Best Portable Storage?+ refurb stock?

G

gazing

macrumors member
Hi I'm completely new to this thread and I have sorta 2 and a half questions:
My first is Im on the verge of buying a refurbished macbook pro retina either the 256gb model or the 512 model. I'm going to need some good portable storage as I go on the road alot and needs to be quick as Im using apps like Logic Pro x , xcode , photoshop illustrator...

Now I know Im probably gonna buy the samsung 840 pro 512gb but Im looking for a sorta thunderbolt enclosure which wont bottleneck the speeds that it deserves too much . I dont mind about the price as long as its sub 400 but it must be quick and be BUS- powered.

However If all Im going to do on that is store my files recall them maybe run photshop in it do I need a quick setup like that or should I buy cheap 7200 RPM drive 1tb instead?

Finally I just wondered if anyone knew that after a product goes on the apple store refurbs how long does it take till it comes back as my 2 products just sold out and was wondering whether they'll return anytime soon?

Thanks for bothering to read it all! Really appreciate it.
 
Refurb store is somewhat random. I remember reading that checking around noon or 1pm could help, since that is when they supposedly add the new stock?

This is the only compact, bus powered TB enclosure that I am aware of:
http://www.seagate.com/external-har...rives/performance/goflex-for-mac-thunderbolt/

I think it costs $99 + whatever your SSD will cost. It should be much less noisy than a 7200 rpm hdd, speed should also be fine with the 840 EVO. If you really need that I don't know.
 
Kk. Are there no other bus powered thunderbolt drives out there which can surpass 500 mb/s ?
Otherwise might aswell get 1tb my passport WD and use that for storage
Bare in mind I would use thunderbolt drive to boot apps and maybe run vm's
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-STA...211523&sr=8-13&keywords=thunderbolt+enclosure

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drobo-DR-MI...7211622&sr=8-5&keywords=thunderbolt+enclosure

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lacie-90002...=1397211701&sr=8-2&keywords=Lacie+Thunderbolt

Few options, empty enclosure or the Lacie and swop the useless 5400rpm drive
for an SSD of your choice.
None of them cheap but at the moment that's the problem with TB devices.

I have the Lacie TB and have fitted a HGST 1tb 7200rpm drive, works for me with
library / samples etc for running Logic on the Laptop.

Marty.
 
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Are your apps taking so much space that even an internal 512GB SSD on the MBP cannot be enough? Most people who need a lot of media files on the road they have to make do with a relatively slower drive, especially for bus powered. The media files themselves do not need that frequent access, unless you are editing video.

For 500MB/s, USB3 enclosure may be able to achieve that not just Thunderbolt. But bus powering may need another USB port.
 
Some Decent LaCie pieces, if a USA Buyer..

I can't REALLY help much in your Storage Quest, except to say that LaCie items have always treated me well, and if I lived in the USA (as opposed to Canada, which I do) that I would not hesitate to buy any of these REFURB's that I fancied.. :D

http://www.lacie.com/products/clearance/products/?id=10007

The APPLE store has always been a pretty 'organic living creature' and never follows any certain pattern, that I can see.. I have bought several Refurb devices and always happy with them though.. If you want something specific, I think you just gotta Keep Looking Daily, or several times a day perhaps!! Everyone wants a deal, and you are no exception.. Good Luck in the Quest!! :apple:
 
Chancha said:
For 500MB/s, USB3 enclosure may be able to achieve that not just Thunderbolt. But bus powering may need another USB port.
Click to expand...

On a side note, TRIM can be enabled over TB but not over USB.

----------
gazing said:
Kk. Are there no other bus powered thunderbolt drives out there which can surpass 500 mb/s ?
Otherwise might aswell get 1tb my passport WD and use that for storage
Bare in mind I would use thunderbolt drive to boot apps and maybe run vm's
Click to expand...

Nope. Having a Samsung 840 Pro (256GB) in my Buffalo TB HD-PATU3 can only hit 400MB/s at max, due to the controller implementation in the HD-PATU3. Different results can be obtained with the same drive in different enclosures, however I have not tested it myself.

The 512GB 840 Pro won't work in the HD-PATU3 due to power requirements.
 
I'm getting 512 ssd so will be fine for at least a year.

Does anyone know if refurbs are still updated on Saturday and Sunday ?!? As I Just missed another one :rolleyes:
 
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