Samsung X5 with late 2015 iMac

[mcpix]

Has anyone tried this combination?

I was about to buy a new Samsung X5 and use it with my 2015 iMac when I found a thread on Apple.com where someone was trying to do the same thing with a 2015 MacBook Pro. He was having problems because the Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter did not pass any power onto the Samsung X5. Will I run into the same problem?

 

[priitv8]

This adapter is bidirectional, which means you can use it to connect Thunderbolt 3 devices to a Mac that has a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port. In that case, the Mac must be using macOS Sierra or later, and the device using Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) must provide its own power.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207266

 

[smirk]

Does anybody make a TB2 -> TB3 adapter that supplies power to the USB-C side?

 

[Ifti]

Will not work - the Samsung X5 must have a direct TB3 connection only.

 

[mikehalloran]

The only practical way to give your 2015 the speed of an X5 is to open up that 2015 and get that slooooow AHCI blade outtathere. The price difference between a 970 EVO and an X5 more than pays the labor to install the 970 EVO.

If you need extra storage, you can install an SATA III SSD into the SATA slot as long as you're in there.

If you were considering a 2TB @ $997...

A 2TB 970 EVO is $492
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-2TB-MZ-V7E2T0BW/dp/B07C8Y31G1/ref=sxin_0_ac_d_pm?crid=2PMB9MJ0CH70O&keywords=970evo&pd_rd_i=B07C8Y31G1&pd_rd_r=ee37d9c8-928d-4665-a848-be96691e4d80&pd_rd_w=5Irlg&pd_rd_wg=djQ8H&pf_rd_p=64aaff2e-3b89-4fee-a107-2469ecbc5733&pf_rd_r=XZE8TR4XZ29G2EV178GF&qid=1561500652&s=pc&sprefix=970evo,computers,193

The Sintech adapter is $15
https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-Adap...ter+apple&qid=1561500731&s=electronics&sr=1-3

If DIY, you'll need this
https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-...d=1561500866&s=electronics&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

and an 8G or larger USB drive to boot from and install the OS (High Sierra or Mojave) before you restore from backup.

If you chose to have it done, labor including installing the OS runs about $75 where I am.

 

[smirk]

@mikehalloran Are there any sleep or fan issues with this model iMac and that 970 EVO? Is the thermal cable needed?

 

[mikehalloran]

@mikehalloran Are there any sleep or fan issues with this model iMac and that 970 EVO? Is the thermal cable needed?

No.

The legendary wake from sleep issues are specifically related to the 2013–14 MacBook and iMac — and the workaround is a simple Terminal command (the resulting small hit to battery life not an iMac issue). There are reports that using other than the Sintech adapter can still have issues — just make sure to use the Sintech adapter.

OWC is the only one insisting that anyone use the temp sensor in the 2015. There are certain 3rd party diagnostics that will make the fans run if the sensor is not there—don't run them.

If you have a fusion drive, you can leave the HDD alone for storage but do not "re-fuse" the drive. There's no point to it, really. Or you can slip in up to a 4TB SATA SSD if you want a much faster, cooler drive for additional storage.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Inch...s=860+qvo&qid=1561504122&s=electronics&sr=1-2

There are slow NVMe 3 x4 blades such as the iNtel 660p. They're inexpensive and much faster than the AHCI that comes out. Fine for PCIe 2 busses in the 2013–2014 iMacs and mid 2015 MBPs. A late 2015 MBP and iMac should step up to a blade that takes full advantage of the PCIe 3 x4 bus in these machines.

There is a new blade, the 970 EVO Plus. Do not use these (yet?) due to a firmware issue. The 970 EVO is fine.

 

[skotri]

The only practical way to give your 2015 the speed of an X5 is to open up that 2015 and get that slooooow AHCI blade outtathere. The price difference between a 970 EVO and an X5 more than pays the labor to install the 970 EVO.

If you need extra storage, you can install an SATA III SSD into the SATA slot as long as you're in there.

If you were considering a 2TB @ $997...

A 2TB 970 EVO is $492
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-2TB-MZ-V7E2T0BW/dp/B07C8Y31G1/ref=sxin_0_ac_d_pm?crid=2PMB9MJ0CH70O&keywords=970evo&pd_rd_i=B07C8Y31G1&pd_rd_r=ee37d9c8-928d-4665-a848-be96691e4d80&pd_rd_w=5Irlg&pd_rd_wg=djQ8H&pf_rd_p=64aaff2e-3b89-4fee-a107-2469ecbc5733&pf_rd_r=XZE8TR4XZ29G2EV178GF&qid=1561500652&s=pc&sprefix=970evo,computers,193

The Sintech adapter is $15
https://www.amazon.com/Sintech-Adap...ter+apple&qid=1561500731&s=electronics&sr=1-3

If DIY, you'll need this
https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-...d=1561500866&s=electronics&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

and an 8G or larger USB drive to boot from and install the OS (High Sierra or Mojave) before you restore from backup.

If you chose to have it done, labor including installing the OS runs about $75 where I am.

dear how about this ssd https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-1TB-...CS6D1DB4XCG&psc=1&refRID=2G3CF2HG3CS6D1DB4XCG