External drive for iMac - off shelf, enclosure or dock?

[Tjmckay4]

So I've decided that I'm going to upgrade my 27" 2011 iMac to the new 2017 (base or mid) 512gb ssd version.

As I have more that 512gb worth of data, I'm going to have to get a 1/2tb external SSD or HDD.

Question is should I go for something off the shelf like a Samsung T3 SSD 1tb, or a bare SSD/HDD and put it in an enclosure or a dock? I do have a 1tb WD blue 2.5" HDD sitting in my PS3 that I can take out and put in a USB3 enclosure.

EDIT: I run my 2011 iMac (OS/apps) off an external TB adapter with a 120gb Samsung EVO 850. Data is on the internal 3tb HDD.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I was running my Late 2013 iMac off a Samsung 840 EVO SSD in a Delock 42490 Thunderbolt enclosure divided evenly between MacOS and BootCamp but have now upgraded to a 2017 iMac with the 512GB SSD so the external TB SSD is all for BootCamp Windows. I have a USB3 cradle with two 3TB Seagate 7200rpm HDDs on which I keep all music, photos and other larger files and Time Machine. One of the two drives is just a redundant backup.

For music/photo storage and backup, I think USB3-attached HDD is more than sufficient. SSD would be nice to have but overkill in my opinion.

 

[Tjmckay4]

For music/photo storage and backup, I think USB3-attached HDD is more than sufficient. SSD would be nice to have but overkill in my opinion.

Thanks SaSaSushi. That's what it would be for, photos and videos. Both accessed by Lightroom. Would a portable 5400rpm HDD be ok?

 

[SaSaSushi]

Thanks SaSaSushi. That's what it would be for, photos and videos. Both accessed by Lightroom. Would a portable 5400rpm HDD be ok?

Is that bus-powered? If it is USB3 then I think it should be fine.

I do highly recommend backing up critical files like photos online and/or to another redundant local source as well. As an Amazon Prime member, I use their included unlimited Amazon Photos storage.