Ditching Fusion Drives: Apple's Solid-State iMacs Bring Big Updates

Apple has recently announced a significant upgrade to their iMac lineup, ditching the infamous Fusion Drive and replacing it with solid-state drives (SSDs). This change brings a substantial boost in performance for users who have been holding off on upgrading due to the limitations of the Fusion Drive.

The new M1-based 24-inch iMacs come with SSD options configurable from 256GB to 2TB, giving users more flexibility and better storage options. Gone are the days when you had to choose between a small 256GB SSD or a larger but underperforming Fusion Drive. With this change, Apple is promising up to 85% faster performance compared to previous models, while graphics performance has increased by as much as twice.

The Fusion Drive was always seen as a less-than-ideal storage option due to its low cache speeds, read and write speeds, and poor optimization when moving large files. For those who have been holding off on upgrading due to the limitations of the Fusion Drive, this change is welcome news.

For users who want more storage options, there are alternative solutions available. One option is to use an external Thunderbolt enclosure equipped with an SSD. These devices can be relatively inexpensive and offer a significant performance boost compared to USB 3.0 alternatives. Another option is to clone your drive or format the new SSD as your OS X boot drive while leaving document files on the original internal spinner.

In conclusion, Apple's decision to ditch the Fusion Drive in favor of solid-state drives is a welcome change for iMac users. With faster performance and more storage options available, this upgrade is sure to please those who have been holding off on upgrading due to the limitations of the Fusion Drive.

Solid state imac