Possible To Get 512 SSD + 3TB drive in iMac 27" with non-Fusion setup

GWestphal

Golden Member
Jul 22, 2009
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I am interested in getting an iMac 27" but you can only select one drive. I'd like 512GB SSD for the main drive and a 3TB drive for storage.

What are my options for making that happen?

Can I buy it with 512GB storage and ask the apple store to install a 3TB drive in addition? (I don't want to mess with pulling screens and retapeing things.

There is obviously space for both since a Fusion set up has a HD and SSD.

Edit: Alternately would a USB 3.0 harddrive have comparable performance to the built in SATA? I know the transfer rates are comparable, but are the IOPS comparable?

Edit 2: How does over provisioning SSDs work on a mac. If I have a 512GB drive can I just make the partition 450GB and it will be smart enough to use the 62GB for scratch/overprovisioning?
 
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ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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Edit 2: How does over provisioning SSDs work on a mac. If I have a 512GB drive can I just make the partition 450GB and it will be smart enough to use the 62GB for scratch/overprovisioning?
What you propose will work. Just note that overprovisioning is handled at the drive controller level, not the OS.
 

GWestphal

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Jul 22, 2009
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And you can edit the overprovisioning at the drive controller or it just does it in hardware? My only experince is using samsung magician?
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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And you can edit the overprovisioning at the drive controller or it just does it in hardware? My only experince is using samsung magician?
It does it in hardware. Any space not allocated to a partition is used as slack space.
 

vbuggy

Golden Member
Nov 13, 2005
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USB3.0 could work, but it complicates things and you have to select the enclosure carefully - most top out at 200MB/sec which may not hold up an HDD but definitely will an SSD.

The easiest and most compatible - as presumably using Fusion you live in OS X all the time, my commiserations - thing is to just get a Thunderbolt drive. I usually use the WD Mybook Duos as far as the iMacs are concerned since I do nothing locally important on them, and the noise is reasonably controllable since they're fanless.
 

manly

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
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I don't know how Fusion drive is installed, but if it isn't factory-only*, then you might want to look around for a good Apple authorized reseller/service provider. If you find one, they should be willing to customize internal storage for you. Apple retail has marginalized its traditional channel sales partners, but some should still be around in larger cities.

I have no affiliation with them, but i.e. PowerMax.com

* i.e. it requires some proprietary parts that you won't be able to source