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I have a Crucial SSD in a USB 3.0 enclosure.
My iMac has Thunderbolt 3 ports.
What is the best way of getting maximum speed without spending silly-money?
Also is there a way of achieving the speed of an internal SSD with an external plug in?
iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 10.15
The best way in my opinion is to use a USB-C connected SSD.
It will NOT be nearly as fast as the internal, mind you.
For that you'd need an actual Thunderbolt 3 SSD.
But the latter would:
a) Cost A LOT more
b) Not actually be as fast as the internal (but be close)
My Crucial X8 drives give me a score of 900MBps on BlackMagic Disk Speed Test.
The internal drive on my 16" MBP is about three times that.
A Thunderbol3 OWC Envoy Pro claims 2500MBps, so it is nominally much faster than USB-C and close to my internal.
That said:
The X8 does not slow me down at all. It cost me something like 150 euros for 1TB. It costs 130 euros now.
A Thunderbolt 3 OWC Envoy Pro is 250 euros.
Would I be able to notice the difference in speed?
For me, the answer is no, I wouldn't. I would rather get another 1TB instead.
For you, it is your choice. Only you know if that extra speed is worth the extra cost.
We are at a point where the drives are no longer a bottleneck in most cases.
The best way in my opinion is to use a USB-C connected SSD.
It will NOT be nearly as fast as the internal, mind you.
For that you'd need an actual Thunderbolt 3 SSD.
But the latter would:
a) Cost A LOT more
b) Not actually be as fast as the internal (but be close)
My Crucial X8 drives give me a score of 900MBps on BlackMagic Disk Speed Test.
The internal drive on my 16" MBP is about three times that.
A Thunderbol3 OWC Envoy Pro claims 2500MBps, so it is nominally much faster than USB-C and close to my internal.
That said:
The X8 does not slow me down at all. It cost me something like 150 euros for 1TB. It costs 130 euros now.
A Thunderbolt 3 OWC Envoy Pro is 250 euros.
Would I be able to notice the difference in speed?
For me, the answer is no, I wouldn't. I would rather get another 1TB instead.
For you, it is your choice. Only you know if that extra speed is worth the extra cost.
We are at a point where the drives are no longer a bottleneck in most cases.
After ( or is it if ? ) you have got your head around the Thunderbolt 3 / USB-c position then next comes the Thunderbolt / USB-4 position.
Note, we have gone from Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt 2, then Thunderbolt 3 and now back to Thunderbolt .
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh35952/mac
Thank you Luis, that has given me plenty to consider.
How would I connect a USB-C to my iMac?
The usb-c connector is the same as the Thunderbolt 3.
Your mac’s TB3 ports support USB-C devices as well.
Best way to connect an SSD to 2017 iMac?
