2012 Mini 2.6 Internal SSD and USB3 External SSD speed test

propower · Nov 4, 2012

Test results
2012 Mac Mini 2.6

Internal 256 Apple SSD vs External Samsung 840 500GB SSD in Thermaltake Silver River 5G case: Let's say I am MORE than pleased !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

INTERNAL SM830...

EXTERNAL SAMSUNG 840-500GB Thermaltake Silver River 5G case

FrancoisC · Nov 4, 2012

One day we'll all have our OS in our pocket

Even with USB 2 OS X was "usable" on external drive, it just keep getting better!

dasx · Nov 4, 2012

Mmm... I only get 170MB/s for both write and read with a SATA II SSD with another enclosure. I wonder what the speeds would be with that case, because mine was just €15 and looks pretty simple tbh.
(I believe my limit is due to the case, not the drive although being SATA II)

Out of curiosity, what do you use the external SSD for?

propower · Nov 4, 2012

The controller in the case is key! Though the actual case is just OK construction wise
I use the external for Virtual instrument samples and audio recording in a pro tools based audio system.

dasx · Nov 4, 2012

propower said:
The controller in the case is key! Though the actual case is just OK construction wise

Yeahh... I figured.

propower said:
I use the external for Virtual instrument samples and audio recording in a pro tools based audio system.

OK. I wondered why that 500GB one. I use mine for backups of a LOT OF small sized files so an SSD comes in handy. I got enough with 128GB though.

xrm · Nov 4, 2012

Propower do you have the 2,5" or the 3,5" Enclosure of the Thermaltake Silver River 5G ?

I got the 2,5" with a Samsung 830 128gb, and iam getting the following results:

apparently the 840 is performing better in the enclosure !

philipma1957 · Nov 4, 2012

xrm said:
Propower do you have the 2,5" or the 3,5" Enclosure of the Thermaltake Silver River 5G ?

I got the 2,5" with a Samsung 830 128gb, and iam getting the following results:
[url=http://t.imgbox.com/aceLRYsk.jpg]Image[/URL]

apparently the 840 is performing better in the enclosure !

propower said:
Test results
2012 Mac Mini 2.6

Internal 256 Apple SSD vs External Samsung 840 500GB SSD in Thermaltake Silver River 5G case: Let's say I am MORE than pleased !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

INTERNAL SM830...

Image

EXTERNAL SAMSUNG 840-500GB Thermaltake Silver River 5G case

Image

well if the samsung 840 gets that speed in an external usb3 case.

internal ssd is not worth it. I will have to look into that since it is an amazing difference same case same test and the 840 is way faster then the 830. could you guys runs xbench disk only for the 840 and the 830 I would like to see the random 4k reads/writes.

xrm · Nov 5, 2012

the xbench results of the samsung 830 128gb in the thermaltake enclosure:

Code:

Results	288.39	
	System Info		
		Xbench Version		1.3
		System Version		10.8.2 (12C2034)
		Physical RAM		4096 MB
		Model		Macmini6,2
		Drive Type		SAMSUNG SSD 830 Series
	Disk Test	288.39	
		Sequential	204.72	
			Uncached Write	389.31	239.03 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	365.81	206.97 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	80.36	23.52 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	558.08	280.49 MB/sec [256K blocks]
		Random	487.69	
			Uncached Write	257.93	27.31 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Write	422.05	135.11 MB/sec [256K blocks]
			Uncached Read	1865.62	13.22 MB/sec [4K blocks]
			Uncached Read	704.42	130.71 MB/sec [256K blocks]

propower · Nov 6, 2012

I only ran the 5G version of the test.

I too was surprised at the speed of the 840. The 840 spec (non-pro) does say max seq write = 330MB/s and Read = 530MB/s... Amazing how close to full speed I was able to get!

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/memory-storage/MZ-7TD500KW-specs

----------

xrm said:
Propower do you have the 2,5" or the 3,5" Enclosure of the Thermaltake Silver River 5G ?

I got the 2,5" with a Samsung 830 128gb, and iam getting the following results:
[url=http://t.imgbox.com/aceLRYsk.jpg]Image[/URL]

apparently the 840 is performing better in the enclosure !

It is also the 2.5" enclosure (just got it Friday in case there is some firmware rev in the controller). Now the spec on the 128G SSDs is usually worse but I checked and you are definitely getting good but not as good speeds as the 840 (or the 830 spec). Is it registering on the "super speed USB3 bus" in system profiler?

Weird!

Xbench results Samsung 840 in Thermaltake Silver River 5G case.... WOW !!

esults 470.47
System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.8.2 (12C2034)
Physical RAM 16384 MB
Model Macmini6,2
Drive Type ASMT 2105

Disk Test 470.47
Sequential 289.92
Uncached Write 591.40 363.11 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 516.29 292.12 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 114.42 33.49 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 699.50 351.56 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 1247.15
Uncached Write 1297.27 137.33 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 713.13 228.30 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 2392.58 16.95 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 1622.75 301.11 MB/sec [256K blocks]

----------------------------
Same test Internal Apple SSD... Crazy huh!
Disk Test 521.47
Sequential 338.78
Uncached Write 707.47 434.37 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 560.83 317.32 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 137.47 40.23 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 748.35 376.11 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 1131.82
Uncached Write 894.80 94.72 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 925.84 296.40 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 2300.75 16.30 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 1108.86 205.76 MB/sec [256K blocks]

xrm · Nov 8, 2012

like you said, the size of the ssd has an influence on the speed (i think), and yup it registerd as super speed in system profiler...

nzreg · Nov 19, 2012

Just wondered if the external drive uses a separate power supply or takes its power from the USB bus?

propower · Nov 19, 2012

nzreg said:
Just wondered if the external drive uses a separate power supply or takes its power from the USB bus?

Samsung 840 is super low power and in this test was powered from the mini via usb3.

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

I just read your post and by the Thermaltake Silver River 5G case

I want to connect my new imac 2012 to an external disk SSD with the usb 3 connector to get more performance that the 7200/tr hard drive

can you tell me is the system stable with this configuration and if it's possible to directly launch your Os when you start the iMac to the external disk

sorry for my english

majkom · Dec 20, 2012

find thread here start by user philipma (or quite similar name) - booting from usb 2/3 might end with system crash, as usb is dependant on CPU - under heavy CPUload system can simply crash - boot internaly, via FW or TB

torana355 · Dec 20, 2012

propower said:
The controller in the case is key! Though the actual case is just OK construction wise
I use the external for Virtual instrument samples and audio recording in a pro tools based audio system.

How much did that enclosure cost?

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

majkom said:
find thread here start by user philipma (or quite similar name) - booting from usb 2/3 might end with system crash, as usb is dependant on CPU - under heavy CPUload system can simply crash - boot internaly, via FW or TB

I bought this case too quickly so I can not use my external case usb 3 for install mountainl lion

torana355 · Dec 20, 2012

Jeantro said:
I bought this case too quickly so I can not use my external case usb 3 for install mountainl lion

You can use USB3 to bootup, ive been doing it for years with USB2....

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

torana355 said:
You can use USB3 to bootup, ive been doing it for years with USB2....

And you can confirm you get no crash of your system with this method

maybe it's better to buy an external ssd case thunderbolt for get more stability of my system ?

philipma1957 · Dec 20, 2012

Jeantro said:
And you can confirm you get no crash of your system with this method

maybe it's better to buy an external ssd case thunderbolt for get more stability of my system ?

I use thunderbolt over usb3 thunderbolt as an external booter has been close to flawless. usb3 has crashed ever once in a while.

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

philipma1957 said:
I use thunderbolt over usb3 thunderbolt as an external booter has been close to flawless. usb3 has crashed ever once in a while.

thank you for your opinion

I don"t really understand, you use an adaptor thunderbolt -> usb 3 ?

you think I'd better take an external drive ssd thunderbolt

with the thunderbolt that remains stable OSX ?

majkom · Dec 20, 2012

Jeantro said:
thank you for your opinion

I don"t really understand, you use an adaptor thunderbolt -> usb 3 ?

you think I'd better take an external drive ssd thunderbolt

with the thunderbolt that remains stable OSX ?

no, he says that you should choose thunderbolt enclosure connected to thunderbolt. USB 3 boot, under heavy load may crash the system. that is all he is saying.

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

majkom said:
no, he says that you should choose thunderbolt enclosure connected to thunderbolt. USB 3 boot, under heavy load may crash the system. that is all he is saying.

thanks I understand now I don't use usb 3 boot

only the thunderbolt if I want to install osx in an external disk

sorry for my english is not very good

philipma1957 · Dec 20, 2012

Jeantro said:
thanks I understand now I don't use usb 3 boot

only the thunderbolt if I want to install osx in an external disk

sorry for my english is not very good

_________________________________________________________________

yes when I use only thunderbolt external for my booter it almost never crashes.

2 times in a year is really good.

_______________________________________________________________

when I have used usb3 external it crashed 10 times in 2 months.

not as good so I stopped

_______________________________________________________________

Jeantro · Dec 20, 2012

philipma1957 said:
_________________________________________________________________

yes when I use only thunderbolt external for my booter it almost never crashes.

2 times in a year is really good.

_______________________________________________________________

when I have used usb3 external it crashed 10 times in 2 months.

not as good so I stopped

_______________________________________________________________

can you tell me which model of externe disk thunderbolt you advise me ?

thanks

propower · Dec 20, 2012

The case cost me ~$25 each

Here is one
http://www.macmall.com/p/ThermalTak...kw={keyword}&gclid=CLvhhKKJqrQCFal_Qgodw2IA3Q

I have booted to FW for many years when needed and never had an issue. I have booted a little to USB3 with no issue but 99.5% of time I boot to an internal drive

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