Crucial 1TB SSD launched today!

[LeandrodaFL]

I've been waiting for this since january, when Crucial announced a 960GB SSD for $600. When I sent an email to Crucial 2 weeks ago asking the status of the M500 SSds, I got a reply saying the line would launch in april. They promised and delivered with the M500 launching today.

Unfortunalty, I could not wait too much and ended up getting a Samsung 500GB 840 last week to use as fusion drive in new MacMini. Nevertheless, its a real welcome drive to the mac world. Can you imagine 2x 960GB in RAID 0 in a MacMini? Thats 2TB of insane fast storage.

I know a lot of mac users are worried about not enough room in storage options, so this SSD is very welcome. Yep, its in stock:

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT960M500SSD1

 

[martinm0]

I've been waiting for this since january, when Crucial announced a 960GB SSD for $600. When I sent an email to Crucial 2 weeks ago asking the status of the M500 SSds, I got a reply saying the line would launch in april. They promised and delivered with the M500 launching today.

Unfortunalty, I could not wait too much and ended up getting a Samsung 500GB 840 last week to use as fusion drive in new MacMini. Nevertheless, its a real welcome drive to the mac world. Can you imagine 2x 960GB in RAID 0 in a MacMini? Thats 2TB of insane fast storage.

I know a lot of mac users are worried about not enough room in storage options, so this SSD is very welcome. Yep, its in stock:

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT960M500SSD1

Sweet! Thanks for the update!

 

[PatrickCocoa]

You say Fusion, I say Fission

Unfortunalty, I could not wait too much and ended up getting a Samsung 500GB 840 last week to use as fusion drive in new MacMini.

You say "fusion drive". I thought "fusion" was Apple's proprietary OS-level implementation of a SSD drive and spinning-platter drive combination. Or are you using "fusion" to mean spinning platter with SSD as a scratch drive?

Either is OK, just seeking clarification.

 

[LeandrodaFL]

You say "fusion drive".

Either is OK, just seeking clarification.

I meant making a fusion drive myself. You dont have to built to order a Mac with a fusion drive, you can buy yourself a SSD, add yourself and use disk utility to fusion the SSD and HDD

 

[patent10021]

Can you imagine 2x 960GB in RAID 0 in a MacMini? Thats 2TB of insane fast storage.

Do you mean just having two SSD's as internal storage for the Mini? I have a 2011 Mac Mini i7 and want to upgrade. I could use 1TB SSD for my OS/music DAW and the other 1TB SSD for my sample libraries etc. Is this possible?

 

[LeandrodaFL]

Do you mean just having two SSD's as internal storage for the Mini? I have a 2011 Mac Mini i7 and want to upgrade. I could use 1TB SSD for my OS/music DAW and the other 1TB SSD for my sample libraries etc. Is this possible?

Yes its possible. You can have the two SSDs viewed by the OS as two diferent volumes. However, I recomend simply RAID 0 them in RAID utility, this way you get one single volume, and you can keep your files organized by folders you create.

Moreover, you may also simply add a 1TB SSD and fusion drive with a HDD for very similar performance. I am not sure however if fusion drive is available on your disk utility version/OS version, but it has been confirmed on older Macs, you should do a quick research.

 

[patent10021]

Yes its possible. You can have the two SSDs viewed by the OS as two diferent volumes. However, I recomend simply RAID 0 them in RAID utility, this way you get one single volume, and you can keep your files organized by folders you create.

Moreover, you may also simply add a 1TB SSD and fusion drive with a HDD for very similar performance. I am not sure however if fusion drive is available on your disk utility version/OS version, but it has been confirmed on older Macs, you should do a quick research.

So right now I have two internal 500GB HDDs that come with the Mini. My OS is on one and my sample libraries are on the other.

Why do you recommend RAID 0 to create a single volume? Why not just two separate SDD volumes? So both my HDD slots would be used by the two new SSDs right?

What would be the advantage of using the 1TB SSD + fusion/HDD combo? Cheaper price only?

 

[Giuly]

960GB Crucial M500, $599, In Stock.

AnandTech's review is out as well, and as far as I can see, the 120GB and 240GB versions are not that great.

So, it's either 960GB or 480GB, yet I wouldn't buy the latter for the MRSP of $399, as it's main competitor, the 512GB Samsung 840 with the crappy TLC costs $303 at the moment. Lets see if it goes to a reasonable price over time.

 

[steve-p]

Could be time for an upgrade from the 512GB M4 I've been using since they first came out. I'm getting close to filling it, so the near doubling in size is good timing It's quite expensive, but still a lot cheaper than the 512GB was at launch.

 

[LeandrodaFL]

Why do you recommend RAID 0 to create a single volume? Why not just two separate SDD volumes?

Because its better to have 1 single volume. It simplifies things. Makes it simpler to backup with Time Machine. Moving files between SSDs dont create copies, its easier to manage. You can simply use folders to make the files orgazinez according to your taste. Moreover, RAID 0 is faster then each SSD uncombined.

Yes, both slots will be replaced by the SSDs, they have the same exact dimensions as the HDDs in the MacMini. The only advantage of Fusion is cheaper price cause you have 1 HDD in the mix.

So, it's either 960GB or 480GB, yet I wouldn't buy the latter for the MRSP of $399, as it's main competitor, the 512GB Samsung 840 with the crappy TLC cots $303 at the moment. Lets see if it goes to a reasonable price over time.

Yeah, I got the TLC 840 500GB. The Crucial is MLC, but at this size, it doenst matter, the 500GB TLC lasts for 14 years and the Crucial 1TB lasts 48 years, wich is very diferent from a 50GB TLC lasting only 2 years.

 

[patent10021]

What's this TLC/MLC and what's the best bang for the buck right now? I can wait a few months still. Anything better expected to be released soon?
Is installing the SSDs in the Mac Mini a simple DIY?

 

[void1916]

I've been waiting for this since january, when Crucial announced a 960GB SSD for $600. When I sent an email to Crucial 2 weeks ago asking the status of the M500 SSds, I got a reply saying the line would launch in april. They promised and delivered with the M500 launching today.

Unfortunalty, I could not wait too much and ended up getting a Samsung 500GB 840 last week to use as fusion drive in new MacMini. Nevertheless, its a real welcome drive to the mac world. Can you imagine 2x 960GB in RAID 0 in a MacMini? Thats 2TB of insane fast storage.

I know a lot of mac users are worried about not enough room in storage options, so this SSD is very welcome. Yep, its in stock:

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT960M500SSD1

Thanks mate . Was waiting for this long

 

[LeandrodaFL]

What's this TLC/MLC and what's the best bang for the buck right now? I can wait a few months still. Anything better expected to be released soon?
Is installing the SSDs in the Mac Mini a simple DIY?

Its not simple, but its not too dificult either. Heres a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63WL3Q7UujI

You dont have to worry between TLC and MLC nowadays. It used to be an issue 4 years ago when drives had small capacity. They correspond to the way a SSD is built. The main diference between them is time before failure, wich is nowadays already insanelly large on TLC:

500GB TLC will live for 14 years ($330)
500GB MLC will live for 28 years. ($400)
1TB MLC will live for 48 years ($600)

So, is there really a diference if you get TLC or MLC? Well, TLC is cheaper, thats why the Samsung 840 500GB (TLC) is cheaper then the Crucial 480GB M500 (MLC)

Nothing better is coming up. So at the moment, Samsung 840 is a very popular choice becaus its a little cheaper, but it goes only upt to 500GB. The Crucial 960GB offers a terabyte of storage in 1 single drive and at the same price/GB as TLC drives, even tough it is MLC, but then again, it makes no diference, in 5 years you gonna be changing the SSD for something larger

 

[Giuly]

To be fair, the Samsung 840 has a MSRP of $449.99 and then came down gradually, the M500 has one of $399.99 and Amazon has it listed at $383 already: Wait a week or two and it will be more affordable.