Crucial SSD hardware encryption needed for FileVault?

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Level 6

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Crucial SSD hardware encryption needed for FileVault?

I'm looking at the current line of Crucial SSDs for my MacBook Pro. I already have a Samsung Evo SSD in it, but for various reasons I think the Samsung EVO needs to go and I would not recommend them for Mac users (they apparently require TRIM, which is a pain in Yosemite, and the EVO continues to have anunresolved performance bug).

In the new Crucial line you have the MX and BX series. The BX100 has an attractive price, but on the spec chart the BX series lacks hardware encryption. Because I use FileVault, my question is this:

Will the lack of hardware encryption in an SSD make FileVault run noticeably slower than it would on an SSD with hardware encryption? Put another way, is FileVault accelerated by the hardware encryption on an SSD? Or are they not connected?

Any other comments on the MX vs BX series for a MacBookPro 8,2 ?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), MacBook Pro

Posted on Feb 26, 2015 3:21 PM

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Answer 1

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Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Feb 26, 2015 4:39 PM in response to Network 23

FileVault makes no use of hardware encryption on the drive, though it does use hardware acceleration in the CPU. As far as I know, all modern SSD's encrypt data internally with a random key stored in non-volatile memory. When the drive is erased, the key is deleted, making the data unrecoverable.

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Answer 2

Network 23 Author

Level 6

12,333 points

Feb 26, 2015 5:45 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks. Do the lack of check marks in the third column of this comparison chart (BX100) make any difference in performance, reliability, or longevity, to Mac users?

I ask because if there isn't any practical difference in a Mac, the BX100 SSD is significantly cheaper.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Feb 26, 2015 6:14 PM in response to Network 23

If the cheaper model has no hardware encryption, I wouldn't recommend using it unless you activate FileVault before adding any data. Otherwise you can't be sure of safely erasing it, due to wear leveling. Beyond that I have no opinion.

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