I am looking into purchasing a new 27" iMac, and am debating over whether to invest in the overpriced internal 768GB flash storage, or going with the Fusion drive and pairing it with an external LaCie 1TB SSD, in hopes of only storing my OS and Apps on the 128GB flash portion to avoid using the HDD altogether. Performance and speed over storage is truly where I am at, so I need help in my quest of choosing the best possible customization scenario to meet my photography/graphic design requirements, as I will be running multiple large editing programs like Photoshop CS6, Lightroom, and Autocad. I also have some Nikon programs that will be running wirelessly for transmitting photographs during various shoots. Opening and closing large RAW files puts me at a higher risk for increased lag time during the various editing stages, which is like death to us designers out there. 
I plan on having this computer for at least 5 or so years, and plan on upgrading the system as my small business needs grow and change. Depending on whether I go with the 768GB option or the Fusion option, I will always be using another separate external storage device for all of my large media files, and I am open to hearing any other product suggestions that you might have in the $1,000 or less range. Overall my ideal iMac budget is $4,500 total or less, and I definitely will not spend over $5,000 for my initial investment set-up. My logic has always been to establish what my "dream system" would be, and then try and factor in what I need most/can afford right now.
1) With my limited knowledge of how computers operate, I initially did a bit of research on finding out what system would best serve my needs. I began looking into solid-state drives because of their performance, and clearly SSD is the way of the future. I figured I could use the 768GB flash storage and combine it with an external storage device of some kind and be set! I already own a speedy external HDD that I will be using for the overall backup of my data. The only problem I'm having with this option thus far is the frivolous pricetag.
2) The other option I have come across is combining the Fusion drive and an external drive like the LaCie 1TB SSD, which is bigger and faster than the 768GB internal option for LESS MONEY. The Lacie option is very likely much faster than the Apple one, as it's a RAID setup. Benchmarks are already out there based on the MBPro Retina, and they speak clear. If I go with the Lacie option and leave the stock HDD empty I don't only save money, but I also end up having more than 300gb+ more of flash storage (the fusion plus the full 1TB of the Lacie). That's way above 30% more flash storage for less money, and this alone should be enough not to choose the solid-state Apple solution.
The downside: I don't have the computer management skills that I fear will undoubtedly become necessary as I take up more and more of the 128GB flash on the fusion drive, and quite frankly I am not interested in learning them either. Computers are a very essential part of my life with my line of work as a graphic artist/photographer, however learning about computers themselves is NOT a hobby/general interest I have in the least. I am more than willing to research what I need to in order to make an educated purchase of course, and that includes integrating into the equation the fact that I want as little to do with managing/reconfiguring confusing drive operations and other manual tweaks as I possibly can. So if this option in the long run ultimately comes with the task of learning manual computer management programs or skill-sets in any form, then this option is not for me. I would rather compromise my wallet than compromise learning something new that I find inherently time-consuming and too much extra work for me at this particularly busy time in my life. More Money for Less Upkeep = Great Idea for this kid.
So while I initially thought that performance and price were the determining factors, it seems as though it is more like performance and the least amount of managerial upkeep years down the line. Considering that solid-state is most likely the direction technology is heading towards, should I really invest in Apple's blatant "new" interim technology with such a clear expiration date in the hopes of saving a few bucks? Or should I overpay for a SSD that would save me the hassle of having to potentially bypass the hard drive and/or other drive operations that I really have no interest in trying to fully understand, let alone manually manage? :/ It feels like it is a battle of determining the lesser of two evils.. Any thoughts and opinions are most welcomed!
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10549
I plan on having this computer for at least 5 or so years, and plan on upgrading the system as my small business needs grow and change. Depending on whether I go with the 768GB option or the Fusion option, I will always be using another separate external storage device for all of my large media files, and I am open to hearing any other product suggestions that you might have in the $1,000 or less range. Overall my ideal iMac budget is $4,500 total or less, and I definitely will not spend over $5,000 for my initial investment set-up. My logic has always been to establish what my "dream system" would be, and then try and factor in what I need most/can afford right now. 1) With my limited knowledge of how computers operate, I initially did a bit of research on finding out what system would best serve my needs. I began looking into solid-state drives because of their performance, and clearly SSD is the way of the future. I figured I could use the 768GB flash storage and combine it with an external storage device of some kind and be set! I already own a speedy external HDD that I will be using for the overall backup of my data. The only problem I'm having with this option thus far is the frivolous pricetag.
2) The other option I have come across is combining the Fusion drive and an external drive like the LaCie 1TB SSD, which is bigger and faster than the 768GB internal option for LESS MONEY. The Lacie option is very likely much faster than the Apple one, as it's a RAID setup. Benchmarks are already out there based on the MBPro Retina, and they speak clear. If I go with the Lacie option and leave the stock HDD empty I don't only save money, but I also end up having more than 300gb+ more of flash storage (the fusion plus the full 1TB of the Lacie). That's way above 30% more flash storage for less money, and this alone should be enough not to choose the solid-state Apple solution.
The downside: I don't have the computer management skills that I fear will undoubtedly become necessary as I take up more and more of the 128GB flash on the fusion drive, and quite frankly I am not interested in learning them either.
Computers are a very essential part of my life with my line of work as a graphic artist/photographer, however learning about computers themselves is NOT a hobby/general interest I have in the least. I am more than willing to research what I need to in order to make an educated purchase of course, and that includes integrating into the equation the fact that I want as little to do with managing/reconfiguring confusing drive operations and other manual tweaks as I possibly can. So if this option in the long run ultimately comes with the task of learning manual computer management programs or skill-sets in any form, then this option is not for me. I would rather compromise my wallet than compromise learning something new that I find inherently time-consuming and too much extra work for me at this particularly busy time in my life. More Money for Less Upkeep = Great Idea for this kid.So while I initially thought that performance and price were the determining factors, it seems as though it is more like performance and the least amount of managerial upkeep years down the line. Considering that solid-state is most likely the direction technology is heading towards, should I really invest in Apple's blatant "new" interim technology with such a clear expiration date in the hopes of saving a few bucks? Or should I overpay for a SSD that would save me the hassle of having to potentially bypass the hard drive and/or other drive operations that I really have no interest in trying to fully understand, let alone manually manage? :/ It feels like it is a battle of determining the lesser of two evils.. Any thoughts and opinions are most welcomed!
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10549
