{"id":79351,"date":"2021-12-30T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-30T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=79351"},"modified":"2022-01-03T15:51:27","modified_gmt":"2022-01-03T21:51:27","slug":"12-days-of-backups-day-4-imac-backup-with-the-owc-mercury-elite-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/79351-12-days-of-backups-day-4-imac-backup-with-the-owc-mercury-elite-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Days of Backups: Day 4 – iMac backup with the OWC Mercury Elite Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While you aren’t seeing this article until December 30, it’s being written on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas! That means that this installment of the 12 Days of Backups series is a bit shorter than the previous posts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The colorful 2021 M1 24-inch iMac (image via Apple)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What’s different about the iMac?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why would we want to select a backup drive for an iMac<\/strong> that’s different from, say, one used for a MacBook Pro? It all has to do with the fact that the iMac is a desktop machine rather than something you can just pop into a bag and carry with you. Your iMac and backup drive are much less likely to be jostled than their portable counterparts. A lightweight, bus-powered, and rugged drive isn’t really needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why the OWC Mercury Elite Pro?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Mercury
Have an older iMac? Some versions of the Mercury Elite Pro work with eSATA and FireWire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There are four reasons why the OWC Mercury Elite Pro range of external drives is perfect for the iMac. First<\/strong>, it’s compatible<\/strong>, with a variety of interfaces so it works with almost any iMac, new or old. For example, the version of the Mercury Elite Pro<\/a><\/strong> seen in the image above works with older iMacs and features FireWire 800, eSATA, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 interfaces. Not a lot of new FireWire drives are available these days, so this is a great backup drive for those iMacs that feature a FireWire port. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newer iMacs featuring faster USB ports also work with the Mercury Elite Pro. The model shown below features USB 3.2 for speed<\/a><\/strong> and compatibility. With this inexpensive adapter<\/a><\/strong>, the drive plugs into the USB-C ports on the new iMacs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mercury
The desktop Mercury Elite Pro with USB 3.2<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A range of capacities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The second<\/strong> reason the Mercury Elite Pro is perfect for almost any iMac is the fantastic range of capacities<\/strong> available. Whether you have minimal backup needs or want enough space to hold hours of digital video, there’s a Mercury Elite Pro for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USB 3.2 desktop drive is available in capacities as low as 1 TB (terabyte) and as roomy as 18 TB. It’s even possible to build your own drive by purchasing the inexpensive ($59) drive enclosure<\/a><\/strong> and adding your own 3.5-inch drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For older iMacs with small hard drives, the bus-powered Mercury Elite Pro Mini<\/a><\/strong> (shown below) starts at 480 GB of fast SSD storage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mercury
The Mercury Elite Pro Mini is the latest addition to this line of storage devices.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The third reason the Mercury Elite Pro is a great drive for iMac? It offers value<\/strong>. For just $109 you can purchase 1 TB of fast, reliable backup space. That 18 TB drive mentioned before? It’s only $519!<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Versatililty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you have an iMac and a laptop or iPad Pro as well. The Mercury Elite Pro line is very versatile. It offers everything from desktop drives powered with an external AC adapter to the bus-powered Mini that works with your MacBook or iPad Pro. Imagine being able to transfer large quantities of files between devices with one very versatile drive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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