Upgrading 2009 Mac Pro Hardware

[rodedwards]

Hi !

I have a 2009 Dual Quad Core Mac Pro with 32Gb Ram running Mountain Lion 10.8.

I'd like to upgrade my main internal hard drive (bay 1) with a fast SSD but I need 1 Tb capacity. I use the other three drive bays with 7200rpm hard drives.

A 1Tb SSD is really expensive and i wonder if it's likely that anyone (inc Apple) will make a compatible 1Tb hybrid / fusion drive sometime soon ? Would it be likely to work with my 2009 Mac Pro ?

Also ... I'd love to have Thunderbolt or USB 3. Does anyone know of a PCI card that works with my Mac Pro ?

I think there's life in the old Mac yet if i can spend a bit of cash on upgrades.

 

[TonyK]

Can we ask why 1TB is needed? You could install a smaller SSD and have it host the OS and application folders and put the User folders on a different drive.

 

[rodedwards]

Upgrading 2009 Mac Pro Hardware

Hi TonyK !

Sure ... the reason i want to have a 1Tb drive in bay 1 (Macintosh HD) is because i use about 250Gb on apps and library and i also shoot video, photos and raw hdr timelapse.

This sometimes takes up a huuuuuuuge chunk of space on my desktop !

I have an extra 1Tb external drive that i use for Time Machine back up for my main bay one disk.

I hold lots of data on the other three disks and back all of it up to a 12Gb Drobo as and when i need to.

A 1Tb fusion drive in bay one seems like an ideal solution !

 

[Giuly]

Wait for the Crucial m500.

 

[rodedwards]

SSHD / Hybrid Drives

Ahhh .... after a bit of research, it seems that several Hard Drive manufacturers are soon to be making SSHD - a combo of SSD and large capacity HD.

Western Digital have announced a 24Gb SSD and 1Tb HD in one drive - expected to not be much more expensive than a a standard 1Tb 7200 rpm HD. Seems like this is the answer ...

http://reviews.cnet.com/hard-drives/wd-black-sshd-1tb/4505-3186_7-35567266.html