Apple's New 27-Inch iMac Supports Secondary Solid State Hard Drive

[wizard]

Speed and reliability

What's the benefit of having a SSD along with your HDD? aside from extra memory?


EDIT: Just saw that. #mybad

Title sums it up. A SSD can make your computer significantly faster at loading files. With your apps and OS on the SSD your machine feels much faster.

That is what you see on the surface, but a two drive setup is something that has been familiar with Linux users for ages as it provides advantages beyond just raw speed. For one when it comes to updates your user data is someplace else so the whole OS drive can be updated as needed. Second for certain types of uses there is a speed advantage simply by having two drives to spilt up I/O against. Finally if you know what you are doing you can get additional security by careful set up of the system.

For Mac users not into the details it is best to understand it as a speed advantage. The user only needs to realize that his data / home directory is best put on the old magnetic drive.

Dave

 

[wizard]

In this context it doesn't matter one way or the other.

I've always understood that modern controllers take care of TRIM; it isn't needed so much in the OS any more. The article mentioned earlier showed degraded performance on OS X, but that was for the stock samsung SSD: notorious for being slow. As far as I know, the intel X25 does not degrade over time, even when the OS does not support TRIM.

I've only had mine (90 GB) for three months now, so maybe it's to soon to tell, but performance hasn't degraded one bit for me.

An SSD used as a boot drive and apps storage drive won't have the issues any ways. Used in this context the drive will be mostly a device that is read and not written to. Ideally the only time the drive would be written to would be for new software installs.

Even if the drive wasn't used in that scenario the whole concept of TRIM is bogus. The operating system should not be dealing with these issues at all. That is a job for the drive.

Dave

 

[aliensporebomb]

Thinking...

Did anyone see this article?
http://www.physorg.com/news185438129.html

Think about it - dozens of the darn things inside a computer the size of an iMac.

 

[aliensporebomb]

Did you see this?

Still no answer on the TRIM support?

Two people have mentioned it... no responses. Probably nobody knows.

I wonder if that is something that can be added with OS 10.6.5 update, or if there must be some sort of hardware added to the SATA bus.

I'd love to see TRIM support added to the OS, and a silent configuration update to the Mac Mini, offering SSD options, and maybe optional ATI video processor, on BTO.

It just seems like these machines are getting expensive. breathe on an iMac and it breaks the 2000$ mark, and option it up with huge SSD capacities and RAM, and over 3000$.

HUGE Mac Pro computers now easily exceeding 3000$, up to 5 grand for a 12 core.

Hardly any configuration to a Mac Mini, and it tops out near a grand, BEFORE adding a 24 or 27 inch screen, or a Drobo.

With things getting so expensive... single component failures start to become an issue, and modularity becomes attractive, rather than All-In-One.

If a component fails outside of warranty, or if you wish to upgrade to newer tech... the costs get HIGH to replace more than is necessary by purchasing a whole new computer.

A 1000$ Apple monitor will work fine for many years... what happens when LightPeak, or USB3.0 comes out next year. Or the generation of processors and video processors newer than the current ones.... A CPU upgrade can do that. Why re-buy a monitor?

Why scrap or send to salvage a working computer if the monitor does fail, just because it is all one piece.

Apple seems to be bundling things for MONEY, not for technical specifications and differing obsolescence rates. Changing the plugs and ports all the time doesn't help much either.

I'd still love a mini tower, or other small form-factor machine that has the guts of these iMacs, but stood on it's own. People could buy non-glossy monitors, if they want, or Apple's glass monitors. Or hook them to huge monitors. Or draw-on monitors. Or multi-touch surface monitors, or projectors. Or two matching monitors at once.

Plus it would have some expansion ports, without having to get a behemoth mac pro.

It is an age old argument. Not everyone wants an AIO, and there is a huge chasm of a gap between Mac Mini and Mac Pro, along side an iMac.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIM

"Mac OS X will probably support TRIM in a future version.[20]"

Footnote 20 refers to:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article...or_trim_support_in_future_ssd_based_macs.html

As far as "use beyond the expected" I know the past 27" high end iMac can be used as a displayport monitor by a computer.

The current new ones introduced today supposedly can all do this.

And I have to say that I would be happy to use such a nice screen in the future with a newer CPU down the road.

 

[computermilk]

Guys i know apple doesn't like to list specific details for certain things, but i wonder if they updated the Front iSight with these models?


Even with the newest 27 inch before these new models (which i have) the front facing iSight is not that great, a low vga resolution.

i wonder if they improved it

 

[eddvedd]

Hey, sorry if this question has already been addressed, but is it relatively easy to add a SSD at at a later time? I purchased the imac i7 today but just couldn't afford this. I don't think I'm probably capable of doing it myself, but I assume a year down the road it might be cheap enough to pay someone to do it for me?

 

[johnmcboston]

Hey, sorry if this question has already been addressed, but is it relatively easy to add a SSD at at a later time? I purchased the imac i7 today but just couldn't afford this. I don't think I'm probably capable of doing it myself, but I assume a year down the road it might be cheap enough to pay someone to do it for me?

Honestly, your $700 can be better spent elsewhere... but a lot more external HD. Or OWC has a 16GB upgrade for only $550 - that'll get you more than an SSDD. Or buy some software. or...

 

[Altimeter88]

Hey, sorry if this question has already been addressed, but is it relatively easy to add a SSD at at a later time? I purchased the imac i7 today but just couldn't afford this. I don't think I'm probably capable of doing it myself, but I assume a year down the road it might be cheap enough to pay someone to do it for me?

I am thinking of doing the same thing, and yes you should be able to add it later which would be a wise option doing it yourself considering the price of the upgrade from apple. I currently have Mac Pro with an 80GB SSD which is plenty even with all my apps, FCP, Aperture etc. I would use a second 2TB drive to store my actual data for iTunes, FCP, Aperture etc. and use a FW external drive as a backup. We will see when the teardowns come out if this is actually possible but I would put money on it that is will be.

 

[John.B]

I guess the idea of actually offering two drives of the same size on an iMac (so you can backup your computer without having to clutter up your desk with additional hardware) never crossed their minds.... This is utterly pointless, IMO.

Notice that they don't even offer the option of two SSD drives or two 7200 RPM 2.5" drives so you can back things up. This tells me that they literally made a conscious choice to NOT allow users any form of self-contained backup on this machine at least in a factory configuration. I guess they figure they might cannibalize sales of the Time Capsule if they offered a way to backup the iMac in a self-contained fashion. I find that despicable.

I don't think it's despicable at all. The "right thing to do" is to have a Time Machine backup going to a separate external drive. Backing up another drive inside the same hardware is a bad idea IMO. Time Machine backups to an external USB2 drive is a cheap and easy solution.

My personal preference is to rotate SuperDuper backups offsite. Hard to do if the backup drive is inside your iMac. The reason I would want matching drives would be for RAID 1 mirroring. It definitely wouldn't replace my SuperDuper backup scenario.

I think Apple's intent here was to have a fast SSD system disk and then put your iTunes/iPhoto/Aperture/Photoshop/iMovie/GarageBand/Logic/ProTools/etc. data on the larger 7200 rpm spinning disk. Nothing more nefarious than that.

 

[Ravich]

A minor point is that the iMac already runs hot, so adding an additional spinning drive might not be a good idea.


What gets me is that they only offer one size for the SSD. Seriously, this is not the only internal drive that this machine has. The applications folder on my current MBP is 9GB. I could make do with far less and save money that I'd rather put elsewhere.

 

[johnnymg]

Anyone considering the dremel hole for an esata interface to the second SATA port? Sounds like a total winner to me!

bring on the hacks baby
JohnG

 

[charlituna]

I guess the idea of actually offering two drives of the same size on an iMac (so you can backup your computer without having to clutter up your desk with additional hardware) never crossed their minds....

yeah cause that's a really awesome notion. I mean if the computer goes south of course you are guaranteed access to that other drive with no issues.

That's exactly why all those IT guys recommend backing up to a second internal drive instead of an external. Heck even you admit that you have a second external back up.

or you could spend a few dollars more and get AppleCare extending your coverage to three years.

yeah cause that fixes everything. Until one day after your AppleCare is over ...

I know there is not an option to do this if you order from the website, but I was wondering if you ordered over the phone if it is accepted.

Nope. Phone sales are the same options.

 

[Lord Vader]

You ≠ everyone.

If you can justify it doesn't mean it's worth it. Argument failed.

 

[Lord Vader]

For you; fine. For me; I would even pay more.

I'm sorry for you.

 

[Ravich]

Did anyone see this article?
http://www.physorg.com/news185438129.html

Think about it - dozens of the darn things inside a computer the size of an iMac.

That article is from February. If it held an ounce of the truths that it claimed, everyone would still be talking about it.

The article boasts transfer speeds more than 10 times faster than what SSDs currently offer at a lower price and 70% more energy efficient due out within 2 years. Yeah.... what does "based on radio communication" even mean?


Something got translated poorly or whoever wrote the article screwed up. That's too bad, it was kind of exciting for a bit.

 

[Nimrad]

relocate music/movies etc folders?

How is the support for multiple hard disks in OS X? Can I somehow choose where to locate my music-folder?

And my biggest concern. I want to buy an SSD and I know I can put up with 80GB for apps, BUT, I have an iPhone 4 with 32GB and an iPad with 64GB. Say hypothetically that I fill them both up, that would total in a backup size of 96GB. I wouldn't wanna use precious SSD space for that, though I'd really like to have iTunes on my SSD. Is there a way to relocate the backup?

 

[nascimento]

The price you pay for your Mac + a handling fee?

Sorry. Never used it myself, but it appears to be a nice deal [no interest for 180/365 days based on the purchase price] for as long as you pay in time, and all of it before on or the last day.

https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/japply/lp/TnCs.jsp?prodidreq=CCVPS26513

Unfortunately No interest does not imply no CHARGES. There are plenty of cases where you have interest at 0% but with all the charges etc you end up paying the same as if you were paying 20/30% interest.
Banks dont lend money for free. read the small print

 

[Master Chief]

Unfortunately No interest does not imply no CHARGES. There are plenty of cases where you have interest at 0% but with all the charges etc you end up paying the same as if you were paying 20/30% interest.
Banks dont lend money for free. read the small print

But does it apply this this specific promotion? I don't think so. If you do please point me to it. Thanks.

 

[Goldfinger]

How is the support for multiple hard disks in OS X? Can I somehow choose where to locate my music-folder?

Yes.

And my biggest concern. I want to buy an SSD and I know I can put up with 80GB for apps, BUT, I have an iPhone 4 with 32GB and an iPad with 64GB. Say hypothetically that I fill them both up, that would total in a backup size of 96GB. I wouldn't wanna use precious SSD space for that, though I'd really like to have iTunes on my SSD. Is there a way to relocate the backup?

iPhone and iPad backups are 100-200MB at most.
You sync your music and pictures and whatnot with your iDevices so that stuff is already on your computer and (in theory) backed up. No need to make complete backups of your iDevices.
When iTunes makes a backup of your iPhone it doesn't make a complete backup. Just the settings, SMSs, contacts etc.

 

[Mac Matte]

MacMatte (Matte Petition)

It's a big disappointment that Apple did not bring back the matte, anti-glare screen, in spite of a substantial minority of people needing such screens for the work, or for those who are susceptible to eyestrain from the glare. All those who need matte screens need to add to the growing petition at macmatte.wordpress.com - the aim is for a hardcopy of that petition to be sent to Steve Jobs, so please contribute to the 1,000+ petition.

 

[rajbonham]

Unfortunately No interest does not imply no CHARGES. There are plenty of cases where you have interest at 0% but with all the charges etc you end up paying the same as if you were paying 20/30% interest.
Banks dont lend money for free. read the small print

I'm confused... What "charges" are you talking about?

I've financed a number of products from Best Buy, Dell, etc., and the process is always the same. As long as you make your monthly payments on time, and completely pay off your purchase within the allotted "no interest" period, there are no additional charges.

In every instance so far, I've made my payments and never paid extra charges for it.

If you choose to not make minimum payments every month or do not pay off your purchase in during the "no interest" period, then you are, well, screwed.

 

[phelix_da_kat]

Is the SSD a 2.5-incher? Then it would make sense how they fit it, for a 3.5" maybe they've done some internal redesign.
Mmm...now an SSD option for Mac mini please.

How about the Segate Momentus hybrid drive, its like $150.
Its 2.5" and faster than a standard 7.2k platter, but a fraction of the cost of a SDD.

 

[Nimrad]

iPhone and iPad backups are 100-200MB at most.
You sync your music and pictures and whatnot with your iDevices so that stuff is already on your computer and (in theory) backed up. No need to make complete backups of your iDevices.
When iTunes makes a backup of your iPhone it doesn't make a complete backup. Just the settings, SMSs, contacts etc.

Yes, of course. I just have to relocate my music and videos, BUT it does back up my apps. And they do take up quite some space. But I can probably live with that.

 

[Ubuntu]

How about the Segate Momentus hybrid drive, its like $150.
Its 2.5" and faster than a standard 7.2k platter, but a fraction of the cost of a SDD.

Just read about it, thats impressive. What's the catch though? Just seems too good to be true.

 

[mgm87]

Partitioning the SSD

Can you still partition the SSD to run Mac and then windows on another Partition on the SSD?