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SSD vs Fusion Drive
- Thread starter Falcon80
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I don't really know how Drop Box works anymore since I no longer use it, but I can tell you that OneDrive gives you the option to select where you want the files stored during initial setup. I assume Drop Box does something similar. I would recommend documents, music, photos to be kept on the external drive (with a back up). Frequently used programs will go on the SSD. Games, if you're using Steam, can be split. SSD gets the games you play frequently. You'll love the load times. Games you aren't currently playing can be stored on the External drive.
Hope this helps.
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When it comes to Apple, it's more like $$D, $$D, $$D!
It's a better option, but Apple does change way too much for upgrading to SSD. It's the only problem I see going with an SSD in the iMac.
What about this for the OP? To me it just seems to be the right option - External SSD for the OS and apps, 2tb fusion for data.
Or am I missing something here?
Well it seems an option, in my opinion there are 3 things "wrong" with it.
- you have to always keep the external SSD connected because of the OS
- external SSD's are nowhere near as fast as the internal ones Appe is using
- a good and decent size external SSD also won't come cheap
But faster than the 128gb SSD in the 2tb fusion?
I'm only using a 120gb Samsung 850 evo for the OS and apps and have 25gb to spare. Only cost $AU100.
I recommend SSD only.
I like the thought of fusion drives, but they never seem big enough. I think you can buy 8T spinners, but Apple only offers up to 3T (last time I checked). So you end up putting an external on anyway.
High Sierra. Apple is moving to APFS. Thats for SSDs. The future is SSD.
So, get the biggest SSD you can afford (512G or more) and enjoy.
I like the thought of fusion drives, but they never seem big enough. I think you can buy 8T spinners, but Apple only offers up to 3T (last time I checked). So you end up putting an external on anyway.
High Sierra. Apple is moving to APFS. Thats for SSDs. The future is SSD.
So, get the biggest SSD you can afford (512G or more) and enjoy.
Fusion drives are compromises to save money. They are a bit more expensive (for the manufacturer) than a straight HDD and quite a bit cheaper than pure SSD for equivalent sizes. Like most reasonable compromises, they work OK but tend to leave one at least somewhat unsatisfied.
If you have to save every dime, or if computer subtleties baffle you, the Fusion drive is probably the right answer. (If you're running VM's you don't fall into the second category!) If I were buying a machine for my neighbor who is baffled by email, I'd get the FD. For pretty much anyone else I'm with the others that I'd get the largest internal SSD you can reasonably afford, and if you need more space, expand with external USB3 or T-bolt.
If you have to save every dime, or if computer subtleties baffle you, the Fusion drive is probably the right answer. (If you're running VM's you don't fall into the second category!) If I were buying a machine for my neighbor who is baffled by email, I'd get the FD. For pretty much anyone else I'm with the others that I'd get the largest internal SSD you can reasonably afford, and if you need more space, expand with external USB3 or T-bolt.
I think the 2TB fusion drive is the sweet spot in the iMac storage options. The OS runs 100% off the SSD because it has more than 24GB to work with (128GB instead, which is more than enough), but you still have 2TB to store files you don't interact with on a daily basis.
I originally had the mid-tier 2015 iMac 5K with 1TB fusion drive and it was a nightmare to work with due to having insufficient SSD storage. Now I have the upper tier 2TB fusion model and it works like a dream.
I originally had the mid-tier 2015 iMac 5K with 1TB fusion drive and it was a nightmare to work with due to having insufficient SSD storage. Now I have the upper tier 2TB fusion model and it works like a dream.
An SSD is more expensive than HDD with Windows as well. You are free to get a old HDD and save the money.
But if the request is: what do you guys recommend: The answer is SSD.
If the request is: I need to save money, and still get speed, but am ok with slower performance and increased risk of odd behavior and issue, .. the answer is fusion.
This thread is helpful too for me. Except I will be mainly using lightroom, Luminar and Aurora HDR to edit my photos.
I've already decide that I am going to purchase the SSD since that is going to be the best option for me. Along with buying an external hard drive. Which I am looking at right now and trying to decide which is the best.
I've already decide that I am going to purchase the SSD since that is going to be the best option for me. Along with buying an external hard drive. Which I am looking at right now and trying to decide which is the best.
That is a great analysis. I'm buying an iMac for my 70 year old Mom. I'm going fusion drive as it is plenty fast for e-mail and photos. And she won't have to think about disk space (1tb will be effectively infinite for her), or using an external drive or having one on her desk. Sometimes Fusion is the right choice.
Worked out well on my 2012 Mac Mini. 5 years of 24/7 heavy use and its worked great with no issues. So I went with Fusion drive again for the iMac.
I went with the largest Fusion drive on offer; my hope is that in 3-4 years, when fast SSD's at large capacities in external enclosures are hopefully much cheaper than today, I can add one via Thunderbolt 3 and make it the system drive if need be. For general use, this seemed like a good choice for a family man for whom spending several hundred more on the largest SSD didn't appeal. If I were an industry professional instead of a home personal user, the choice might've been different.
Richard.
Richard.
What is the real world speed difference between the 2t Fusion and the 512g ssd? Looking at my storage needs I'm already at 400gb and I occasionally do video projects that eat up extra storage. I cannot afford the 1T ssd so I'm on the fence about the best option. Yes I know the dominant viewpoint is ssd but I'd like to get a handle on the real world difference. Thanks for any input.
The upgrade price to 1TB SSD is nuts. This doesn't exactly answer your question, but might be worth considering...
How about you get the 512GB SSD and then add an external SSD? Save a bunch of money and have very fast external storage, especially fast with a USB 3.1 enclosure. Put your video stuff on the external and maybe your Photos and/or iTunes library as well.
This is how I've operated since 2013 and it's served me well. I've got the 512GB internal and three 500GB externals that I accumulated over time. Every few months there seems to be some screaming deal on a great SSD drive, so lots of opportunities to upgrade storage as you go.
If you're going to use an external drive, why not just get the 256GB SSD and save even more money?
I'm glad I went with the 512GB SSD but for those interested the high end configuration (i5 3.8GHz and i7 4.2GHz) the 256GB SSD was not an option. 1TB/2TB Fusion and 512GB/1TB/2TB SSD were the only choices offered.
I have a 2014 1 TB iMac 5K which is the 128GB ssd model and 'decent' for the most part since the entire OS runs on the ssd but I hate the fact I pretty much can never run bootcamp. Also the speed could be better when accessing some large file like large photos. I only bought it with the fusion because it was on sale and I would of had to spends hundreds more just to get a 256 SSD so I said screw it. Reality is the 256 gb would have require external storage as well so I would have been in the same spot.
I've been considering purchasing a 2017 iMac and if I do I'm going 1 TB SSD. I still need to wait for reviews to come out and part of me just wants to wait for a refresh of the entire form factor which will probably occur late next year at the earliest.
I went for the 1 TB SSD. That way I can allocate 100GB to boot camp (enough for Win 10 and a few games) and still have plenty of room for all of my Mac programs and data (plus a few VMs). If space becomes tight eventually, I can add an external USB 3.0 SSD at that point for large video files, VM backups or an external Windows Steam library.
That's my question, as well. I've read that the SSD in the 2TB Fusion has also been given the 50% speed boost, so in terms of OS and Apps, why would there be a difference?
I'll be using this for Final Cut Pro (I'm coming from a PC, btw), with 5 GB of existing footage on external HDDs. The additional space on that pricey 512GB update doesn't thrill me too much...at least, not until I see actual benchmarks.
I have a 1 TB fusion drive in my 2012 iMac, and I have never felt the drive was the bottleneck in anything. When I replace this machine I will go for the 2TB fusion.
I too went with the 1 TB SSD. I don't plan on replacing my iMac for at least 5-6 years and I want full speed for apps that might balloon in size over time. By the time I upgrade again, the 2 TB SSD might be a $400 option. I'm coming from a 2010 Mac Pro that I added a 1 TB SSD to and it's still a great machine that I'm passing to my kids for school projects.
The price that Apple charges to upgrade from the 2 TB Fusion to SSD is not that unreasonable assuming that are using the new Samsung 960 PRO NVMe M.2 SSDs. It cost $569 for one off Amazon for the 1 TB model. And Apple charges $600 or $540 (Education Pricing).
The price that Apple charges to upgrade from the 2 TB Fusion to SSD is not that unreasonable assuming that are using the new Samsung 960 PRO NVMe M.2 SSDs. It cost $569 for one off Amazon for the 1 TB model. And Apple charges $600 or $540 (Education Pricing).
256GB will be plenty for most users' startup disk, but I need more headroom for stuff like Creative Suite, Logic Pro X, and Bootcamp.