Single 4TB SSD vs 2x2TB Raid?

[s4yunkim]

Having inherited a MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro, I am planning to replace my desktop setup with that machine.
The only catch is, I did not get a say in the size of the internal SSD, which is 1TB.

I need at least 4TB for video editing work, and came across two options:

1. Get this NVME Enclosure (~$140) and this 4TB SSD (~$400), which puts the total around ~$540, with a 4TB SSD and roughly 2.5-3GBps/sec write/read speeds.

OR

2. Get 2x of the same NVME Enclosure (~$280), and 2 of these 2TB SSD ($280), and run them in a RAID0. That would put the total around ~$560, with 4TB of SSD and .... nearly double the write/read speeds? (~6GBps?)


Given that I'm willing to use both the TB4 ports on one side of the MBP and the other on the other side for a TB4 dock, is that feasible? Will I even be able to achieve that sort of read/write speed?

 

[manwithashoe]

I don't think these smaller enclosures can hit the raid speeds you're hoping for. The single 4TB should be good enough.

Sometimes it's better to just get ready-to-go external SSD as they are a bit sleeker and cheaper.

 

[xraydoc]

Having inherited a MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro, I am planning to replace my desktop setup with that machine.
The only catch is, I did not get a say in the size of the internal SSD, which is 1TB.

I need at least 4TB for video editing work, and came across two options:

1. Get this NVME Enclosure (~$140) and this 4TB SSD (~$400), which puts the total around ~$540, with a 4TB SSD and roughly 2.5-3GBps/sec write/read speeds.

OR

2. Get 2x of the same NVME Enclosure (~$280), and 2 of these 2TB SSD ($280), and run them in a RAID0. That would put the total around ~$560, with 4TB of SSD and .... nearly double the write/read speeds? (~6GBps?)


Given that I'm willing to use both the TB4 ports on one side of the MBP and the other on the other side for a TB4 dock, is that feasible? Will I even be able to achieve that sort of read/write speed?

The RAID 0 might be slightly faster (how much really depends on the true speed of each drive and their interface), but certainly more prone to data loss.
Depends on if you need absolute speed versus data stability.

If you go RAID 0, you should ensure you've got a reliable back up plan.

 

[anakin44011]

Unless you are really pushing it with multiple 4:2:2 8K footage, 2.5-3GBps/sec write/read speeds should be plenty for typical 4K video applications. But your mileage might vary...depending on codecs, how many layers (simultaneous streams), graphics, effects, etc.

That said, even with a M2 Max, 8TB internal...running Apple's FCP....I get little fits and minor beach balls. I know it isn't the SSD drive...it is just the SW not all being perfectly optimized.

 

[s4yunkim]

The RAID 0 might be slightly faster (how much really depends on the true speed of each drive and their interface), but certainly more prone to data loss.
Depends on if you need absolute speed versus data stability.

If you go RAID 0, you should ensure you've got a reliable back up plan.

Yep, that's what the server and the backup servers are for.

 

[s4yunkim]

I don't think these smaller enclosures can hit the raid speeds you're hoping for. The single 4TB should be good enough.

Sometimes it's better to just get ready-to-go external SSD as they are a bit sleeker and cheaper.

I agree with you on the sleeker/cheaper! I think that's the direction I'm leaning, anyway.

For reference, I know one of the enclosures will hit 2.5-2.7GBps sequential, given the right SSD (people seem to have done this benchmark a lot). This seems to fall way short of the maximum of the SSD itself, seeming to do with the limit to the PCIe connections.

Does that mean two of these external SSDs on two separate ports would get around that? Do each of the 3 TB4 ports have their own Thunderbolt controller/lanes?

 

[manwithashoe]

I agree with you on the sleeker/cheaper! I think that's the direction I'm leaning, anyway.

For reference, I know one of the enclosures will hit 2.5-2.7GBps sequential, given the right SSD (people seem to have done this benchmark a lot). This seems to fall way short of the maximum of the SSD itself, seeming to do with the limit to the PCIe connections.

Does that mean two of these external SSDs on two separate ports would get around that? Do each of the 3 TB4 ports have their own Thunderbolt controller/lanes?

It could help with files of a certain size.. but I think the controller on a tiny enclosure is somewhat limited.

 

[Ifti]

The speed achieved through the external enclosure will be limited anyways - there will be no benefit to going with a RAID setup. I would recommend the single drive purely down to convenience, and the fact you wont have to bother with RAID setups. This is coming from experience.....

I have 3 OWC ThunderBlade Drives.
Each one of these drives has 4 SSDs inside, set up in a RAID0 array. One is a 16TB drive, the other two are 8TB drives.
RAID is handled by SoftRAID.
Everything works well. Never had any major issues, other then when there is a new OSX released as it takes SoftRAID a while to update and catchup. If you don't wait for them you could lose access to the drives since the RAID software doesn't work! It's annoying, but as I do not update OSX very fast there is usually a SoftRAID update already available anyways - they are quite efficient in that regard.
These drives are always backed up to external spinners.

I also have several external SSDs.
I have 2 Sabrent Rocket Nano Rugged drives - both used for backups - one for Time Machine, one for CCC - basically usage where ultra fast speed isn't required.
One Sabrent Rocket Nano, used with my iPad Pro.

That leaves 2 Glyph Atom Pro drives.
One 4TB and one 2TB.
It's actually these drives that I rely on and use the most! I find no added speed benefit between my RAID drives and these - certainly nothing you will notice during day to day usage. Easy and portable to use, and no messing about with RAID software and setups.

 

[max2]

One SSD 4 TB

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If you want to RAID, why don't you just get a RAID SSD enclosure? This one can grow into a 4-stick RAID if you ever need more. It's not the only such option available but just one I recalled seeing recently.

Maybe get your 2 "sticks" for now, then when you are ready for more, copy all to a drive, add more sticks, set up as a bigger RAID, copy files back and resume.

I do quite a bit of video editing and I agree with others above about the single m.2 options. The enclosure I chose is not rated particularly fast but I don't get any sense I'm waiting on read/writes to the drive.