Mac pro 2013: what external ssd now (2023)?

Question

Level 1

58 points

Mac pro 2013: what external ssd now (2023)?

My external thunderbolt 1TB SSD drive just died. None of the current thunderbolt (3) SSDs can work on a Mac pro 2013 because the adaptor TB2-TB3 can't transfer power. So what are the options ?

-use a USB3 SSD, but will the transfer speed not be inferior to what I had with TB 2? I don't want 5Gb/s.

-use a TB2 capable dock fitted with SATA disks (but is this only possible) ?

This thing is powered, so the Apple TB2-TB3 should work: https://www.owc.com/solutions/thunderbolt-pro-dock or is this one more suitable: https://www.owc.com/solutions/mercury-elite-pro-dual-thunderbolt

(Sorry here for possible nonsense)

The point for me is 1) transfer speed 2) reliability too.

Thank you very much.

Mac Pro, macOS 10.14

Posted on Sep 3, 2023 4:58 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 3, 2023 5:19 PM in response to joelle184

Providing a really big pipe does not get the drive to send data any faster than its innate capability, it just makes it less likely that the PIPE speed will induce slowdowns.

Before you reject USB 3 out of hand, consider that it is capable of 5 G bits/sec, which is essentially 500 M Bytes/sec top transfer speeds. Your older SSDs (and especially SATA SSD's) may not be any faster than that. If they are slightly faster, they just get slightly slowed under certain intense conditions.

A Dock on the ThunderBolt-2 <-> Thunderbolt-3 adapter is unlikely to work properly. Be sure you get assurances from OWC before you buy!

Please let Readers know if they say it works.

The fastest Rotating Magnetic SATA drives to be placed inside that Mercury enclosure top out after a single burst of about 150 M Bytes/sec, and then proceed more slowly. You are chasing specsmanship, not real performance here.

Reply

Answer 2

Sep 4, 2023 1:26 PM in response to joelle184

The size of your USB 3.0 PIPE is about 500 M Bytes/sec. if you attach a device that is faster, it will not be able to overcome the limitations of the size of the PIPE into the Mac Pro 2013.

If you don't already own SATA drives you want to put inside an enclosure, why would you buy a NEW SATA SSD enclosure today? SATA enclosures will be limited to about 500 to 600 M Bytes/sec forever.

if you get a newer Mac, a faster drive that is USB-C with adapter today could run faster on a newer Mac. Up to about 1,000 M Bytes/sec.

A ThunderBolt-3 connected drive (typically an array, because implementing ThunderBolt for one drive is too expensive) could run up to to nominal 2,500 M Bytes/sec with an appropriately fast SSD drive in a ThunderBolt-3 enclosure.

USB to USB-C adapters:

The adapters required for drives and displays from USB to USB-C must be top-rated. Not every adapter can run fast enough. The Apple adapter would be a good choice.

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 3, 2023 5:44 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

... at this writing, OWC says they have ONE last ThunderBolt-2 dock still in stock. But it does not speed up any drives, just provides more of the ports you already have plenty of:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TB2DOCK12PU/

.

Reply

Answer 4

joelle184 Author

Level 1

58 points

Sep 4, 2023 9:38 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Mmh... Those dock things don't really receive good reviews, do they... and the one you show me here is a used one.

Thank you for your answers though. I might be left with two safer solutions:

-a USB 3.0 SSD drive, whatever that is, i.e with the possibility of an xTB capacity.

-or this https://www.neweggbusiness.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=9siv04gjvb1606&bri=9b-0d9-001h-001g3&recaptcha=pass that should work without a hitch too and is probably faster but is only 1TB.

-or is there any other manufacturer of a thunderbolt "non-3" ssd drive to this date ??

Thank you again.

Reply

Answer 5

joelle184 Author

Level 1

58 points

Sep 4, 2023 1:11 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thx for the tip.

Anyway, after some reading, I'm down to these two solutions and the question is:

Do you think I would have a faster read/write speed with this external jetdrive 855 960gb (connected in thunderbolt) on its own https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-TS960GJDM855-960GB-JetDrive-Solid/dp/B07DCFM37F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GB3L6LUAW4U&keywords=jetdrive%2B855%2B960&qid=1693856799&sprefix=jetdrive%2B855%2B-960%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1&th=1 or with a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure such as this one https://www.amazon.com/Vantec-NexStar-Enclosure-Aluminum-NST-271C31-BK/dp/B00WT99FE2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1ZD3AXV3COCSN&keywords=usb%2B3.1%2Benclosure%2Bgen%2B2&qid=1693857837&sprefix=usb%2B3.1%2Benclosure%2Bgen%2B2%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-3&th=1 and this inside it https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Inch-Internal-MZ-77E2T0B-AM/dp/B08QB93S6R/ref=sr_1_3?crid=243D3KSOAHZM6&keywords=samsung%2Bqvo%2B2to&qid=1693857436&sprefix=samsung%2Bqvo%2B2to%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-3&th=1 i.e connecting in USB 3.0 to the computer ?

Thank you.

Reply

Answer 6

Sep 4, 2023 11:37 AM in response to joelle184

Caution -- Newegg has a substantial re-stocking fee!

You are better off buying from OWC with a more liberal return policy as well as Mac-centric support.

Reply

Mac pro 2013: what external ssd now (2023)?

Similar questions