2012 21.5" iMac (2.7, 8, 1TB HHD)

[hellomisterjedi]

Hi,

I recently acquired an older albeit great 2012 iMac with an HHD. Being the newer, refined aluminum frame, I don't want to open it up to install a SSD. I have a Samsung 840Evo SSD that I had previously purchased for my PC that I now no longer have.

Would like to house my SSD externally and connect via Thunderbolt to my iMac -- preferably to boot Yosemite from. Does anyone have suggestions for obtaining an enclosure in a rather Frugal means?

 

[matreya]

You are definitely NOT going to get a Thunderbolt enclosure on the cheap... someone has already suggested refurbished Lacie Rugged drives, but they are not common.

 

[hellomisterjedi]

You are definitely NOT going to get a Thunderbolt enclosure on the cheap... someone has already suggested refurbished Lacie Rugged drives, but they are not common.

Hm. What suggestions would you make? Is it worth it to go ahead and spend a bit more for a TB enclosure, or is a USB 3.0 enclosure going to be satisfactory? Would the benefits of using a SSD via USB3.0 be noticeable versus the interior HDD that's currently being used?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm rather new to this, and still burying myself in threads of already asked questions and suggestions. There's quite a bit to learn.

 

[yjchua95]

Hm. What suggestions would you make? Is it worth it to go ahead and spend a bit more for a TB enclosure, or is a USB 3.0 enclosure going to be satisfactory? Would the benefits of using a SSD via USB3.0 be noticeable versus the interior HDD that's currently being used?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm rather new to this, and still burying myself in threads of already asked questions and suggestions. There's quite a bit to learn.

If you buy a USB enclosure, buy one with UASP like the Archgon MH2231-U3 UASP 2.5" enclosure.

For Thunderbolt...well, if you have the cash why not? Try the Seagate Backup Plus TB Adapter. Personally, I'd buy a LaCie Rugged enclosure though.

Keep in mind that TRIM can work over TB, but not over USB.

The OWC Mercury On-The-Go-Pro is also a lovely one as well.

 

[matreya]

The OWC Mercury On-The-Go-Pro is also a lovely one as well.

I have two of them, they are great:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MOTGTBH5T1.0/

What I did was pull the HDDs out of the drives and replaced them with SSDs.

 

[hellomisterjedi]

If you buy a USB enclosure, buy one with UASP like the Archgon MH2231-U3 UASP 2.5" enclosure.

For Thunderbolt...well, if you have the cash why not? Try the Seagate Backup Plus TB Adapter. Personally, I'd buy a LaCie Rugged enclosure though.

Keep in mind that TRIM can work over TB, but not over USB.

The OWC Mercury On-The-Go-Pro is also a lovely one as well.

Thanks! I found the LaCie's for a reasonable price refurbished. I think I'm going to go that route since I'm swapping out the HDD for the Samsung 840 SSD I have laying around anyways.

Do you have any other suggestion? Will the speed boost from booting Yosemite from an external SSD linked via Thunderbolt be noticeable and worth the investment (~85 or so presently) versus the HHD that's internal to my late '12 iMac?

 

[yjchua95]

Thanks! I found the LaCie's for a reasonable price refurbished. I think I'm going to go that route since I'm swapping out the HDD for the Samsung 840 SSD I have laying around anyways.

Do you have any other suggestion? Will the speed boost from booting Yosemite from an external SSD linked via Thunderbolt be noticeable and worth the investment (~85 or so presently) versus the HHD that's internal to my late '12 iMac?

It's worth investing, that's for sure.