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8TB external SSD

J

jclin10

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 1, 2009
159
19
Hi all

I was looking for an external SSD that I would use for storing and editing photo and video files. I'm having trouble finding a large external SSD (about 8TB) that isn't super expensive. Are there any shortcomings or performance drop offs if I go with 2 4TB SSDs or even an HDD with Thunderbolt?

Thanks!
 
For an HDD it doesn't matter whether you go USB 3 or Thunderbolt, it'll be slow. If I were you I'd probably get a large HDD for storing, and a smaller SSD for editing.

Unless you'd be constantly copying data between the two because you are editing all of the stored stuff, instead of just, say, the newest, or one project at a time.
 
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Basic75 said:
For an HDD it doesn't matter whether you go USB 3 or Thunderbolt, it'll be slow. If I were you I'd probably get a large HDD for storing, and a smaller SSD for editing.

Unless you'd be constantly copying data between the two because you are editing all of the stored stuff, instead of just, say, the newest, or one project at a time.
Click to expand...
Can't agree more. Just get a regular HDD for long term storage / archive and a 1 or 2 TB SSD for editing your current projects.

Also, it is not a wise choice to have everything stored in a single big disk: what happens if it gets lost, broken, damaged or stolen? You loose everything. Better to have various smaller disks with different projects.

Also part 2: how will you back up (because you back up, right?) an 8TB SSD? You will need another 8TB SSD so the purchase cost is double.
 
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Fishrrman said:
Beware of unbelievably cheap "8tb" SSDs that show up on ebay, or possibly on amazon as well.
They are scams.
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A few weeks ago European Amazon sites were absolutely infested with fake SSDs like 10TB for under EUR100, now they all seem to be gone. Good.
 
jclin10 said:
Hi all

I was looking for an external SSD that I would use for storing and editing photo and video files. I'm having trouble finding a large external SSD (about 8TB) that isn't super expensive. Are there any shortcomings or performance drop offs if I go with 2 4TB SSDs or even an HDD with Thunderbolt?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I use a Sandisk Pro 6TB external HD and two 2TB Samsung SSDs in a RAID 0 through Apple’s Disk Manager. I then use Carbon Copy Cloner to keep the RAID 0 and the Sandisk in sync. This allows me to use the Sandisk as long term storage and the SSDs as working storage. The Sandisk runs at 250mbs per second and the SSDs run at 750mbs per second. All told, I spent 400 dollars for the setup.
 
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