When it comes to measuring device speeds, there are few who can rival Lloyd Chambers of MacPerformaceGuide for his thoroughness and ability to put devices through their paces.
Recently, he hooked up one of our OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini SSD storage solutions to to a MacBook Pro with Retina display via the USB 3.0 port and reported better read/write performance with this external drive than with internally connected 3G SSD on MacBook Pros and Mac Pros.
While the MacBook Pro with Retina Display lacks the ability to effectively upgrade internally, it’s good to see that fast storage can be added (at least on an “as needed” basis) via USB 3.0 and our USB 3.0 storage solutions.
Is Thunderbolt + FW technically feasible in an enclosure?
I’m running FW-only Macs and Thunderbolt+FW Macs and want to add storage… a lot of storage, but need the drives to be portable between systems. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the answer to this is “yes.”
Otherwise I suppose I could go with swapping mechanisms between FW docks and what I suppose will be forthcoming Thunderbolt docks, but it’s really inelegant and I question whether the speeds would be the same as dedicated housings.
Less feasible than some other options – but doable and might just see…
However – a better option, IMHO –
Any of our solutions with an eSATA port… and then either our eSATA to USB 3.0 adapter (if is one of the current laptops… or future models that will all have USB 3.0):
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/ADESATAUSB3/
or use of LaCie eSATA to Thunderbolt interface:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Lacie/9000186/
this gives very broad flexibility IMHO and lower cost over multiple units as well + ability to use what you may already own. Performance of single and even dual hard drive arrays is not higher in TB dedicated vs. a solution such as suggested above.
Wrong link for MacPerformaceGuide:
http://blog.macsales.com/macperformanceguide.com/
Not found
“Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here. Try something else.
Thanks for the heads up – link corrected.
The sooner the better! I transfer large amount of video when editing and even the smallest upgrade in speed could save me hours over the week.
USB 3.0 is very nice but where are the Thunderbolt storage solutions ?????
Thunderbolt is coming – been stating that the first OWC Branded Thunderbolt products will be arriving this summer – and we’re still on schedule to deliver the first products before the end of summer with plenty more coming before year’s end. Can’t really go into details, but, rest assured, they’re coming.
Great!!! Bring hybrid products with USB3 and two Thunderbolt ports as Apple does. No USB2. Get rid of it!!! Thanks.
Well, technically if you have USB3 you have USB2. But I think I see your point. No USB2 *ONLY* devices. ;-)