USB 3 external SSD

[Teledude]

Going to get a bus powered USB 3 drive for my new Macbook - will an SSD outperform a 7200RPM disk greatly over USB3?

Worth paying the extra for thunderbolt enclosure?

Thanks!

 

[Sasahara]

What are you using it for?

If it's just general backing up 7200RPM disk should be fine.

If you're using to run document/intensive work like video encoding a SSD might be better, but going though USB3 will have some affect to it's performance compare to an SATA connected SSD. SSD will use less power.

 

[mranderson]

It will be at least x2 faster when transferring files but SSD's are used to their full potential as os installation drives, not simple storage.

 

[Teledude]

Ive got flash inside the rMBP but need more storage for VM's under Fusion - thinking of a 256GB Lacie thunderbolt for about £300 - any better?

 

[David_Vaughton]

if you have the cash get thunderbolt and get the fastest SSD you can

just be sure every system you want to use it for has thunderbolt