Replace Fusion Drive with SSD?

[Macintosh1984]

Hi!

Do you think that I can get more speed if I replace Fusion Drive on my iMac Late 2012 with a pure SSD?

What SSD is the best at the moment?

Alternatively, can I get better performance with an external SSD thunderbolt 1 or USB 3.

 

[Khaleal]

2012 models had 128GB SSD which is plenty for FD configuration. I won't bother as it's hard to tell the difference between pure SSD and FD unless you'r moving a lot of huge files.

 

[Macintosh1984]

Yes, I know about 128GB, I would say in the case that today SSD were now more powerful than the Fusion Drive 2012 solution.

External solutions are also valid, if better than Fusion Drive internal.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Go with an external drive and when the OS is installed, select it as the boot drive in Startup Disk > System Preferences. USB3 will be fast, but a little slower than a TB drive having used both this way.

 

[tyche]

Run Black Magic benchmark to see how fast your drive is. sata 3 ssd is going to be around 550 MB/s. TB 1 not sure but maybe 50% faster but depends on quality thunderbolt enclosures.

Get a reading on your fusion drive and it makes it easier to make a recommendation.

 

[Macintosh1984]

If I remember Fusion Drive not full, write 320 MB/s, read 410 MB/s.

Now, Fusion Drive full, write 245 MB/s, read 405 MB/s.

 

[EugW]

Personally I'd just split the Fusion drive and put the OS on the 128 GB SSD, and put less accessed data on the HD.

 

[Macintosh1984]

OK.

External solution to consider?

 

[Macintosh1984]

No one?

 

[Fishrrman]

If the iMac has USB3, you can add an external SSD and you will see read speeds of 430+mbps.

You can buy a "bare" SSD and put it into an enclosure or dock (BE SURE that the enclosure or dock is SPECIFICALLY STATED to support "UASP").
or...
You can buy a "ready-to-plug-in" drive, such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ZTRY532?tag=delt-20

Then boot and run from the external SSD, using the internal fusion drive "as is" for additional storage.

 

[J.Gallardo]

You can try external SSD trough Thunderbolt (usb-C) to gain a little more efficiency vs usb3.
Big speed gains can be achieved playing with RAID 0 config, also. Sandisk makes an external Thunderbolt ssd (“Extreme 900” I think it’s named) with read/write at ~900Mb/s (it’s got two ssd’s in RAID 0).
Sonnet is about to launch an external ssd with crazy fast speed.
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusiontb3pcieflashdrive.html

(Oh... Sorry; I forgot you haven’t Thunderbolt 3. I leave the comment, as the info could interest someone. Anyhow, two linked ssds in RAID 0 can reach faster speed)

 

[Macintosh1984]

If the iMac has USB3, you can add an external SSD and you will see read speeds of 430+mbps.

You can buy a "bare" SSD and put it into an enclosure or dock (BE SURE that the enclosure or dock is SPECIFICALLY STATED to support "UASP").
or...
You can buy a "ready-to-plug-in" drive, such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00ZTRY532?tag=delt-20

Then boot and run from the external SSD, using the internal fusion drive "as is" for additional storage.

Thanks!

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Did you not read my post #4?