And about what interfaces it can be connected to Mac. The idea for comparing SSDs came to me during another conversation with a user of a new iMac (in which it is not so easy to install another drive). Also in all modern Macs there is a Thunderbolt port through which it is possible to connect high-speed peripherals, such as an SSD. What do we get if we connect to Thunderbolt SSD SanDisk Ultra plus?

And so I tested the beautiful SSD from . I must say right away that I really liked the speed of this drive, although this is not the fastest drive in the SanDisk line. And the thing is that models with a small amount of memory have only 1 controller serving memory chips, but models with 256 or 512 GB already have more controllers, due to which there is an increase in speeds!

Someone can say that there are a lot of tests of different SSDs on the Internet, I could not see at least one where they compared their speeds on a Mac connected via a standard internal SATA and Thunderbolt interface. For reference, the speed of the SATA 3 interface is up to 6 Gb / s, and Thunderbolt is up to 10 Gb / s. Considering that modern disks do not reach this threshold in terms of speed, there should be no restrictions from the interface ...

Test Methodology

Tested on Macmini: 2.5 Ghz Intel Core i5, 4 Gb RAM.

Since the review is dedicated different ways connections SanDisk SSD to a Mac, then I made the first measurements when the disk was installed inside the computer and connected via SATA 3, the second measurement was the tests connected via the Thunderbolt to SATA adapter. In total, I got 4 tests - OS boot speed, speed measurement in the Disk Speed ​​Test, Xbench program, and time measurements for copying to and from disk.

OS boot speed

The average download speed was 15 seconds(SATA) and 17 seconds(Thunderbolt), from the moment you press the Power button until the OS is fully loaded. The difference is insignificant, and is most likely caused by the boot volume polling time. In any case, few people often reboot their Mac and will pay much attention to this indicator.

Disk Speed ​​Test

Special thanks to the representative office for the provided SanDisk Ultra Plus drive, as well as MacServise, for the Macmini! 🙂

The fact that the introduction of the USB 3.1 Gen2 interface into solid state drives does not go well with the “USB + SATA” scheme, which has served us faithfully since the days of external hard drives. More precisely, it is still possible to use it, however, SATA600's own speed limits are slightly higher than those for USB 3.0 3.1 Gen1, which calls into question the justification for such an upgrade. No wonder at one time manufacturers used a pair of SSDs in RAID0 to demonstrate the speed capabilities of a “real” USB 3.1. This method allows you to utilize the entire 10 Gb / s band of the higher speed USB, but has its drawbacks: the drive increases in size and becomes less reliable. Therefore, the replacement of the “working body” is more interesting, since SATA has not been the only interface for solid-state drives for a long time. This approach is implemented, for example, in the JMicron JMS583 controller, which is a bridge from USB 3.1 to PCIe x2. The "boxes" using it appeared at the end of this summer, they are relatively inexpensive (although noticeably more expensive than USB-SATA) and allow (when using an internal SSD with the appropriate interface) to go beyond the limitations of the traditional scheme.

However, it will not be possible to get far: it is clear that 10 Gb / s is more than 5 Gb / s (USB 3.0 3.1 Gen1) or 6 Gb / s (SATA), but still it is half as much as in theory it allows "to pass through yourself" PCIe 3.0 x2. But it is now customary to complete budget NVMe drives with such an interface, and even then not all of them. The bandwidth of PCIe 3.0 x4, of course, is twice as high. As a result, not every SSD can fully dispose of it (this was especially true for the “first wave” models), but ... the device is. Is it possible to use the entire PCIe 3.0 x4 memory bandwidth in an external device? Yes there is. Only for this you need to use not USB, but Thunderbolt, since in this interface those same four PCIe lanes were initially encapsulated.

Note that the first experiences of using Thunderbolt for external drives have been observed for a long time - in particular, we tested and even six years ago. But the first pancake turned out to be a lump - if only because there were no “suitable” drives yet. External arrays were a stretch for the role, but their sales were always limited. A single hard drive or even a SATA SSD was quite enough for USB 3.0, which at the same time began to be supported by all chipsets and platforms, and it cost the user incomparably cheaper than Thunderbolt 2. In general, when introducing the first versions of the Thunderbolt standard to the market, the developers managed to trample on a bunch of rakes , but this is a separate topic that deserves detailed analysis:) The current Thunderbolt 3 is devoid of many of the shortcomings of its predecessors. Moreover, in the near future it is planned to stop the parallel development of this interface and turn it into a component of the USB 4.0 specifications (with clear consequences). But the most important thing is that we already have peripherals, who may need Thunderbolt 3, and not in laboratories, but on store shelves. Such as our today's hero.

Samsung X5 1TB

This drive, fortunately it was announced at the end of summer. Now the novelty is beginning to arrive in retail chains, so if you wish, you can purchase it. However, retail prices are capable of this most a wish much to undermine: the line has models for 500 GB and 1 and 2 TB, and their recommended retail prices are respectively 29, 50 and 100 thousand rubles. For comparison, Samsung T5 for 2 TB can be bought without any problems for 30-35 thousand.

Samsung X5 500 GB	Samsung X5 1TB	Samsung X5 2TB

In general, the current price level is very similar to the desire to stake the market, without too much leaning on the actual sales. Therefore, hereinafter, we will not be tied to prices. (to avoid burning), and confine ourselves to the technical component. Moreover, at first glance, not everything is going smoothly with her - in particular, X5 against the background of the same T5 looks like a real mastodon: 119 × 62 × 20 mm with a mass of 150 g is far from 74 × 57 × 11 mm and 51 g To be honest, we have also seen more compact and lighter hard drives. But this did not happen at all because of the whim of the designers: it’s just that NVMe drives can seriously heat up during operation (these are not SATA devices that “burn at full heat” at all), and Thunderbolt bridges are not very economical. As a result, the power consumption of up to 2.5 A at 5 V is officially declared for the device - remember that many hard drives and almost all USB flash drives easily managed even 0.5 A 5 V for USB 2.0, and we cease to be surprised.

A massive metal radiator inside the case solves the problem of heat dissipation in general: we failed to “overheat” the device with more or less realistic (albeit synthetic) loads. On the other hand, the temperature of the internal SSD itself, according to monitoring data, easily exceeded the 70-degree mark, and even did not drop below 50 degrees in idle. This is also absolutely unlike the “classic” external SSDs and can also scare off a potential buyer, because during operation the case is not just warm, but closer to hot, although the company promises that the applied multi-layer design does not allow its surface to warm up above 45 degrees, while maintaining a comfortable temperature mode of operation of the drive itself. In principle, SSDs of the 970 Evo family (which are actually used internally) start to throttling above 80 degrees, so the observed temperatures are formally quite acceptable (this is still high heat, but not overheat). But, we repeat, psychologically, this behavior of the device is a little scary.

However, no one promised that it would be easy at the forefront of technology. X5 is not just a Thunderbolt 3 drive, but a capacious and quick drive with this interface. In itself, the use of Thunderbolt 3, strictly speaking, does not mean anything - for example, the Transcend JetDrive 825 announced at the beginning of the year has a capacity of up to 960 GB and a read / write data speed of up to 950 MB / s. At least theoretically, this speed can be obtained from USB 3.1 Gen2, while maintaining compatibility with previous versions of the standard (albeit with a loss in speed), which Thunderbolt does not provide. JetDrive 855 promises up to 1600/1400 MB / s, which is already more serious, but ... But for the X5 it is officially declared up to 2800 MB / s when reading data and up to 2300 MB / s when writing (for a 500 GB modification - 2100 MB / With). For the sake of such speed indicators, you can tinker, since they correspond to the best internal drives - most the best and most fast. And how it correlates with practice - now we will check.

Connection nuances

Recall that Thunderbolt 3 (unlike previous versions standard) uses a Type-C connector - first introduced in the USB 3.1 specifications. This "universality" allows some users to try to connect a Thunderbolt device to a USB port, and then be surprised that nothing works. And it shouldn't! Moreover (bad news), cables are easy to mix up, although this is only true for a side view, but not in operation: if you use a USB cable, then the X5 will be visible in the system as an abstract USB device, but will not work. On the other hand (and this is good news), the Thunderbolt cable is universal, it can also be used to connect USB devices (and to regular Type-C USB ports too).

Another slightly unusual nuance: when a new device is connected to a computer for the first time, the Thunderbolt controller driver is usually interested in whether to give it access to the system, and if so, is it permanent or one-time? This is due to the fact that Thunderbolt operates at a lower level than "regular" external interfaces, allowing devices to be "deeper" integrated into the system. The downside of this is the potential insecurity of devices with such an interface, which the user is warned about.

But then ... Further, there are no visible differences between X5 and, for example, T5 of the same capacity or any other USB drive: another disk simply appears in the system, with which you can immediately start working. However, the “Removal Policy” (which we recently discussed) is somewhat different than for USB: “Optimal Performance” is already enabled by default (and, accordingly, write caching). In general, you do not have to configure anything, which is good.

What's bad is that we haven't been able to get the X5 to become a boot drive, even though the Thunderbolt specs support it. Dreams of a high-performance drive completely separated from the computer have already loomed. operating system and all programs that work exactly like internal ones ... But no. Or bye no - we could not determine the source of the problem, so it is quite possible that it can be fixed.

Otherwise, the use of X5 is similar to the same T5. Even data encryption is supported, and by the same utility. All the differences lie in the design - and speed too.

Testing

Test Methodology

The technique is described in detail in a separate. There you can get acquainted with the software, but as test stand we used the NUC 7i7BNH because the one we usually use motherboard does not support USB 3.1 Gen2 or Thunderbolt 3.

For comparison, we took the T5, since the capacity of the devices is also the same. Naturally, we took only the results with write caching enabled (obtained last time), and for both file systems exFAT and NTFS.

In addition, we tested a couple internal devices- in order to clearly show that modern external interfaces are capable of not limiting performance. The Samsung 850 Evo and 970 Evo terabyte SSDs would be the best fit for us, since they can be directly opposed to the T5 and X5, respectively, but they were not at hand. Therefore, we limited ourselves to SanDisk Ultra 3D (SATA600) and WD Black (PCIe 3.0 x4) 500 GB each - in their classes, this is also fast devices so they fit.

Since this testing is a branch of the main line of tests, we did not enter the test results into a common table, and they are available in a separate file in the Microsoft Excel format. Those who want to delve into the numbers can download it and satisfy their curiosity.

Application performance

We usually limit ourselves to PCMark7 for external drives, but it refused to work on the X5, so I had to use more new version test package (especially since the T5 results were obtained last time). On the high level everyone is about the same - as usual. However, even here it’s easy to see that both SATA drives (and it doesn’t matter whether this interface is used directly or via a USB bridge) are one group, and both NVMe (again, regardless of the connection method) are another. Slightly faster.

The transition to low-level points does not change the state of affairs - it just makes the picture a little more embossed: two non-intersecting worlds :) As expected, in general. So, from a practical point of view, it is interesting here that on T5 it is more correct (in terms of speed) to use exFAT, but on the contrary, X5 prefers NTFS.

Sequential Operations

As we said in the previous article, USB capabilities 3.1 Gen2 exceed the capabilities of SATA600 - therefore, it is the latter that turns out to be the “bottleneck” for both external and internal SSDs when reading data. PCIe 3.0 x4 is obviously many times faster - in any design. However (as in testing), it can be stated that additional transformations of the data transmission medium do not at least increase performance. That's why maximum speed the X5 turned out to be slightly lower than the internal WD Black (usually behaving similarly to the Samsung 970 Evo - which is installed in the X5). On the other hand, almost 2.8 GB / s (which, in general, the company declared) ... well, other types of external drives cannot produce at least something similar. Basically they can't. Yes, and internal ones too: SATA SSDs are still the best solution from mass. And it is drastically slower.

When writing data, the picture, of course, repeats itself - and even worsens: for SATA devices, the interface is still decisive, but of the two others Samsung X5 turned out to be the fastest. And, as in the case of reading, we observe almost complete compliance of the measured speed with the figures declared by the manufacturers.

Working with large files

The X5 narrowed the gap to the WD Black slightly compared to the low-end benchmarks, but overall, nothing unexpected. SATA drives are radically slower than PCIe, so external devices the fastest are those equipped with Thunderbolt 3. The gap between these two categories will be partially filled by external SSDs based on the same PCIe, but with a bridge to USB 3.1 Gen2. So far, however, these are not particularly observed in nature in finished form (and fans of self-assembly received the necessary bridges less than six months ago) - and USB 3.0 3.1 Gen1, as has been shown more than once, is even slower than SATA.

When recording, the interface turns out to be a “bottleneck” only for SATA drives (and even then not always), so here the X5 managed to noticeably outperform the WD Black. Yes, smaller capacity. But this is still a significant achievement - it turns out that external SSDs can be faster than NVMe drives installed inside the computer (not to mention all the others).

And the logical result: modern external interfaces do a good job with simultaneous write and read operations, if they are equipped with a fast drive. And Thunderbolt 3 is the fastest external interfaces, with all the ensuing consequences. For an external video card, of course, it can sometimes be not enough (since 4 lines are not 16), but for solid-state drives - just right. So here everything will depend more on the “working body” itself than on its frame.

Total

Once again, we do not want to discuss prices now (although some will still try). The Samsung X5 is a top-of-the-line device with a limited scope. Analogues (moreover, slower ones) cost comparable, and in this case, everything is not so simple with self-assembly: only cases with USB interface 3.1, but not with Thunderbolt. On the other hand, Thunderbolt is not yet very common, and X5 does not have compatibility with mass USB ports - unlike the same T5, which can be connected even to mobile phone, even to a TV, even to a computer ten years ago. Therefore, the X5 is an external drive, but not particularly portable. Rather, it is complete (yet almost complete, but if the issue with the download is resolved, then there will be no problems at all) replacing the internal drive in cases where its modernization is difficult or impossible.

In this case, everything is simple: Samsung Portable SSD X5 is a device without compromise. This solution is for those users who really need the performance of the best internal SSDs and can afford it. Moreover, the question is not only the cost of the drive itself: it also needs an appropriate environment, since it will not work at all in the “mass abstract” one. In a word, one cannot initially count on mass sales, and an exclusive cannot be cheap. But at least such solutions have become available - and not somewhere at the exhibition, but in stores, although just a couple of years ago one could only dream of drives with such characteristics.

My wife has a 21.5-inch 2013 iMac with a built-in HDD. A few months ago it became almost impossible to work on it.

Standard OS X applications opened and ran with a significant delay, and while heavy programs were running, you could have time to go for tea. Almost any action on the computer forced to do one thing: wait.

Reason - outdated HDD. The solution is to simply replace the HDD with an SSD.

How simple?

- you need to take your iMac to a service center;
– this is done only by unauthorized service centers;
– iMac will be disassembled;
- expensive.

1TB SSD will cost from 20 000 rub., cost of work - from 2500 rub.

In older models, you can put an inexpensive SSD instead of an optical drive and use it to install the system and basic programs. In thin models of 2012, an additional SSD fits and works using a special adapter. iMacs from 2013 and newer don't have this feature, but some samples manage to add PCIe SSD brackets, which are quite expensive. The situation is ambiguous, service centers provide different information.

I decided to look for an alternative.

And found.

OS X starts and runs from external drives.

Bandwidth USB 3.0- 640 megabytes / sec, this is enough for an entry-level SSD. Thunderbolt is expensive.

Relevant for iMac and Mac mini late 2012 and newer, USB 3.0 required.

A more or less reliable external SSD costs from 6,000 rubles. and higher. Normal option, but there is a way to divide this amount in half.

Assembling an external SSD

We will need:
– SATA/USB 3.0 adapter;
- SSD drive.

The cost of the adapter on AliExpress - 250 rubles, reviews - 5 stars out of 5.

SSD capacity:
We will be able to use the built-in hard drive as a file storage, so for comfortable work with the system SSD drive 120GB is sufficient for most tasks.

SSD speed:
Working through an adapter, it will not reveal its full potential. Up to 400 Mb / s for reading and writing - more than.

Therefore, we choose a high-quality, moderately smart and economical option. I settled on SanDisk costing about 3000 rubles.

Setting up the system

Procedure:

1 . We connect external SSD to the computer. By using Disk Utility format it in Mac OS Extended (journaled) with a GUID partition scheme.

2 . computer on another external drive. Heavy files may need to be saved separately: volume backup must not exceed the capacity of the SSD.

3 . Download the current OS X image from App Store. Install on an external SSD.

4 . If, after installation, the computer automatically starts from the built-in HDD, reboot it and press and hold the alt (option) key until the boot screen appears. We select an external SSD, start, restore from a backup.

5 . Test the system. If there are no complaints, format the built-in HDD using disk utility . Now it can be used as file storage.

Operating experience

The wife did not recognize her iMac and for the first time in for a long time started enjoying it. I was also surprised: applications start instantly, all actions are performed without delay. Performance Boost huge.

Program start time:

Photoshop CC 2017 - 2.8 sec.
Lightroom CC 2015.8 - 3.2 sec.
Final Cut Pro 10.2.2 - 2.6 sec.
Microsoft Word 2016 - 1.5 sec.
Safari, iTunes - 0.5 sec.
Turning on the computer: 19 sec. (before - up to two minutes)

If your applications start up several times longer, and the system works with noticeable slowdowns, it makes sense to switch to an SSD.

No crashes due to work with external drive hasn't been seen in half a year. The main disadvantage is external and must always be connected to the computer. The case of the drive is not protected from bumps and falls, and if in doubt, it is better to overpay and buy a regular external SSD designed for transportation.

You can purchase a special container for installing and protecting 2.5-inch HDD / SSD, it is not very expensive.

Or simply attach the drive to the iMac leg using double-sided tape:

And forget about him.

Outcome

• external, must always be connected (but can be hidden)
• slightly reduced SSD performance over USB 3.0

• very economical option
• there is a built-in HDD for files, you can
• no need to take to an unauthorized service and open the iMac
• can be reset at any time

Fair, not too high or too low. There should be prices on the Service website. Necessarily! without "asterisks", clear and detailed, where it is technically possible - the most accurate, final.

If spare parts are available, up to 85% percent of complex repairs can be completed in 1-2 days. Modular repairs take much less time. The site indicates the approximate duration of any repair.

Warranty and Liability

A warranty should be given for any repair. Everything is described on the site and in the documents. A guarantee is self-confidence and respect for you. A 3-6 month warranty is good and enough. It is needed to check the quality and hidden defects that cannot be detected immediately. You see honest and realistic terms (not 3 years), you can be sure that you will be helped.

Half the success in Apple repair is the quality and reliability of spare parts, so a good service works directly with suppliers, there are always several reliable channels and a warehouse with proven spare parts for current models so that you do not have to waste extra time.

Free diagnostics

This is very important and has already become a rule of good taste for service center. Diagnosis is the most difficult and important part of the repair, but you should not pay a dime for it, even if you do not repair the device after it.

Service repair and delivery

Good service appreciates your time, therefore offers free shipping. And for the same reason, repairs are carried out only in the workshop of the service center: it can be done correctly and according to technology only at a prepared place.

Convenient schedule

If the Service works for you, and not for itself, then it is always open! absolutely. The schedule should be convenient in order to be in time before and after work. Good service works on weekends and holidays. We are waiting for you and working on your devices every day: 9:00 - 21:00

The reputation of professionals consists of several points

Age and experience of the company

Reliable and experienced service is known for a long time.
If a company has been on the market for many years, and it has managed to establish itself as an expert, they turn to it, write about it, recommend it. We know what we are talking about, since 98% of incoming devices in the SC are restored.
We are trusted and passed on complex cases to other service centers.

How many masters in the directions

If you are always waiting for several engineers for each type of equipment, you can be sure:
1. there will be no queue (or it will be minimal) - your device will be taken care of immediately.
2. You give Macbook repair to an expert specifically in the field of Mac repairs. He knows all the secrets of these devices

technical literacy

If you ask a question, the specialist must answer it as accurately as possible.
To give you an idea of ​​what you need.
Will try to solve the problem. In most cases, from the description, you can understand what happened and how to fix the problem.