External SSD drives for late-2015 iMac 5K

[JoeTaylor]

Have a late-2015 iMac 5K that I've been using to edit 4K video via FCPX with all my media on a Lacie dual spinner (Thunderbolt2) which finally failed on me.

The Lacie worked fine but the expense to replace it with a similar drive is too costly. I'd like to use a SSD external drive to store 4k ProRes media on for editing, but I'm getting mixed up and confusing advice.

Most external SSD drives are, as far as i can tell, TB-3/USBC. With Apple's TB-3 to TB-2 adapter, would I be able to use an external SSD drive with this system? Some are saying that the drive needs external power tow work with TB-2.

This is the system I'd like to use, providing it works.

I'd think there'd be an easy answer, but here I am, still confused as ever about what and what won't work. (If it does work, I'd like to get a speedy cable.

So if there's anybody out there who is sincerely in the know about this issue, I'd love to get some solid advice.

Many thanks!!!!!

 

[Fishrrman]

Get a USB3 SSD.
Many available.
Not expensive.

Or... buy a "bare" 2.5" SSD, and a USB3 2.5" enclosure, and create your own (my preference).

 

[JoeTaylor]

Get a USB3 SSD.
Many available.
Not expensive.

Or... buy a "bare" 2.5" SSD, and a USB3 2.5" enclosure, and create your own (my preference).

But won't the USB3 SSD drive require external power?

 

[JoeTaylor]

Get a USB3 SSD.
Many available.
Not expensive.

Or... buy a "bare" 2.5" SSD, and a USB3 2.5" enclosure, and create your own (my preference).

I found these two items on Amazon. Is this the 2.5" SSD and USB3 2.5 enclosure you were speaking of and might they work?

 

[Fishrrman]

You DON'T NEED to spend that much on a Samsung high-performance drive.
In fact, I recommend that you don't.
Instead, buy your 2.5" SATA SSD "for price". I like Crucial and Sandisk.

For an enclosure, I'd suggest this:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

www.amazon.com

(I have these, they work well)

Also, a Samsung t5 would work.
Small, and ready-to-use (you DO need to erase it to get the Samsung proprietary software off of it).
If you can find one at a price competitive with "building your own".

I just like putting them together myself.

 

[JoeTaylor]

Copy that. Another issue is powering the drive. I think I'd get the best performance by going from it's USB-C port to my systems TB-2 (via TB-3/USB-C to TB-2 adapter.) And to do that, I'm told i need external AC to power the drive.

 

[JoeTaylor]

You DON'T NEED to spend that much on a Samsung high-performance drive.
In fact, I recommend that you don't.
Instead, buy your 2.5" SATA SSD "for price". I like Crucial and Sandisk.

For an enclosure, I'd suggest this:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

www.amazon.com

(I have these, they work well)

Also, a Samsung t5 would work.
Small, and ready-to-use (you DO need to erase it to get the Samsung proprietary software off of it).
If you can find one at a price competitive with "building your own".

I just like putting them together myself.

Checking out the Samsung t5. And like every external SSD drive, they don't offer external power.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I think I'd get the best performance by going from it's USB-C port to my systems TB-2 (via TB-3/USB-C to TB-2 adapter.) And to do that, I'm told i need external AC to power the drive."

NO!

Just plug it into an available USB port.
Either USBc or USB3(a) (not sure if the 2020 iMac has these?).

The external enclosure I linked to above runs just fine using an SSD and "USB bus power".

The t5 doesn't have external power because IT DOESN'T NEED "external" power. It runs just fine "from the bus".

DO NOT OVERTHINK THIS.
Just get a USB3 SSD.
It will work so well, I predict you'll come back here and tell us how pleased you are with the results.

 

[JoeTaylor]

Will do!!!!!! Many thanks!!!

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Have a late-2015 iMac 5K that I've been using to edit 4K video via FCPX with all my media on a Lacie dual spinner (Thunderbolt2) which finally failed on me.

My question is: The Lacie failed because of the spinners died, or because the TB2 interface died.
If only the spinners died, you may want to try to replace them with 2 SSD to see if it work.
Of course a USB 3.0 enclosure is not that expensive. But playing with the dead Lacie won't do any harm anyway.

 

[JoeTaylor]

Hello Nguyen, I believe it was either one or both of the spinners stopped working. Not sure what the TB2 interface is.

But replacing the spinners with SSD drives... I hadn't thought of that and it's an awesome idea!! If that can really be done, I'll jump all over option.

 

[JoeTaylor]

My question is: The Lacie failed because of the spinners died, or because the TB2 interface died.
If only the spinners died, you may want to try to replace them with 2 SSD to see if it work.
Of course a USB 3.0 enclosure is not that expensive. But playing with the dead Lacie won't do any harm anyway.

Can you recommend what internal SSD drives might work with this Lacie?

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Can you recommend what internal SSD drives might work with this Lacie?

I only trust Samsung (5 year warranty). Others may think different.
EVO 870 2.5" SATA drive is good enough. I wouldn't get the QVO series, unless their prices are half of the EVO series.
I would get me 2x1TB drives for about 200$~240$ (price in Vietnam)
Over the years, I have bought all kinds of SATA SSD (Sandisk, Seagate, Intel, old Micron torn out from decommissioned servers). They all worked well, no hiccups so far.