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yaarus

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 8, 2013
2
0
What would you say.
Which combination is faster? Latest iMac 27” with fusion drive 3TB OR with SSD and external LaCie d2 USB 3.0.
I’d like to use iMac to work with photos. I expect to have enough on 3TB.

Thank you all
 

karpich1

macrumors regular
Dec 18, 2007
170
0
I'd imagine the 768GB SSD drive

The SSD would be where you install all of the apps, which would run quite nice. And at 768GB, I don't see any way you're filling that up with JUST apps.

Then put all of your movies (that you WATCH) and your music on the USB3 drive.

The only caveat would be: if you're doing a lot of video EDITING or CREATION then you'd probably want your source files for that video on the SSD drive until you were done.

That's what I do with my PC: apps (for speed) on the SSD, everything else on seperate HDD. Since once the iTunes-purchased movie is on the drive speed is no longer an issue (unless it's really really slow HDD)
 

flynz4

macrumors 68040
Aug 9, 2009
3,242
126
Portland, OR
I am not familiar with the specific external you are proposing.

The full SSD version will be the fastest combination overall... assuming that you insist on booting from an internal drive. I do.

Your external is probably just fine for any streaming media (movies/music). For photos... I like the fastest drives possible. Your photo library probably also fits on the 768 GB SSD.

You always have options for the external... so you can always make that faster by getting a more powerful Thunderbold DAS.

I personally have the 768 GB SSD + 8TB Thunderbolt Pegasus R4. The combination is unbelievable.

/Jim
 

yaarus

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 8, 2013
2
0
Thank you all.
What I have found out is that non SSD part of the fusion drive is 5400pm.
I think that would be an extra argument in favor of SSD in combination with external USB3 which is 7200pm for working with RAW file of photo's using Lightroom4
Lacie I meant is this one
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10600
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
Thank you all.
What I have found out is that non SSD part of the fusion drive is 5400pm.
I think that would be an extra argument in favor of SSD in combination with external USB3 which is 7200pm for working with RAW file of photo's using Lightroom4
Lacie I meant is this one
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10600

The 21.5" iMac contains a 5400rpm 2.5" drive. You asked about a 27" iMac which does have 7200rpm 3.5" drives.
 

dandrewk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2010
662
315
San Rafael, California
What would you say.
Which combination is faster? Latest iMac 27” with fusion drive 3TB OR with SSD and external LaCie d2 USB 3.0.
I’d like to use iMac to work with photos. I expect to have enough on 3TB.

Thank you all

Nice setup! I was going to go with the 3tb fusion, but when Apple dropped the price of the SSD drive it became a better option. And the external HD that I am getting is the exact same LaCie. I assume you are planning to use it with the thunderbolt port.

Now all I have to do is wait for the new iMacs to show up in the EPP store.
 
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