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Ak907Freerider

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 19, 2012
281
0
Ok so I have a 2011 iMac with a 1 tb Hdd. I'm wanting to get a external ssd with thunderport to put my bigger programs and files on mainly final cut and hd video. Would it be faster due to the thunderport and the ssd at booting rendering etc than my HDD internal? Don't want to void my AppleCare for a internal ssd install. Also could I just load mountain lion onto the external ssd for faster booting and all the ssd benefits?
 
Last edited:

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
Ok so I have a 2011 iMac with a 1 tb Hdd. I'm wanting to get a external ssd with thunderport to put my bigger programs and files on mainly final cut and hd video. Would it be faster due to the thunderport and the ssd at booting rendering etc than my HDD internal? Don't want to void my AppleCare for a internal ssd install. Also could I just load mountain lion onto the external ssd for faster booting and all the ssd benefits?

Yes for all, don't think twice! I bought a lacie little big disk, and replaced the hdd internal with ssd, its a bomb!
 

Ak907Freerider

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 19, 2012
281
0
So tempting

Yes for all, don't think twice! I bought a lacie little big disk, and replaced the hdd internal with ssd, its a bomb!

Got $100 back from apple due to iMac price drop today. Looking at the LaCie 120 gb ssd rugged for $200. Hard to say no when it is really gonna cost me $100 to upgrade to ssd right
 

Dween

macrumors member
Jun 7, 2012
31
0
London, UK
So if i were to buy that Lacie rugged SSD it would run faster than my 1TB in my 2011 iMac?

Would it run as fast/faster/slower than having the SSD in place of the 1TB?

Sounds like a winner if its as fast!
 

rangers12

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2009
61
9
Got $100 back from apple due to iMac price drop today. Looking at the LaCie 120 gb ssd rugged for $200. Hard to say no when it is really gonna cost me $100 to upgrade to ssd right

Is $100 the discount they are offering on 27" imacs in stock at Apple Stores?
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
So if i were to buy that Lacie rugged SSD it would run faster than my 1TB in my 2011 iMac?

Would it run as fast/faster/slower than having the SSD in place of the 1TB?

Sounds like a winner if its as fast!

here is the long and short of it.

a ssd in the imac is a little bit faster then the exact same ssd in an external case. why? 4 chips.

one in the imac
1 on one end of the thunder bolt cable
1 on the other end of the t-bolt cable
1 in the t-bolt case


for sata just the sata interface one chip vs 4 so internal is faster.

but the ease of install. the ease of repair. and the ease of upgrade are better in the external case.




I do not know your needs but here is another option


http://www.macmall.com/p/LaCie-Hard-Drives/product~dpno~9237532~pdp.hhbeafj


two 2tb hdds are inside but you could pull one and add an ssd. or pull both hdds and add 2 ssds.



http://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-2-5-I...=1351130416&sr=8-1&keywords=256gb+ssd+samsung.


you could do this.
 

Ak907Freerider

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 19, 2012
281
0
but the ease of install. the ease of repair. and the ease of upgrade are better in the external case.

Ya just curious how much slower, would it even be noticeable ? I mean 1 second compared to 2 seconds loading isnt huge to me. Just looking for a little faster workflow with SSD. I looked at that drive also but at $300 then ad $170 pretty steep and I think over kill for what I do. I just use Final Cut X and surf web email, small photo stuff and bigger HD video editing. Think a 120 gb would handle all my programs and just store videos on my 1 tb HDD.
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
Ya just curious how much slower, would it even be noticeable ? I mean 1 second compared to 2 seconds loading isnt huge to me. Just looking for a little faster workflow with SSD. I looked at that drive also but at $300 then ad $170 pretty steep and I think over kill for what I do. I just use Final Cut X and surf web email, small photo stuff and bigger HD video editing. Think a 120 gb would handle all my programs and just store videos on my 1 tb HDD.

you won't notice the difference. I use t-bolt to boot on my mac minis and i push all 2011 owners of mac to consider it.

below is a 768gb raid0 with 3x 256gb samsung ssds in 2 lacie little big disks.

this has worked since feb 2012 as my booter 0 problems.
 

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Ak907Freerider

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 19, 2012
281
0
you won't notice the difference. I use t-bolt to boot on my mac minis and i push all 2011 owners of mac to consider it.
.

Awesome, I figured it would work. Since thunderport is so fast along with SSD. Dang Mac Tax!! Couldnt swallow what they wanted for the SSD upgrade. I will look around and explore what is available or even coming out for SSD externals. Im new to Mac and never done a boot drive off a external just hope I dont screw it up. Watched some youtube videos of how to do it. Looks like I can just leave my internal HDD alone with OS on it and everything just choose to boot from my SSD.
 

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,362
248
Howell, New Jersey
Awesome, I figured it would work. Since thunderport is so fast along with SSD. Dang Mac Tax!! Couldnt swallow what they wanted for the SSD upgrade. I will look around and explore what is available or even coming out for SSD externals. Im new to Mac and never done a boot drive off a external just hope I dont screw it up. Watched some youtube videos of how to do it. Looks like I can just leave my internal HDD alone with OS on it and everything just choose to boot from my SSD.

yes you can.


go to preferences pick startup hdd. in the case of my mac mini. 3 choices.

2 internal (1 drive with 2 partitions) and the external raid0 ssd is my third choice.

this is nice if you have a program that work run on a new osx you can boot the older osx with the program
 

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rpg51

macrumors 6502
Jul 4, 2012
268
2
I am mulling same issue -

If I were to install internal SSD could I just leave the stock hard drive as it, clone it to the SSD and choose to boot from the SSD? Leave the HDD with the operating system ready - or delete the OS from the HDD?? Any issues other than space saving?
 

Dween

macrumors member
Jun 7, 2012
31
0
London, UK
I've done the numbers and my best bet (cheapest/easiest) is to use the Lacie Rugged Thunderbolt/USB3 drive. At £165 the cheapest I found it.
Anybody know what SSD is actually used in the Lacie? SataII or SataIII?

Other option is to go with the Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt adapter (£100) plus Thunderbolt cable (£40) and buying an SSD, not as pretty having a bare drive hanging out. However, it will be hidden behind the iMac and also has the upgrade easily part!
 

dany74m

macrumors member
Aug 5, 2012
84
0
Los Angeles - California
I've done the numbers and my best bet (cheapest/easiest) is to use the Lacie Rugged Thunderbolt/USB3 drive. At £165 the cheapest I found it.
Anybody know what SSD is actually used in the Lacie? SataII or SataIII?

Other option is to go with the Seagate GoFlex Thunderbolt adapter (£100) plus Thunderbolt cable (£40) and buying an SSD, not as pretty having a bare drive hanging out. However, it will be hidden behind the iMac and also has the upgrade easily part!

Be very carefull about this option, it really depends on the SSD you are gonna connect with the goflex. In the beginning I tried this solution, but putting a vertx 4 256gb and a samnsung 830 256gb, didn't work because they suck too much power, so I opted for the Lacie.
 

Dween

macrumors member
Jun 7, 2012
31
0
London, UK
Be very carefull about this option, it really depends on the SSD you are gonna connect with the goflex. In the beginning I tried this solution, but putting a vertx 4 256gb and a samnsung 830 256gb, didn't work because they suck too much power, so I opted for the Lacie.

Ah don't try to scare me!

Hopefully it will work fine, maybe there's a difference in power suckage between the 128 and 256?
 
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