Possible Thunderbolt SSD Boot Device

[fredtt]

Hey everyone,

So I was looking around for Thunderbolt SSD Enclosures for my iMac. I wasn to add a SSD, but I REALLY REALLY don't feel like opening up my shiny new computer.

This is the alternative that I was thinking about:

Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter from Sonnet - $149
Tempo SATA ExpressCard/34 from Sonnet - $49
Vantec NexStar CX 2.5" SATA to USB 2.0 & eSATA External Hard Drive/SSD Enclosure - $19
Samsung 830 128 GB SSD - $199

Total Cost: $420

Anyone think this would work? Would performance be similar?

 

[simon567]

If you wait a few weeks, you could do it all in one for the same price with this:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/ThunderboltSSD.html

The speed isn't up to a SATA III connection, but in my experience you won't notice much different outside benchmarks. It should still be a massive upgrade over the mechanical drive (although I'll be waiting to see what people are saying about it before spending so much!).

There's also a drive from OCZ coming before the end of the year which claims to offer much faster speeds, if you can wait!

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5321/oczs-portable-thunderbolt-ssd-lightfoot

 

[IeU]

Yes, i do also want to add a SDD to my MAC, but i do not want to open it up to add it or take to some1 do it . . .

In the case that my MAC blows up, i will have to take it out before i send it in . . .


So, i am also looking after and waiting patiently for an extern solution. One that it is just plug and play and SATAIII speeds . . .

Basicly, a SSD in a case, with a SATAIII bus and a thunderbolt connector. That is all i want . . .

 

[Fonze]

Dont know about Apple Service prices, but wouldnt it be cheaper to have Apple put in a SSD?

 

[simon567]

Yes, i do also want to add a SDD to my MAC, but i do not want to open it up to add it or take to some1 do it . . .

In the case that my MAC blows up, i will have to take it out before i send it in . . .


So, i am also looking after and waiting patiently for an extern solution. One that it is just plug and play and SATAIII speeds . . .

Basicly, a SSD in a case, with a SATAIII bus and a thunderbolt connector. That is all i want . . .

If you're just looking for a small SSD for the OS and Applications then I wouldn't worry too much about SATA III. I've used a PC which had a SATA II drive and was later upgraded to a SATA III (the first drive failed) and I couldn't tell the difference between the two. Perhaps if you had them side by side you'd notice, but it's the lack of seek times that make the big difference and those are almost non-existant with SSD whichever connection you use. I don't think the top speed quoted by the Elgato drive will be an issue if it functions like an internal SSD in ever other way. As far as I know SATA III only comes into its own when you're moving huge files regularly.

 

[Lucianrider]

If you wait a few weeks, you could do it all in one for the same price with this:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/ThunderboltSSD.html

The speed isn't up to a SATA III connection, but in my experience you won't notice much different outside benchmarks. It should still be a massive upgrade over the mechanical drive (although I'll be waiting to see what people are saying about it before spending so much!).

There's also a drive from OCZ coming before the end of the year which claims to offer much faster speeds, if you can wait!

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5321/oczs-portable-thunderbolt-ssd-lightfoot

These look very interesting but neither of them have a Thunderbolt pass through port that I could tell. I have the 21.5" with only one TB port and this is driving a second monitor. What alternatives will there be for users like me that don't want to give up the second monitor??

 

[IeU]

If you're just looking for a small SSD for the OS and Applications then I wouldn't worry too much about SATA III. I've used a PC which had a SATA II drive and was later upgraded to a SATA III (the first drive failed) and I couldn't tell the difference between the two. Perhaps if you had them side by side you'd notice, but it's the lack of seek times that make the big difference and those are almost non-existant with SSD whichever connection you use. I don't think the top speed quoted by the Elgato drive will be an issue if it functions like an internal SSD in ever other way. As far as I know SATA III only comes into its own when you're moving huge files regularly.

Yea, still

i could get for almost the same buck a SATAIII, so why not SATAIII . . .?

 

[IeU]

Any news here?

 

[simon567]

No sign of the Elgato drive yet, though you could have an SSD for even less with the Seagate Goflex adapter. Apparently the adapter is simply a SATA connection, so you don't have to use Seagate's drives, you can just plug it into any SSD drive (though you might want to get a case, I was wondering about picking up one of the cheaper Goflex drives and swapping the internals)

There's a thread here, I'm just waiting for opinions before buying:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1317581/