Fusion Drive or SSD - Check speeds

Fusion Drive or SSD - which is better? Mac users in particular should address this question. In this practical tip you will find out what is behind the term Fusion Drive and what the speed is compared to an SSD.

Fusion Drive or SSD - what's the difference?

Fusion Drive is a technology specially developed by Apple based on the concept of so-called hybrid hard drives. The interplay of fast flash memory and a mechanical medium is, however, purely software-based.

• Fusion Drive combines two separate storage media: a conventional HDD and a fast SSD. These are connected to the mainboard via two separate connections.
• Apple's special software solution, however, combines the two storage media into a large total storage. The Mac independently decides whether the data is stored on the HDD part or on the fast SSD part based on the frequency of access.
• Data that is used very often ends up on the SSD and can be called up more quickly. However, files that are rarely used are stored on the HDD.
• The biggest advantage of Fusion Drive is that it creates a storage medium with large capacity and short access times for the most important data.

Fusion Drive or SSD - Where's the better speed?

• The question of speed can be answered quite simply: it depends on the individual components. With Fusion Drive, you can use the reading speed specified for the SSD and the HDD. Frequently used files are read at SSD speed, rarely used files at HDD speed.
• Things look a little different when writing to the memory: First, all data is copied to the SSD at full speed. However, if this is fully occupied, new files are first written to the HDD and, if necessary, only later rearranged.
• This is the advantage of a standalone SSD: Both writing and reading use the full speed - regardless of how much memory is already used.