256GB vs 512GB SSD for 2017 iMac 27

[draculr]

I'm looking at replacing my custom built PC with a new 27" 5k iMac. It will be used mostly for photo editing, as well as general use and some light games (Diablo, World of Warcraft etc.).

The base model should do me fine but I definitely want to go to an SSD drive so I'll be doing a custom build.

I'll have a 2 bay, 6+6Tb unit which can store completed projects, movie files etc. I just need to consider the space for the OS, Applications, Documents, Music and current working projects.

I feel the best solution is to go for the 256Gb drive in the iMac and an external Samsung T5 1Tb drive for my current working projects. It would practically cost the same as going for the 512Gb drive in the iMac.

The question is: will the 256gb drive suffice for the OS, Applications and music files etc.? I plan on keeping this thing for a handful of years.

 

[deany]

External hard drives are a pain in the arse.
Also shocked at the cost of Samsung T5 1Tb thought it would be 1/2 that by now.
I'd go 512, I've got that on my rMBP 2015.
Check all the games are good to go on a mac. I dont game but someone will hopfully chip in.

 

[CWallace]

I went from 256GB in 2011 to 512GB in 2013 and then 1TB in 2015/2017.

 

[rjsounds]

256GB SSD seems pretty limiting.... in 3 years from now the extra couple hundred bucks you spent won't even matter. I think you'd be pretty happy if you went with the 512GB.

 

[EugW]

It depends on what you need. Your usage habits will be different than everyone else's.

I bought a 1 TB SSD iMac, and half of it is currently used (~500 GB).
I bought a 256 GB SSD MacBook, and only a quarter of that is currently used (~60 GB).

 

[Ledgem]

The question is: will the 256gb drive suffice for the OS, Applications and music files etc.? I plan on keeping this thing for a handful of years.

A lot of that depends on how prolific a photographer you are, and how large your music collection is. My music folder is a bit over 60 GB and my photography is variable, but last I checked by photo library was around 200 GB. I utilize external drives heavily (including for games); I have a 512 GB SSD in my iMac and space is tight, but I could probably have survived if I'd gone with a 256 GB drive... I'd just have to be more aggressive about moving things over to externals and/or with keeping things clean on the main drive.

My advice, though, would be to get the 512 GB. This is general advice: that even if the 256 GB would be OK for you today, if you're planning on keeping the system for the longer term, 512 will give you more breathing room. Externals can easily be added and upgraded, but unfortunately, the internal drive can't be adjusted.

 

[czacha]

You should know how much space you need. In my opinion 256GB is too low. Get 512GB as it isn't that expensive.

 

[cynics]

I would go with the 512gb between those two. If you want to save money than go with the 2tb Fusion.

The reason I say that is the Fusion drive is smart enough to effectively make its 128gb SSD closer to a 256gb SSD real world usage with the added benefit of have near a 2tb HDD.

But in the end I still prefer pure SSD solutions which is why I recommend the 512gb.

 

[kindaichi81]

512gb certainly. Dun ever think about buying another external HDD/SSD to extend later. The experience is totally.

Working space internally and expanded space are totally different.

256gb will not even allow you to backup your iPhone and ipad unless you have lowest storage size models.

 

[shaunp]

Go for the biggest you can afford as it's a complete pain to change it later. Honestly I'd consider the 1TB just because you will end up using it.

 

[mpConroe]

I have 256GB in my MacBook Pro and I went with 1TB pure SSD in my iMac (which arrives shortly). 256GB for a laptop it's not enough so for desktop computer it's even worse.

Go with 512GB or 1TB if you can afford.

 

[jlseattle]

I went with the 512 but I survived for years with 128 gb on my Macbook Pro. I would play heroes of the storm and have office installed. All documents, music, movies live in cloud.

I'm using about 150gb of my 512gb right now and it's fine. Nice to know it is there if I need it.

 

[kschendel]

Keep in mind that the OP appears to be willing to move stuff around manually. Unless you run a ton of projects in parallel, 256 Gb is definitely enough for the OS, apps, and some other stuff. I have a 256 Gb SSD in my rMBP and it's a little over half full with about 20 Gb of photos and music, and a like amount of work related "stuff". I'd say that allowing for OS, apps, and misc junk like email, you'd have not quite half of a 256 Gb SSD to work with for music and project data, and that's being conservative.

 

[pmouritz]

It really depends on your specific use. I have just received my 2017 iMac 27" base model with 256 GB SSD and could not be more happy with it. I hope that storage will not be a problem but I would not pay the outrageously expensive 512 GB SSD. I think that the cost-benefit was great with the upgrade to the 256 GB but tripling the cost for double the storage seemed too unfair imo.

I do light gaming in vacations like D3 this summer, Office programs and latex, Maple and Matlab calculations and simulations and web-browsing and a lot multi-tasking with many tabs and windows.

With icloud drive optimization of documents/photos and the fact that I do not keep movies/TV series lying around anymore due to all the streaming services - I think that 256 GB will be sufficient enough for the next 4 years at least. I have a 12" MacBook with 256 GB and the iMac is a direct copy of that with a few games. Before that I had a 2012 rMBP with 256 GB SSD also. Al though, the need for storage has increased the past few years, so have the entire cloud industry. Therefore, I do not expect it to be a problem and if it does, I will add an external HDD or SSD and relocate my folders

 

[theluggage]

The question is: will the 256gb drive suffice for the OS, Applications and music files etc.?

OS and apps? No problem.
Music files - piece of string (Do you have 50 MP3 albums or 2000 albums in lossless?)

You could definitely work with 256 plus your existing external. Sure, I'd get 512 or even 1TB if budget permitted, but that's just paying for the right to be lazy about file management.

 

[Fishrrman]

I run my 2012 Mini from a 240gb SSD in a USB3 dock.
The SSD is partitioned -- my boot partition is 159gb in size.
Even so, after nearly 5 years of usage, I've only used up 67gb of space.

A 512gb SSD (for me) would have been overkill, wasted money.

I -do- keep almost all of my files on other drives (the Mini's 1tb HDD is used for such storage, but NOT for booting).

 

[cynics]

Many people subconsciously use devices certain ways if they know there are limitation in place. "Live within their means", applies to everything really, food, money, gas, etc. Me for example, if I had 256gb SSD my iTunes library would probably be less than 10gb instead of...

Not because I wouldn't have more space available but because I wouldn't want to use it because its more precious.

Regardless of the size you get, eventually there is always the potential for it filling up. And if it does, its a lot easier to manage a larger drive than smaller because you'll have more stuff you are willing to delete/move to make room on the fast internal SSD.

Also may want to consider resale as well. By the time (if) you sell it, 256gb for a desktop will be nothing and likely not even offered in the iMac. The iPhone 7 has a 256gb option and thats just a phone....

 

[EugW]

My iTunes directory is on my NAS.

 

[cynics]

My iTunes directory is on my NAS.

I'm going to need to do that eventually.

However currently I only have a 2 bay NAS which limits my RAID options. And space is getting limited with 2x3tb HDDs in RAID 1. There just isn't an effective upgrade path for a 2 bay NAS. I need to get a 4 bay with 2x4tb HDDs + my current 2x3tb in a more efficient RAID level. Probably Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) if I'm going with 2x4tb and 2x3tb HDDs.

 

[Pikachuguy]

Go for 512GB

 

[jblagden]

If Apple went with ACHI SSDs or provided the option for them, it would probably be half as much to get the 512 gigabyte upgrade. Though, the speed advantage might be worth the extra money. I've also noticed that Lenovo uses PCIe SSDs (possibly NVME) in their computers as well, and they also charge $200 to go from 256 gigabytes to 512 gigabytes. This is one of those somewhat unusual situations where it looks like Apple's overpriced, but then I check out another vendor's prices and realize that the prices are either the same or pretty similar.

 

[steelrod]

I'm looking at replacing my custom built PC with a new 27" 5k iMac. It will be used mostly for photo editing, as well as general use and some light games (Diablo, World of Warcraft etc.).

The base model should do me fine but I definitely want to go to an SSD drive so I'll be doing a custom build.

I'll have a 2 bay, 6+6Tb unit which can store completed projects, movie files etc. I just need to consider the space for the OS, Applications, Documents, Music and current working projects.

I feel the best solution is to go for the 256Gb drive in the iMac and an external Samsung T5 1Tb drive for my current working projects. It would practically cost the same as going for the 512Gb drive in the iMac.

The question is: will the 256gb drive suffice for the OS, Applications and music files etc.? I plan on keeping this thing for a handful of years.

[doublepost=1506857654][/doublepost]dont belive this bull---t ref external hard drieves.
Ive got the new 27in imac 5k top of the shop fusion 3tb, 32gb memory etc etc, but Ive been useing ext drives for years along with my photoshop editing, acad use and so-on
useing an 8tb and 4tb seagate and had no probs so far,
Cant c me goinb back to the PC altho i have 2 x full tower systems dormant in my shack here
best of luck, you wont regret changeing to the Mac,, whichever model

 

[jblagden]

I'm pretty sure you'll need the 512 gigabyte SSD. I think you might be able to manage on the 256 gigabyte SSD if you're really careful, but the 512 gigabyte SSD will be better in the long run. That way, you won't have to routinely prune the drive.

 

[Awgd8]

Just an FYI,

The Internal SSD in my fusion drive runs on PCIe and benchmarked @ 800-1400 Mb/s (read @ write speed)
I would assume the internal SSD 256 GB or 512 GB are the same.

My external Samsung T5 500 GB on USB-C hooked up to 27” 5k (mid 2017) iMac thunderbolt 3 coonection is only running 420-525 Mb/s (read&write)

As you can see, the internal SSD is x2 faster than the fastest external SSD in the market.

I’ll go for 512GB internal then get a Samsung T5 500 GB for storage $197@ Best buy or a T5 250 for $119 online.

 

[jblagden]

Just an FYI,

The Internal SSD in my fusion drive runs on PCIe and benchmarked @ 800-1400 Mb/s (read @ write speed)
I would assume the internal SSD 256 GB or 512 GB are the same.

My external Samsung T5 500 GB on USB-C hooked up to 27” 5k (mid 2017) iMac thunderbolt 3 coonection is only running 420-525 Mb/s (read&write)

As you can see, the internal SSD is x2 faster than the fastest external SSD in the market.

I’ll go for 512GB internal then get a Samsung T5 500 GB for storage $197@ Best buy or a T5 250 for $119 online.

The speed difference between the iMac's SSD and the external Samsung SSD is the difference between NVME and AHCI. AHCI is about the same speed as SATA (6 Gbps), while NVME is more like 16 Gbps. NVME is the best for speed. If you're really worried about cost, you might want to look into building a Linux PC.