platter drives...
Backup have nothing to do with it...
Not being able to upgrade does.
And not being 100% certain that my data can't be lifted off a chip on the motherboard is the larger issue...
Nonsense... (My "sarcasm filter" was turned off, so I'm sure you were being facetious with that statement )
You either keep 100% backups, and therefore don't need to think about data recovery, or you have some other strategy for backups.
Backup is everything when you have a storage device that, when it (or the logic board) fails, likely won't be accessible at all.
But, I do agree with your assessment for possible data recovery. I would guess that an SSD failure, which tend to be catastrophic failures, would leave you with almost no chance, certainly nowhere close to 100%.
Upgrading storage would imply external solutions of some kind, when internal upgrades are not possible.
)You either keep 100% backups, and therefore don't need to think about data recovery, or you have some other strategy for backups.
Backup is everything when you have a storage device that, when it (or the logic board) fails, likely won't be accessible at all.
But, I do agree with your assessment for possible data recovery. I would guess that an SSD failure, which tend to be catastrophic failures, would leave you with almost no chance, certainly nowhere close to 100%.
Upgrading storage would imply external solutions of some kind, when internal upgrades are not possible.
Nonsense... (My "sarcasm filter" was turned off, so I'm sure you were being facetious with that statement
You either keep 100% backups, and therefore don't need to think about data recovery, or you have some other strategy for backups.
Backup is everything when you have a storage device that, when it (or the logic board) fails, likely won't be accessible at all.
But, I do agree with your assessment for possible data recovery. I would guess that an SSD failure, which tend to be catastrophic failures, would leave you with almost no chance, certainly nowhere close to 100%.
Upgrading storage would imply external solutions of some kind, when internal upgrades are not possible.
I'm not sure what thread you were in, but your responses make no sense.
[doublepost=1514518556][/doublepost]Here is a recap...
WTF does a "backup strategy" have to do with anything?
**HINT** My concern is that I cannot get my data OFF of new MacBooks because the hard-drive can't be taken out!! The last thing I as talking about is my fear that data will be lost and not retrievable! Just the opposite!
But more so, where did all of these tangents come from and what does it have to do with me asking what size hard-drives are in desktops?
Oh the strange path of the web!
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What? I was just responding to your own questions...
Backup means that you have a copy of all your files, photos, music, other files that are important to you - just in case your storage drive fails. You have a variety of options if the drive is one that spins. An SSD, on the other hand, often fails catastrophically (dies, no chance of data retrieval).
The tangents about backup comes in after you said your important issue was that data can't be recovered from an SSD that can't be removed from the system. That is likely still correct, even if you could pull a failed SSD out. You have a better chance with a spinning hard drive when it fails, as there are more tools available to assist with that recovery. Not so much with SSDs.
I was also assuming that you know that backups are important, and the backup strategy that you use, whatever it might be, is effective to give you a usable backup. The fact that your storage device can't be removed becomes less important when you have a valid backup plan
Backup means that you have a copy of all your files, photos, music, other files that are important to you - just in case your storage drive fails. You have a variety of options if the drive is one that spins. An SSD, on the other hand, often fails catastrophically (dies, no chance of data retrieval).
The tangents about backup comes in after you said your important issue was that data can't be recovered from an SSD that can't be removed from the system. That is likely still correct, even if you could pull a failed SSD out. You have a better chance with a spinning hard drive when it fails, as there are more tools available to assist with that recovery. Not so much with SSDs.
I was also assuming that you know that backups are important, and the backup strategy that you use, whatever it might be, is effective to give you a usable backup. The fact that your storage device can't be removed becomes less important when you have a valid backup plan
Re-read what I said in post #13.
I think you accidentally added some words in there, because I didn't say that.
@jerwin is to blame with his off the wall comment: "Why are you so attached to spinning rust?"
To be clear... I am, and have been for some time, pissed at Apple for making their drives part of the logic board.
I am very concerned that I can't remove the drive without basically trashing the laptop.
I agree that platter drives can more easily be recovered.
However I am paranoid enough to also believe that a good computer forensics person or the federal gov't could life data off of one of Apple's new drives.
Very confident!!
Were you not actively participating in my clone thread? (So obviously I am concerned about backups.)
However, what I said in post #13 is that I am also furious that I cannot get my data off of a new MacBook Pro!!!
All of your comments about backups show you didn't read what I said.
I just cloned my new Retina tonight, and now I am encrypted. Yeah.
But if I bought a 2017 Retina, and did the same thing, how would that protect me when someone lifts data off of the drive on the motherboard?
Backups don't prevent theft...
And unless you shred your new Retina, I'm a betting man your data can be recovered by a spook or a good hacker.
That is a major problem.
Eh, not so much of a problem, particularly that you have encrypted your drive.
The "good hacker" can get the data, but encrypted data, without the passcode to open the drive - is in any practical way useless.
One method to achieve that, particularly if you are selling your MBPro, is to erase the drive, then reinstall macOS.
Turn on File Vault. When the encryption is complete, erase the drive.
Now, your data is erased, and that erased data is encrypted. In the event that someone is skilled enough in the "black arts", and can recover your drive, it's still encrypted.
Whether you wish to believe it or not, your data would not be recoverable.
The "good hacker" can get the data, but encrypted data, without the passcode to open the drive - is in any practical way useless.
One method to achieve that, particularly if you are selling your MBPro, is to erase the drive, then reinstall macOS.
Turn on File Vault. When the encryption is complete, erase the drive.
Now, your data is erased, and that erased data is encrypted. In the event that someone is skilled enough in the "black arts", and can recover your drive, it's still encrypted.
Whether you wish to believe it or not, your data would not be recoverable.
To quote Linus Torvalds:
other world computing sells drives that fit apple's ssd connectors.
Of course, you do have to get inside the machine.
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...grade-imac-hard-drive-aluminum-2012-2013.html
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In theory...
How? By formatting it?
Would it be safer if you could erase the key that unlocks FileVault 2?
In theory...
The problem with that thinking is that many IT giants have fallen saying, "This can never be hacked."
I have enough humility to know that there are probably people out there that could hack anything.
Of course, in the old days I would remove my hard-drive, shred it, and then I would never have to worry.
Apple changed the game, however.
And that is why I am pissed...
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The point is you didn't read a flipping thing in this trhead and you are arguing a point I don't care about because it has NOTHING to do with anything discussed here.