Flash storage and Fusion Drive are two storage technologies used in Apple computers. Flash storage refers to solid-state drives (SSDs) that use flash memory, while Fusion Drive is Apple’s hybrid drive technology that combines an SSD with a traditional hard disk drive (HDD).
In this article, we will compare flash storage and Fusion Drive in terms of speed, cost, reliability, use cases, compatibility, and trends. We will provide definitions of each technology and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both options to help you determine which is better for your needs.
Definition of Flash Storage
Flash storage is a type of computer data storage that uses flash memory chips to store data (What is Flash Storage). Flash memory is a solid-state chip made up of floating-gate transistors that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It offers fast access speeds, high performance, and durability compared to traditional hard disk drives (What is flash storage?).
Some key advantages of flash storage include:
- Very high performance – Flash storage provides much faster read and write speeds compared to hard disk drives. This results in faster boot times and application launch times (What is Flash Storage? | Definition from …).
- Durability – Flash storage has no moving parts unlike hard disk drives, making it more resistant to shock, vibrations, and extreme temperatures.
- Low power consumption – Flash drives consume much less energy, generating less heat.
Some disadvantages of flash storage include:
- Higher cost per gigabyte compared to hard disk drives.
- Limited number of write/erase cycles due to flash memory wearing out over time.
Overall, flash storage provides a major speed boost while retaining key advantages of solid-state storage. It is commonly used for devices like USB drives, memory cards, and increasingly as the primary storage for laptops, tablets, and data centers.
Definition of Fusion Drive
A Fusion Drive is a hybrid storage technology developed by Apple that combines a hard disk drive (HDD) with a NAND flash storage solid-state drive (SSD) [1]. The flash storage and hard drive are combined into a single logical volume so they appear as one drive to the operating system. Fusion Drive aims to provide the performance of solid-state flash storage alongside the larger storage capacity of traditional hard drives [2].
Here’s how Fusion Drive works: The OS and frequently used files are stored on the smaller SSD for faster performance, while infrequently accessed files are stored on the larger HDD. The Fusion Drive automatically manages this process by analyzing file usage patterns and keeping commonly accessed files on the SSD. This helps optimize performance while providing abundant storage capacity.
The key pros of Fusion Drive are faster performance for frequently used files thanks to the SSD, plus plentiful storage capacity from the HDD. The main cons are that it is more complex and expensive compared to a single HDD or SSD. Overall, Fusion Drive aims to blend the best of SSD speed and HDD capacity into a single logical volume [3].
Speed Comparison
When it comes to speed, flash storage is generally faster than Fusion Drive. Flash storage refers to solid state drives (SSDs) which have no moving parts and use flash memory to store data. This allows SSDs to have much faster read and write speeds compared to traditional hard drives.
SSD read speeds can range from 200-550+ MB/s depending on the specific drive, while write speeds range from 150-520+ MB/s (1). In comparison, the hard drive component of a Fusion Drive has read/write speeds around 100-200 MB/s, while the flash storage part has speeds comparable to a dedicated SSD (2).
Overall, a Fusion Drive will give you better performance than just a hard drive, but still be slower than an all-flash SSD configuration. The small amount of flash storage acts as a cache to speed up access to frequently accessed files. But an SSD doesn’t rely on caching and provides consistently fast speeds for all operations.
For tasks like booting, loading apps, file transfers, and gaming, a flash storage SSD will be significantly faster. The performance difference is most noticeable in write speeds, where flash storage SSDs can be over 5x faster than a hard disk drive. This makes flash storage the superior choice when peak speed is the priority.
Cost Comparison
When comparing the cost of flash storage versus fusion drive, flash storage generally costs significantly more for an equivalent amount of storage capacity. According to Data Recovery Station, a 2TB fusion drive costs around $125 while a 256GB SSD costs around $60. So for the full 2TB capacity, a flash storage drive would cost over $500.
As explained by Ted Landau, when configuring an iMac, a 2TB fusion drive costs $100, while a 256GB flash storage upgrade costs $300. To get the equivalent 2TB capacity with flash, it would cost around $700.
In summary, flash storage generally costs several times more than an equivalent fusion drive. The fast performance of flash comes at a steep premium. For most budgets, a fusion drive offers a good balance of speed and affordability.
Reliability
When it comes to reliability and lifespan, flash storage has a clear advantage over Fusion Drive. Flash storage uses solid state memory with no moving parts, making it far more durable and shock resistant than traditional hard disk drives used in Fusion Drives. According to Ted Landau, “Flash Storage, because it has no moving parts, is more reliable than a Fusion Drive.” He notes that hard disk drives have magnetically spinning disks that are prone to failure over time, especially with bumps, jolts or exposure to magnets. In contrast, flash storage is less likely to fail suddenly and can better withstand impact or movement.
The lifespan of a Fusion Drive depends heavily on the lifespan of the traditional hard drive component, which is typically 3-5 years. The solid state flash memory in Fusion Drives and pure flash storage can last up to 10 years with normal use. Overall, flash storage offers more consistent and longer-lasting performance without the mechanical vulnerabilities of hard disk drives.
Use Cases
Flash storage and Fusion Drive are best suited for different use cases. According to Apple Discussions, flash storage is ideal for users who prioritize speed and performance. The SSD technology offers faster startups and application launches compared to traditional hard drives. Fusion Drive is a good middle-ground option, providing more storage capacity than an SSD while still offering fast performance thanks to the flash storage portion. As noted on Ted Landau’s blog, Fusion Drive makes the most sense for general computing needs where top speeds are not essential but a storage upgrade is desired.
In cases where storage space is the priority, Fusion Drive is likely the better choice over a pricey high-capacity SSD. As Stellar Info points out, Fusion Drives can offer up to 3TB capacities at a lower cost per gigabyte compared to SSDs. For users who work with extremely large files, such as high-resolution video editing, the abundant space of a Fusion Drive may be required. SSDs are better suited for tasks emphasizing fast load times over storage, like operating systems and games. In essence, flash storage excels at speed while Fusion Drive offers a balance of speed and generous storage capacity.
Compatibility
Flash storage and Fusion Drive have different compatibility with Apple devices and operating systems. Flash storage, being a type of solid state drive (SSD), is compatible with most Apple devices that have SSD storage options, including newer models of iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. Fusion Drive is an Apple proprietary technology and is only available on select Apple desktop computers like iMac and Mac mini models from 2012 and later (Source).
In terms of operating system compatibility, both flash storage and Fusion Drive work with macOS 10.12 Sierra and newer versions. However, Fusion Drive requires a specific firmware update to be fully compatible with APFS starting in macOS 10.13 High Sierra (Source). So while flash storage has wider device compatibility, Fusion Drive needs specific hardware and firmware versions to function optimally.
Trends
Fusion drives have been around since 2012 when Apple first introduced them, but their popularity seems to be declining as SSD prices drop. Here are some trends around flash storage and fusion drives:
Flash storage is getting faster and cheaper over time. As the cost of flash storage decreases, more Macs are being configured with pure SSD storage rather than fusion drives. All-flash storage offers better performance than fusion drives.
Apple has been gradually phasing out fusion drives in favor of SSDs. In 2020, Apple stopped offering fusion drives in standard configuration iMacs and made SSDs standard, signaling a move away from fusion drive technology.
While fusion drives are still available as a build-to-order option on some Macs, they are no longer competitive on performance or price compared to SSDs. Most experts predict the extinction of fusion drives as SSD prices reach parity.
SSD reliability continues to improve while fusion drives remain susceptible to component failures. If either the HDD or SSD fails in a fusion drive, data recovery is difficult and often impossible.
The future is flash. SSD performance, reliability, and affordability makes them the clear choice over dated hybrid fusion drive technology. Expect to see fusion drives fade out of Apple’s Mac lineup entirely within the next few years.
Conclusion
In summary, the key differences between flash storage and Fusion Drive are:
- Flash storage is faster, while Fusion Drive provides a balance of speed and storage capacity.
- Flash storage is more expensive per gigabyte, while Fusion Drive is more affordable.
- Flash storage is better for tasks requiring peak performance like video editing, while Fusion Drive is suitable for everyday tasks.
- Flash storage is fully solid state with no moving parts, while Fusion Drive combines an SSD and hard disk drive.
When deciding between the two, consider your budget, performance needs, and storage requirements. For most mainstream Mac users, Fusion Drive provides a nice combination of speed and capacity at a reasonable cost. Power users with demanding workloads may benefit from the pure performance of flash storage if the price premium is acceptable.