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Is SSD worth it on iMac i7?

I don't think it is worth it on a desktop with such a powerful processor. Once you open a program, it is loaded into the memory so any subsequent openings of the app will take a second.

If it were a laptop where time is of the essence, I would definitely consider an SSD. But desktops are so powerful anyway, can you not wait the extra 2 seconds when you first open an app? I don't think that is worth the extra hundreds of dollars.
 
As a new i5 HDD owner, I can say that I wish I had gone SSD. I do use HDD heavy apps (Logos) and I miss the fast SSD loads I got on my laptop (a Toshiba Qosmio i7.)
Also- with the HDD in the monitor- I don't know if this gets on anyone else's nerves, but I hate HEARING the HDD all the time. Not a performance thing, just an annoyance. Still- budgets dictate and all that...
 
Kendo said:
I don't think it is worth it on a desktop with such a powerful processor. Once you open a program, it is loaded into the memory so any subsequent openings of the app will take a second.

If it were a laptop where time is of the essence, I would definitely consider an SSD. But desktops are so powerful anyway, can you not wait the extra 2 seconds when you first open an app? I don't think that is worth the extra hundreds of dollars.
Click to expand...

It goes beyond the time it takes to start up apps. Everything feels snappier and there's no grumbling from the hard drive as it tries to catch up with what you're doing. The performance boost is significant, even with everything else in the computer at maximum spec.

Having a powerful processor without an SSD is like driving a Lamborghini in traffic.
 
It's all in the setup, if you use the SSD for the System and Apps, and use a spinning disk for data and user storage you get the best of both worlds, it's what I'm doing with a non apple SSD and it's amazing how fast this thing goes.
 
My first hands-on impression of the new iMac, initially at the Apple retail store, was somewhat unremarkable. That impression, following the delivery of my new iMac with SSD, quickly changed to very much extraordinarily remarkable. :)
 
Won't ever run a computer without SSD ever again !!!

Every thing is snappy - you click, it opens - and no noise from the HDD when it loads the programs and OS.

Get the SSD if you can afford.
Only guys without SSD will tell you SSD is not worth it !!!!!
 
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I´ve been using SSD´s since the first Intel X25-M, and I think it makes a very big difference.
I bought my iMac refurbished, and only used it for a couple of days, before i ordered the new Intel 320 SSD for it, as my earlys 2008 MBP felt faster with the G. Skill SSD.
IMO there is no going back after trying SSD´s.
 
I don't have a SSD iMac but I have had a SSD in my MBP before I switched the stock 5400rpm hard drive back in and gave the SSD to my sister. Here's my reasoning. The big draw of the SSD for me was the durability of it, as I've had too many crashed hard drives, but i finally decided to actually use time machine, so that's not much of a concern anymore. Second, the speed, yes I so miss the speed from time to time but I hardly use many disk intensive tasks, which is where the advantage of a SSD lies, and with 8 gigs of ram, I'm not too concerned about disk swapping. At the end of the day, it was 750 gigs of hard drive vs 128 gigs of SSD. Storage is king for me and I don't want to deal with external drives regularly. Now if I could have both in my MBP, that would make me real happy.
 
OP, do exactly this:

1. Go to Apple Store
2. Get an Air and another computer side-by-side
3. Open Microsoft Word on both
4. Wonder why you'd ever think about getting a non-SSD computer again
 
thundermustard said:
I recommend you add it yourself. Get the OWC upgrade kit and this SSD from Amazon. 512GB is currently less than $400
It is way easier than it sounds.
http://bit.ly/NGMmNI
Click to expand...

Exactly what I did. For $399 you can't go wrong. However I don't trust myself to install so I am using an Authorized Apple Repair shop to do it. $200 but at least I have the peace of mind and doesn't void any warranties.
 
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