The 768GB Flash Storage $1300 club

[NJRonbo]

Jonny,

Well said, and I hope it inspires everyone else who is seemingly being chastised for making the decision to spend the money to go with the 768GB drive.

Many of us buy an iMac every few years. We save and we buy the best machine we can afford because it's one that we are going to have to live with for an extended period of time.

If you can afford it, by all means, I think it's a very sound decision to spend the extra money to get an all-SSD drive.

 

[frozentoast]

27-inch iMac
3.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
32GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM-4X8GB
768GB Flash Storage
NVIDIAGeFrc GTX 680MX 2G GDDR5

Maxed out club. January seems forever away.

 

[Gene S]

Mine gets delivered this Wednesday. I can't wait!

 

[theSeb]

First pic is the Lacie connected to a TB in a MBAir, second is two Lacies Daisy Chained.

Bottom line: it's cheaper, faster, bigger. Drawbacks: you can't install Windows on it, and it's external.

Personally i couldn't care less about the "drawbacks", i just report them for your info as we have debated this option vs. the Apple internal one at lenght 😀

That's great, but you're showing us sequential speeds and not random read and write speeds, which cannot be ignored to gauge how the performance of the system will be. Using an external enclosure has a significant impact on the random performance and in a nutshell, the internal SSD drive will be faster than the same drive in an external TB enclosure. The difference in speed will most likely not be something that the user can notice on a day to day basis, but it is definitely there.

 

[Mac32]

I don't blame any user for ordering the 768gb SSD option, as a lot of us don't want internal HD in our computers anymore. I blame Apple for giving us such a crappy set of options, with no reasonably priced 512gb SSD choice. This is just another scheme from Apple to suck more money out of our pockets. I do however think is slightly crazy to order 32gb ram from Apple (unless you're rich, then why not), since it's so easy and unproblematic to replace ram yourself, unlike the SSD.

 

[colourfastt]

$1300 price point is a complete failURE.

There; fixed it for you.

 

[jonnyc]

Jonny,

Well said, and I hope it inspires everyone else who is seemingly being chastised for making the decision to spend the money to go with the 768GB drive.

Many of us buy an iMac every few years. We save and we buy the best machine we can afford because it's one that we are going to have to live with for an extended period of time.

If you can afford it, by all means, I think it's a very sound decision to spend the extra money to get an all-SSD drive.

Cheers. Glad someone else thinks the way I do!

 

[bill phillips]

First pic is the Lacie connected to a TB in a MBAir, second is two Lacies Daisy Chained.

Bottom line: it's cheaper, faster, bigger. Drawbacks: you can't install Windows on it, and it's external.

Personally i couldn't care less about the "drawbacks", i just report them for your info as we have debated this option vs. the Apple internal one at lenght 😀

looks awesome, but the two thunderbolts daisy chained you mean literally two $1000 drives? so $2000? and the first one is one lacie lbd raid 0? am i correct on this?

----------

First pic is the Lacie connected to a TB in a MBAir, second is two Lacies Daisy Chained.

Bottom line: it's cheaper, faster, bigger. Drawbacks: you can't install Windows on it, and it's external.

Personally i couldn't care less about the "drawbacks", i just report them for your info as we have debated this option vs. the Apple internal one at lenght 😀

i understand its been debated at length apparently by some of you guys, but this is the first time i personally have been made aware of it. which is why im asking your advice, because its all new to me

 

[hfg]

This might be of interest to those on this thread too ...
(To those who already read this elsewhere ... sorry for the repost)

Apple has made it difficult to configure the new 27" iMac due to their poor choices of configurations. This is even more difficult if the user wants to run bootable Windows due to a Windows limitation of 2.2TB maximum drive size:

1TB HD --- slow, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB HD --- slow, large capacity, no Windows without extreme effort
1TB Fusion --- fast for most users, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB Fusion --- fast for most users, large capacity, no Windows BootCamp
768GB SSD --- faster, medium capacity, fast Windows BootCamp


How nice it would have been to have had these options:

Your new 27" iMac can be ordered with up to 2 storage drives. They are of different technology due to size constraints within the iMac. If you choose a SSD and a Hard Disk, you can elect to have it configured as a Fusion drive.

DRIVE 1:
- none
- 128GB SSD
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD
- 768GB SSD

DRIVE 2:
- none
- 1TB Hard Disk
- 2TB Hard Disk (avoids Windows 2.2TB limit)
- 3TB Hard Disk
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD

CONFIGURATION (requires SSD and HD):
- none
- Fusion


Then I would have been happy!


-howard

This is how they do it for the Mac Pro with 4 drive capability to constrain the number of permutations.

 

[iMcLovin]

This might be of interest to those on this thread too ...
(To those who already read this elsewhere ... sorry for the repost)

Apple has made it difficult to configure the new 27" iMac due to their poor choices of configurations. This is even more difficult if the user wants to run bootable Windows due to a Windows limitation of 2.2TB maximum drive size:

1TB HD --- slow, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB HD --- slow, large capacity, no Windows without extreme effort
1TB Fusion --- fast for most users, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB Fusion --- fast for most users, large capacity, no Windows BootCamp
768GB SSD --- faster, medium capacity, fast Windows BootCamp


How nice it would have been to have had these options:

Your new 27" iMac can be ordered with up to 2 storage drives. They are of different technology due to size constraints within the iMac. If you choose a SSD and a Hard Disk, you can elect to have it configured as a Fusion drive.

DRIVE 1:
- none
- 128GB SSD
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD
- 768GB SSD

DRIVE 2:
- none
- 1TB Hard Disk
- 2TB Hard Disk (avoids Windows 2.2TB limit)
- 3TB Hard Disk
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD

CONFIGURATION (requires SSD and HD):
- none
- Fusion


Then I would have been happy!


-howard

This is how they do it for the Mac Pro with 4 drive capability to constrain the number of permutations.

if 768 SSD is medium capacity, then the 1tb fusion or HDD isn´t small capacity 😉

A one drive 1.5tb SSD/flash would be awesome. Or as you say drive 2 of 512SSD would be ok, if you could fuse it together with the 768tb SSD 🙂

 

[gmanist1000]

This might be of interest to those on this thread too ...
(To those who already read this elsewhere ... sorry for the repost)

Apple has made it difficult to configure the new 27" iMac due to their poor choices of configurations. This is even more difficult if the user wants to run bootable Windows due to a Windows limitation of 2.2TB maximum drive size:

1TB HD --- slow, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB HD --- slow, large capacity, no Windows without extreme effort
1TB Fusion --- fast for most users, small capacity, slow Windows
3TB Fusion --- fast for most users, large capacity, no Windows BootCamp
768GB SSD --- faster, medium capacity, fast Windows BootCamp


How nice it would have been to have had these options:

Your new 27" iMac can be ordered with up to 2 storage drives. They are of different technology due to size constraints within the iMac. If you choose a SSD and a Hard Disk, you can elect to have it configured as a Fusion drive.

DRIVE 1:
- none
- 128GB SSD
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD
- 768GB SSD

DRIVE 2:
- none
- 1TB Hard Disk
- 2TB Hard Disk (avoids Windows 2.2TB limit)
- 3TB Hard Disk
- 256GB SSD
- 512GB SSD

CONFIGURATION (requires SSD and HD):
- none
- Fusion


Then I would have been happy!


-howard

This is how they do it for the Mac Pro with 4 drive capability to constrain the number of permutations.

1 TB is small capacity?

 

[hfg]

if 768 SSD is medium capacity, then the 1tb fusion or HDD isn´t small capacity 😉

A one drive 1.5tb SSD/flash would be awesome. Or as you say drive 2 of 512SSD would be ok, if you could fuse it together with the 768tb SSD 🙂

Well ...
I was thinking a 1TB hard drive is pretty small, as far as hard drives go.
And a 768GB SSD is pretty big, as far as SSDs go.

They really need a 2TB hard disk option, Fusion or not, to get past the Windows limitation! People who are going for the GeForce GTX 680MX 2GB video card will most likely want to boot Windows for maximum game performance.

 

[vannibombonato]

looks awesome, but the two thunderbolts daisy chained you mean literally two $1000 drives? so $2000? and the first one is one lacie lbd raid 0? am i correct on this?

----------



i understand its been debated at length apparently by some of you guys, but this is the first time i personally have been made aware of it. which is why im asking your advice, because its all new to me

Correct, i've purchased 2TB in total of external SSD (two 1TB Lacies, each one is 1k). It's a huge setup obviously, but worth to me as i use huge sample libraries which are continuously being read.

Each drive is made of 2 drives which are by default connected in Raid0, which is driving the incredible performance of the drive.

When daisy chaining two you can either have them as two separate drives, or configure them in a Raid setup (whatever Raid you choose, albeit you'd be foolish to have a Raid1 setup with SSD disks), which gives you a single 2TB SSD drive with even better performance.

I don't have yet the iMac, i'm still not sure how to configure them (Raid 0 or not). I've ordered a Fusion 1TB in the iMac and i'll obviously run the OS and apps from that one and leave all the HDD partition for Win in case i decide to use it.

If you're looking into whether buying the Apple SSD or not, i strongly advise you to get a 1TB Fusion and one of those 1TB SSDs (or a 512GB one, albeit price per GB is less favorable): same amount of money, way more storage space and performance.

But, you have to live with an external thing sitting on your desk and you can't run Windows at SSD speeds.

Overall, think very carefully what you are going to do with the SSD space: for the vast majority of users, i think the Fusion is a great option.
Getting lots of SSD storage is very expensive whatever route you choose, and prices are decreasing by the month. In a year from now they're likely going to be 50% down, so think wise before spending that amount of cash, if you're a "regular" user the Fusion is plenty fast.

 

[F1100]

Correct, i've purchased 2TB in total of external SSD (two 1TB Lacies, each one is 1k). It's a huge setup obviously, but worth to me as i use huge sample libraries which are continuously being read.

Each drive is made of 2 drives which are by default connected in Raid0, which is driving the incredible performance of the drive.

When daisy chaining two you can either have them as two separate drives, or configure them in a Raid setup (whatever Raid you choose, albeit you'd be foolish to have a Raid1 setup with SSD disks), which gives you a single 2TB SSD drive with even better performance.

I don't have yet the iMac, i'm still not sure how to configure them (Raid 0 or not). I've ordered a Fusion 1TB in the iMac and i'll obviously run the OS and apps from that one and leave all the HDD partition for Win in case i decide to use it.

If you're looking into whether buying the Apple SSD or not, i strongly advise you to get a 1TB Fusion and one of those 1TB SSDs (or a 512GB one, albeit price per GB is less favorable): same amount of money, way more storage space and performance.

But, you have to live with an external thing sitting on your desk and you can't run Windows at SSD speeds.

Overall, think very carefully what you are going to do with the SSD space: for the vast majority of users, i think the Fusion is a great option.
Getting lots of SSD storage is very expensive whatever route you choose, and prices are decreasing by the month. In a year from now they're likely going to be 50% down, so think wise before spending that amount of cash, if you're a "regular" user the Fusion is plenty fast.

You did not order the 768gb so why are you here commenting on it, the OP did not ask your opinion they just were wondering who is in the club of people that did order like myself, which for me arrives Tuesday looking very much forward to my $3600 iMac.

 

[bill phillips]

Correct, i've purchased 2TB in total of external SSD (two 1TB Lacies, each one is 1k). It's a huge setup obviously, but worth to me as i use huge sample libraries which are continuously being read.

Each drive is made of 2 drives which are by default connected in Raid0, which is driving the incredible performance of the drive.

When daisy chaining two you can either have them as two separate drives, or configure them in a Raid setup (whatever Raid you choose, albeit you'd be foolish to have a Raid1 setup with SSD disks), which gives you a single 2TB SSD drive with even better performance.

I don't have yet the iMac, i'm still not sure how to configure them (Raid 0 or not). I've ordered a Fusion 1TB in the iMac and i'll obviously run the OS and apps from that one and leave all the HDD partition for Win in case i decide to use it.

If you're looking into whether buying the Apple SSD or not, i strongly advise you to get a 1TB Fusion and one of those 1TB SSDs (or a 512GB one, albeit price per GB is less favorable): same amount of money, way more storage space and performance.

But, you have to live with an external thing sitting on your desk and you can't run Windows at SSD speeds.

Overall, think very carefully what you are going to do with the SSD space: for the vast majority of users, i think the Fusion is a great option.
Getting lots of SSD storage is very expensive whatever route you choose, and prices are decreasing by the month. In a year from now they're likely going to be 50% down, so think wise before spending that amount of cash, if you're a "regular" user the Fusion is plenty fast.

i have to say this is a really good idea and i am leaning towards this..I guess my real apprehension to be honest is that im not quite sure how to operate it like that..I wanted to keep the os and anymore apps i download on the os also, but how are you integrating the 2 lbd? I mean if your not using them to install the os on and boot from there then how are you using it? Sorry if this seems confusing the way I'm wording it..I do video editing for example, so can i just use the 128 to boot and open all apps and never touch the hdd, and then set up 2 lbds and run my fcpx and all fcpx related material off that? Raid 0 and then just back up to another external hdd? i dont care about the drives on the desk at all, i have a few already

 

[vannibombonato]

You did not order the 768gb so why are you here commenting on it, the OP did not ask your opinion they just were wondering who is in the club of people that did order like myself, which for me arrives Tuesday looking very much forward to my $3600 iMac.

What a contribution, thank you very much.

in case you have missed the last seven pages if the thread, this has become a very useful thread for people wondering whether to buy or not the Apple option, and there are many valid points expressed who can help forum members make their own decision.

I'm sorry if by reading this thread you maybe realized you could have had more and faster storage with less money, but don't get pissed. Toss in another thousand $ and you'll be up to speed.

 

[torana355]

You did not order the 768gb so why are you here commenting on it, the OP did not ask your opinion they just were wondering who is in the club of people that did order like myself, which for me arrives Tuesday looking very much forward to my $3600 iMac.

That's a bit rude. You do realize there are plenty of us that could easily afford the 768GB SSD option but there are more cost effective options out there. If you don't like the advise then you don't need to read it. Personally i will never give Apple $1300 for a 768GB SSD out of pure principle, not when i can get two 512GB SSD's for $800.

 

[vannibombonato]

i have to say this is a really good idea and i am leaning towards this..I guess my real apprehension to be honest is that im not quite sure how to operate it like that..I wanted to keep the os and anymore apps i download on the os also, but how are you integrating the 2 lbd? I mean if your not using them to install the os on and boot from there then how are you using it? Sorry if this seems confusing the way I'm wording it..I do video editing for example, so can i just use the 128 to boot and open all apps and never touch the hdd, and then set up 2 lbds and run my fcpx and all fcpx related material off that? Raid 0 and then just back up to another external hdd? i dont care about the drives on the desk at all, i have a few already

Correct, that's the idea. osx and apps on the internal ssd space of the fusion, partition it so you're sure nothing Mac goes in the had part, and all the files of the apps (video edits, photo, audio, whatever) on the external ssd, which you'll be able to expand as needed over the years via thunderbolt.
Same amount of money, way more storage and performance.

 

[F1100]

What a contribution, thank you very much.

in case you have missed the last seven pages if the thread, this has become a very useful thread for people wondering whether to buy or not the Apple option, and there are many valid points expressed who can help forum members make their own decision.

I'm sorry if by reading this thread you maybe realized you could have had more and faster storage with less money, but don't get pissed. Toss in another thousand $ and you'll be up to speed.

Wow I guess this what I should have expected by someone who might be upset that he did not order a 768gb I am in know means pissed about ordering it, just a little upset that you have to justify here by not ordering , when the Op was just wondering who besides himself did.

I guess if it makes you feel SUPERIOR knocking it down then you will do what you have to do at other peoples EXPEN$E.

Sorry for your troubles
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[vannibombonato]

Wow I guess this what I should have expected by someone who might be upset that he did not order a 768gb I am in know means pissed about ordering it, just a little upset that you have to justify here by not ordering , when the Op was just wondering who besides himself did.

I guess if it makes you feel SUPERIOR knocking it down then you will do what you have to do at other peoples EXPEN$E.

Sorry for your troubles
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Actually I'm so upset I haven't ordered the internal ssd I wonder why I just don't cancel my order and spend some more money for the internal slower and smaller option, I guess I'll look for some psychiatric help. I must certainly be masochistic.

 

[bill phillips]

gotcha...def some good advice for sure, hard to argue with that philosophy. Makes alot of sense to me anyway

 

[hfg]

In this case, I would install OS X on the internal drive, then redirect my home User folder to the external SSD drive. It would all be automatic from there on.


-howard

 

[bill phillips]

In this case, I would install OS X on the internal drive, then redirect my home User folder to the external SSD drive. It would all be automatic from there on.


-howard

ahhhhh ok...Thats a good idea. That was my next question..Guess you could tell its confusing me a little how to situate everything.

----------

ahhhhh ok...Thats a good idea. That was my next question..Guess you could tell its confusing me a little how to situate everything.

Kind of a stupid question but im a relative noob with mac so take it easy on me, but if i do it this way for example, how do i access anything in the user folder, will i have to click on the lbd device icon first and then go into those folders? idk if that made much sense

 

[hfg]

ahhhhh ok...Thats a good idea. That was my next question..Guess you could tell its confusing me a little how to situate everything.

----------



Kind of a stupid question but im a relative noob with mac so take it easy on me, but if i do it this way for example, how do i access anything in the user folder, will i have to click on the lbd device icon first and then go into those folders? idk if that made much sense

No, you would never know the difference from any other Mac.

Copy your User/username folder to the external disk. Then open SystemPreferences and select the Users&Groups icon. Click on the padlock and unlock it, then right-click on your username and select AdvancedOptions. There you will see an entry for "Home Directory". Click the "Choose" button and navigate to the new location on the external disk. Click OK and close everything out and reboot. Once running again, open the LBD in finder and look under Users ... your username folder should have a little "house" symbol icon showing that is the active home directory now.

From now on, everything you do on your Mac will automatically put things where they should be ... applications, etc on the internal boot disk, and personal files and libraries (photo, music, video, etc) on your external disk.

You can even take your "personal environment" to another computer if needed. I would create an "Admin" account on the internal disk, and then if you need to take your computer in for service, you can leave the external disk safely at home away from prying eyes and let the repair tech use the "Admin" account to repair your computer.

I hope that was clear... 🙂


-howard

 

[bill phillips]

No, you would never know the difference from any other Mac.

Copy your User/username folder to the external disk. Then open SystemPreferences and select the Users&Groups icon. Click on the padlock and unlock it, then right-click on your username and select AdvancedOptions. There you will see an entry for "Home Directory". Click the "Choose" button and navigate to the new location on the external disk. Click OK and close everything out and reboot. Once running again, open the LBD in finder and look under Users ... your username folder should have a little "house" symbol icon showing that is the active home directory now.

From now on, everything you do on your Mac will automatically put things where they should be ... applications, etc on the internal boot disk, and personal files and libraries (photo, music, video, etc) on your external disk.

You can even take your "personal environment" to another computer if needed. I would create an "Admin" account on the internal disk, and then if you need to take your computer in for service, you can leave the external disk safely at home away from prying eyes and let the repair tech use the "Admin" account to repair your computer.

I hope that was clear... 🙂


-howard[/QU

wow this was awesome. Yup perfectly clear, thanks howard, i would of never known this if you didnt point this out to me...great info thank you!!