Can't decide whether to buy a 2011 27" iMac with or without the BTO SSD

[AbeFroman77]

For sure I want a 2011 27" iMac
3.4GHz Intel Core i7 Quad-Core
4GB (2x2GB) RAM
1TB 7200rpm Hard Drive
AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GPU

I do want an SSD and if I can get a better SSD (SATA III) I'd rather have that. And I save a few hundred installing it myself. The thing is I want full functionality and warranty. I might be wrong, it seems there isn't a 100% fix yet for temp/fan issues?

If I go with Apple's SSD, will there be a noticeable difference from a Vertex 3?

 

[AbeFroman77]

bump

 

[mrfoof82]

For all intents and purposes, the Apple SSD is perfectly fine. Keep in mind that many SandForce SSDs are currently being recalled.

Going from any HDD to any SSD is a huge bump in terms of IOps. From a few hundred, to about 20,000 in the case of the Toshiba HG3. It's a 70x to 100x increase. Going from the Toshiba HG3 to the highest-end SSD you can get is not a huge bump. Under ideal circumstances you'd be seeing an additional 2x to 3x. It's simply diminishing returns.

I've gone from traditional hard disks, to hybrid hard disks (Seagate Momentus XT). That was a very noticeable bump for things like booting and app launches, but not for sustained I/O. I've now gone from drives like the Momentus XT to the Apple SSD (Toshiba HG3) (in a fully loaded 27" 2011 iMac). Even compared to the Momentus XT, it was a HUGE boost. If I were to go to something like a Vertex3, compared to the two previous steps, I seriously wouldn't notice the difference at all.

 

[nochnia]

I'm currently in the same position.
But for me taking the apple HDD + SDD is definitely not an option. Not because the apple ssd isn't as fast as an Vertex 3, but it's just too expensive.

The only thing I'm worried about is the warranty, which is void if I put the ssd into the system

 

[mrfoof82]

NewEgg sells a Vertex3 240GB SSD for $540 ($480 if not in retail packaging)

Apple charges $600 for the upgrade from the standard 1TB hard disk to a 256GB SSD and a 1TB hard disk. You also don't have to open it up and install it yourself. You're not putting the warranty at risk. Unless you got a bum disk, it'll just work.

I don't see the point in saving $60-120. If $60-120 is a "make or break" here, either save your pennies until you can afford it, or take the SSD off the table. You can also DIY, but personally I found my time more important (this is coming from someone who built PCs for 15 years and has repaired everything from VAXes to AlphaServers to Sun Fires).

-----

Also, keep in mind, all OEMs pad their margins with storage and memory. Ever procure a rack of servers? Even if you're just using 7200rpm SATA drives, the prices are on the same scale, if not considerably higher (i.e. $400 for a 1TB drive and the hot-swap enclosure).

Don't even get me into SAN storage, where TBs are measured in the thousands of dollars per, not $60/TB.

 

[Badger^2]

Im with mrfoof.

you will *not* be saving hundreds of dollars installing your own SSD unless you plan on getting a much much smaller one.

What do you expect to gain from a faster than stock SSD? What are you doing with your iMac that demands the fastest SSD drive you can buy?

Im missing why/how a SSD is going to help you.

knock down to an i5 and 1GB video card = money for SSD.

couple of other things:
dude, dont bump your own posts. bad form.
And have you searched? 90% of the reason your post isnt being answered is that in the last month this *exact* question has been asked, and answered, many, many times. You arent the first one with this dilemma.

 

[philipma1957]

read this thread;


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1178528/

something else to consider for now

 

[nochnia]

mhmm I just calculated it through and with the apple ssd option + 2tb apple hdd it's going to be 300€ more expensive than with my diy solution and smaller ssd (vertex 3 120gb)...

The biggest + is the warranty for me damn it
dunno what to do...

 

[AbeFroman77]

mhmm I just calculated it through and with the apple ssd option + 2tb apple hdd it's going to be 300€ more expensive than with my diy solution and smaller ssd (vertex 3 120gb)...

The biggest + is the warranty for me damn it
dunno what to do...

I'm also looking at an additional $200-250 savings by not having to pay tax with bhphotovideo.com without the SSD option.

 

[Objector]

I have the system you listed with 12gb RAM and without an SSD. I come from a dual core PC (E8500) with an SSd, I really don't miss the SSD on my iMac. I'll wait until Thunderbolt SSD's come available.

 

[nochnia]

But having my boot drive outside the case? I dunno. Doesn't feel that good for me... And I guess for the price of a thunderbolt case I already can upgrade to the apple ssd...