Can I run programs like FCPX and Photoshop off an external SSD and edit on them?

[omfgskyler]

I'm about to purchase a refurbished iMac 27, late 2012. 3.4GHz i7, 1TB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 8GB RAM(Will upgrade via OWC).. There's another option of a 27 with 2GB VRAM and Fusion drive, but is roughly $400 more. I'm on a tight budget, so I was considering the first option. Then I thought, can I edit and run my editing programs off an external USB 3.0 SSD in a year or so? SSD will get cheaper an cheaper.. I figure after a year and a half of editing on a 7200rpm I'll be dying for an SSD.


I'm in need of a camera backpack, tripod, and some other necessites. I could use some of the $400 saved.

 

[passey]

I'm running my entire osx and every application off a 250gb Samsung external ssd via USB 3.0.

Speeds are the same as if I plugged it in internal connections amazingly fast and a lot cheaper

 

[Siderz]

For a start, don't use the internal drive on the iMacs to hold scratch files. Get a Thunderbolt or FireWire 800 drive for that, that's at least 7200rpm.

If you get a FireWire 800 drive for it, you'll need a Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 adapter since the 2012 iMacs don't have FireWire ports.

For holding applications, then using the internal drive is fine, and yes you can use an external drive for that.