External SSD-Thunderbolt as boot drive for iMac 27''

[joe-h2o]

If you're going to build an "external booter", you can do just as well to go with USB3, instead of paying more for thunderbolt.

I'm using a Crucial m500 240gb drive in a plugable.com "lay-flat" USB3/SATA dock. Read speeds were 275mbps and write speeds were 432mbps (initial test upon installation).

If you're willing to accept the two disadvantages of USB3 vis-a-vis thunderbolt:
1. May not be able to enable TRIM (but some current drives don't seem to require it)
and
2. May not be able to run firmware updates

... then USB3 is a more cost-effective way to go, and may actually yield faster results in normal usage.

Aside:
I've been wondering how to deal with possible "speed degradation" of the drive, as it ages. I found a page describing how to "reset" an SSD back to "original condition" by using something called "Parted Magic" (which runs from a Linux bootable CD) here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2088341/how-to-restore-your-ssd-to-peak-performance.html

There's no "may" about it - USB3 does not support passing of AHCI commands, so TRIM support is impossible over USB3.

Other than that, this is accurate.

 

[Fishrrman]

joe wrote above:
[[ There's no "may" about it - USB3 does not support passing of AHCI commands, so TRIM support is impossible over USB3. ]]

I'm wondering if the upcoming USB3.1 standard will include this ability?

Just as USB3 included UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol)...

 

[SaSaSushi]

If you're willing to accept the two disadvantages of USB3 vis-a-vis thunderbolt:
1. May not be able to enable TRIM (but some current drives don't seem to require it)

There's no "may" about it - USB3 does not support passing of AHCI commands, so TRIM support is impossible over USB3.

Other than that, this is accurate.

No, the latter bit about some current drives not seeming to require TRIM is also inaccurate. All SSDs benefit greatly from it and garbage collection is not a replacement for it.

 

[julesfrener]

Buffalo PATU3

My Buffalo HD-PATU3 Thunderbolt enclosure, with a 500GB Samsung 840 Evo in it clocks in at around 420MB/s read/write.

When fitted natively via SATA3, it clocks in at around 500MB/s read and 450MB/s write.

Hi Yung
this is a very interesting hint for me; only a question: how did you open the BUFFALO Box?
Jules

 

[yjchua95]

Hi Yung
this is a very interesting hint for me; only a question: how did you open the BUFFALO Box?
Jules

A penknife and a hairdryer to melt some of the glue

 

[julesfrener]

Opening a BUFFALO HD-PA1.0TU3 Box

Hi Yung
this is another very surprising answer.
many thanks and best regards to down under from switzerland.