Easier DIY upgrade for 2015 27” HDD: fusion or SSD?

[g35]

I have a 2015 iMac 27” with 1 TB HDD (no fusion). Notwithstanding the performance/capacity differences, what is easier to install?

- SSD in a 3.5” adapter bracket, replacing the HDD
- blade SSD into the open slot, keeping the HDD (fusion drive)

Which would be easier to do, and which would cost less? Assuming 250 GB SSD. Am I right in thinking the answer to both would be the first option (SSD only)?

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

If you are going to crack it, go with an SSD and give fusion a big miss. For mine I would go with a blade of say 1GB and take out the hot old spinner altogether.

Cheapest is an SSD set up in a caddy and connected externally via USB. Hook up externally, use cloning software to copy the current OS and make the SSD bootable, go into System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the SSD and reboot. Make a backup first.

 

[mdgm]

Replacing the HDD with a SSD is easier than putting a blade SSD in though performance is not as fast.

Before doing the upgrade make sure you are running Mojave (or later) with all updates installed. If your system has a very old Boot ROM it may not update with a 3rd party drive installed.

On Big Sur Fusion Drives perform badly so going with just a SSD is best.

 

[g35]

If you are goinbg to crack it, go with an SSD and give fusion a big miss. For mine I would go with a blade of say 1GB and take out the hot old spinner altogether.

Cheapest is an SSD set up in a caddy band connected externally nvia USB. Hook up externally, use cloning software to copy the current OS and make the SSD bootable, go into System Preferences > Startup Disk and select the SSD and reboot. Make a backup first.

Replacing the HDD with a SSD is easier than putting a blade SSD in though performance is not as fast.

Before doing the upgrade make sure you are running Mojave (or later) with all updates installed. If your system has a very old Boot ROM it may not update with a 3rd party drive installed.

On Big Sur Fusion Drives perform badly so going with just a SSD is best.

Thanks to both of you. I get the feeling I should avoid fusion drive. OWC has a 500 GB 3.5” adapter kit for $100 so I might just do that.

 

[mdgm]

If you look at the iFixit Guides or OWC videos to put a blade SSD in you basically have to pull apart the whole machine whereas with the HDD there's a lot less steps.

It's not the kind of upgrade I would want to do very often so it's better to err on the side of getting a SSD with a higher capacity than what you need.

 

[Fishrrman]

Forget about "fusion".

Either replace the platter-based drive with a SATA SSD
or
Replace the blade SSD with another blade SSD.

The latter is a more complex job, I think.
And the "combination" of adapter and blade SSD has to be right.
Hmmm... post by mdgm confirms this.

MAKE SURE you backup the existing fusion setup before you open the iMac.
Once you change drives, the data on the fusion drive will be GONE.

I strongly suggest that you use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup on an external drive.
Once you take the iMac apart, if you have no way to boot it, you're going to have more problems.

Both CCC and SD are FREE to download and use for 30 days.

 

[g35]

If you look at the iFixit Guides or OWC videos to put a blade SSD in you basically have to pull apart the whole machine whereas with the HDD there's a lot less steps.

It's not the kind of upgrade I would want to do very often so it's better to err on the side of getting a SSD with a higher capacity than what you need.

Yeah after seeing that I am much more inclined to just replace the HDD with an SSD and forego the blade.

Forget about "fusion".

Either replace the platter-based drive with a SATA SSD
or
Replace the blade SSD with another blade SSD.

The latter is a more complex job, I think.
And the "combination" of adapter and blade SSD has to be right.
Hmmm... post by mdgm confirms this.

MAKE SURE you backup the existing fusion setup before you open the iMac.
Once you change drives, the data on the fusion drive will be GONE.

I strongly suggest that you use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup on an external drive.
Once you take the iMac apart, if you have no way to boot it, you're going to have more problems.

Both CCC and SD are FREE to download and use for 30 days.

Thank you for the tips!