SSD for 24-inch, Early 2009 iMac?

[carl201167]

This old machine is starting to run very slow so I'd like to upgrade the HDD to SSD having had some success doing the same on my MBP

But when I go to Crucial to find a compatible SSD, nothing comes up for my model iMac? Is that right? Is it not swappable?

And if so, do I have options - would I have to replace the optical drive instead - and are there any downsides in terms of performance?

Finally, could I even set this all up as a fusion drive (trying to see the sunny side here)

 

[toddzrx]

It should be swappable; there are plenty of other posts on here from owners of early '09's that have done it. You should be able to replace the HD, or do the opti-bay thing. And you can Fusion it too (haven't done this myself).

Not to rain on your parade, but I don't know if I'd bother, simply given the age of your machine. I guess it depends on what you use it for, but the biggest concern would be the screen. That said, I totally understand the desire to wring out as much as you can from old hardware.

 

[definitive]

Your best bet would probably be something like Samsung 840 Pro or Evo, or Crucial M500. Even though the system is SATA II, I would still go for a SATA III drive since they are newer and have better technology than what was available several years ago. This means that you have a better chance of compatibility and less chance of something going wrong. The speed will obviously not be same as a drive working on a SATA III controller, but it would still be faster than the 7200 RPM hd that comes with the iMac, so you should see faster load times in apps. You will also probably need some kind of a 2.5" to 3.5" bracket to fit the drive in there.

 

[carl201167]

Thanks all.

@toddzrx The machine is currently used largely as a fallback. It's set up to sync via iCloud/Dropbox with my main MBP and it has a time machine attached to it. My aim is to squeeze two or three more years light use out of it.

@definitive that sounds like what I need to do. I just wanted to know if it was possible. Sounds like it will be faster than my HDD if not perfect. I'll hunt around the forums for other people who've done it.