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Would FileVault encription affect an SSD performance ?

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XPcentric

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 16, 2008
271
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I've never used FileVault with my default HDD, but I'd find it useful. Because an SSD is faster than a standard HDD I think I could encrypt the content once I make this upgrade.

It all depends on how much slower it will make. Probably I'll do some tests before I fill the SSD with content to see how fast it is without encryption and with encryption. What do you think ?
 
FileVault will add the same additional time to complete file operations with an SSD as it does with a HDD. Since the SSD is faster, FileVault's performance hit will actually be more noticeable!

I use FileVault on my (hybrid drive equipped) MBP and felt no performance difference, although I'd expect running a benchmark program would show something.

Go ahead and turn on FileVault before you upgrade and see for yourself.
 
XPcentric said:
I've never used FileVault with my default HDD, but I'd find it useful. Because an SSD is faster than a standard HDD I think I could encrypt the content once I make this upgrade.

It all depends on how much slower it will make. Probably I'll do some tests before I fill the SSD with content to see how fast it is without encryption and with encryption. What do you think ?
Click to expand...

Here is test that shows very little speed hit with FV2 on.

Quote from the article:

Bottom line: if you have a Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processor, you’ll barely notice the impact of disk encryption, regardless of whether you’re using an SSD or traditional platter drive. Is a tiny performance hit worth the peace of mind of total data security? You’ll have to decide, but if you have sensitive data and a newer CPU on your Mac, it probably is.
Click to expand...

I have FV2 on with my 2013 MBA and notice no speed difference at all.

IMO if you have personal data on there you want to protect this is a no brainer to turn on FV2.
 
Weaselboy said:
IMO if you have personal data on there you want to protect this is a no brainer to turn on FV2.
Click to expand...

That's the real bottom line. If you need to protect data you really need to turn on FileVault no matter what the cost. Luckily the cost is very low. And FV2 is much nicer than the old FV1.
 
@talmy and @Weaselboy - the last two replies are all that want I wanted to hear. My brain restored from idleness when I read that. No matter the cost because its personal data that's my concern.


Initially I asked the question because I wanted a measure, before I do it myself. And for those who read the topic randomly - the current solution I've been using until now is to have an encrypted sparse image where I keep some stuffs, but it just doesn't work to move files there daily. So I'm going to encrypt the whole SSD just for the other few things that I collect daily, as my really personal file are in an encrypted image and backed up.
 
Doubts

When I had FV enabled on my 2011 i7 MBAir, I thought that the performance was the same. However, in tasks like ending the switching users, turn on and off, wake from sleep and deep sleep, especially when battery reaches 0 %, I had some lag.

Now with FV off, it disappeared. Anyone can confirm?
 
pedromcm.pm said:
When I had FV enabled on my 2011 i7 MBAir, I thought that the performance was the same. However, in tasks like ending the switching users, turn on and off, wake from sleep and deep sleep, especially when battery reaches 0 %, I had some lag.

Now with FV off, it disappeared. Anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

I have FileVault enabled and I never had any of these issues.

It's normal to experience some lagging as the battery reaches 0%, it's part of the power saving feature, to give you time to plug it in.
 
pedromcm.pm said:
When I had FV enabled on my 2011 i7 MBAir, I thought that the performance was the same. However, in tasks like ending the switching users, turn on and off, wake from sleep and deep sleep, especially when battery reaches 0 %, I had some lag.

Now with FV off, it disappeared. Anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

I only have one user, so can't comment on that part, but initially logging on does work totally differently with FV2 on so that might be what you were seeing.

A non FV2 login starts the full OS then gives you the login screen, so when you login it pretty quickly goes to the Desktop. With FV2 on when you start it actually does not start the OS but rather a small login utility screen from the recovery partition. Then after you enter the login it unlocks the disk and then loads the OS itself... so yes that part is slower. Overall though I think starting from a cold shutdown is about the same, you just moved the slow OS boot from before the login screen to after the login screen... so it does appear different.

I haven't noticed any difference waking from sleep.
 
I owe you one response: Why don't I turn FV on just now, before buying a new empty SSD ?

Because I've done once a similar mistake with my Nokia E71, when the SD card was nearly full, and my phone almost froze when trying to encrypt it.
So I wonder how would turning on FV behave with an HDD full up to 80% (200GB) ?!
 
Last edited:
XPcentric said:
I owe you one response: Why don't I turn it on just now, before buying a new empty SSD ?

Because I've done once a similar mistake with my Nokia E71, when the SD card was nearly full, and my phone almost froze when trying to encrypt it.
So I wonder how would turning on FV behave with an HDD full up to 80% (200GB) ?!
Click to expand...

It will be fine.
 
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