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This array will use only one of my 4 TB3 ports leaving one free (I have monitors running off 2 already). This should allow me to daisy-chain my MOTU FireWire interface through the Apple FW–TB adapter into the OWC through the TB2–TB3 adapter into my iMac Pro. The reason I'm going with the OWC is that it has 2 TB ports while the RockStor has 1. Even though it's no faster than USB 3, Thunderbolt reports SMART Status on drives and it supports TRIM neither of which I can do on my USB docks. I have one coming and will be using it with the Apple adapter (TB 2 to TB3). You can drop a SATA III SSD into one of these TB docks. TRIM does not work over USB-anything in a Mac but it may with LINUX over USB 3.1 - a 2013 iMac does not support USB 3.1, however. SATA III SSDs are slower than USB 3 - doesn't matter that the specs disagree. It will be 2.5x faster than the AHCI blade in the Fusion and SSD 2013–14 iMacs.Ī SATA III SSD through a TB enclosure will be no faster than in a USB 3 dock but it will support TRIM over TB.
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That will be easier as the correct cable will just make it work.Ī fast NVMe 3 x4 blade will be no faster than a slow NVMe blade inside a 2013 or connected via TB because of the PCIe 2 bus. Likewise, you may find an NVMe blade in a Thunderbolt 1/2 enclosure. The Samsung X5 is not an issue since the TB–TB3 cannot pass the required bus power An NVMe blade in a TB enclosure is as fast as the internal bus (more or less) plus it supports TRIM. Let's correct bit of misinformation here.Ī 2013–2014 iMac supports Thunderbolt. Well, more expensive, yes, but not necessarily faster. Thank you VERY MUCH for your patience and help.Ĭlick to expand.It depends.
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I checked the options and I thought I could buy the following:Ĭonsidering that I have an iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) with USB 3.0: ĭo you think this SSD and enclosure are going to work well with it? It's just that I really want to be sure that I'm not buying parts that won't work together or with my iMac, so I need someone more expert's suggestion. I checked on forums and many people are happy with an OS on external SSD, they found the OS really fast even if on external SSH. I would avoid to open the iMac, and honestly I was getting impatience because I cannot use modern SSD, and the old blade ssd are more expensive then the recent ones, and I had many limitations anyway. I thought that I could install MacOS and Linux on an external and fast SSD. Thank you very much for this amazing forum! I have an iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) with USB 3.0 (link for specs below).
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