Trying to install external SSD on Late 2012 27" iMac - help!

[Fishrrman]

TRIM is not supported via USB3.
But... don't worry about it.
I booted and ran my 2012 Mini via an SSD in a USB3/SATA dock from the moment I took it "out of the box" in January 2013. It ran as my "main Mac" until April this year (replaced by a 2018 Mini). More than SIX YEARS.

It ALWAYS ran fast, never slowed down, never crashed, and is STILL running great as "a backup" over on the other table.

TRIM was NEVER used and was NEVER an issue for me.
NEVER.

Let others blather on about the importance of TRIM.
It is "much ado about nothing".

 

[||\||]

I had my external USB 3 SSD slowdown after a couple of months. After switching to a Thunderbolt drive, speeds were consistent again, and have been for years. "Fast" is a relative term. Any SSD is going to feel faster than a HDD, even if it's only running at 200mb/sec due to reduced latency. Objectively, TRIM does matter where an SSD's maximum speed are concerned. There isn't much of a debate to be had there.

 

[Nismo73]

With my ORICO usb3 enclosure and Samsung 1tb 860 QVO drive to my 2012 iMac it gets the following:

 

[skeeknaek]

Have you looked around for a computer shop that can install your new drive ?

I have but it's at a significantly greater cost than the external boot SSD

 

[skeeknaek]

Have you looked around for a computer shop that can install your new drive ?

not worth the trouble in my experience, and boot drives aren't that large. Since the comp is sitting in one spot all the time I don't really mind