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SSD reliability

I have a new M1 iMac with the latest OS. I want to set up a Time Machine backup drive. My question is whether or not the new SSD externals are as reliable for long term data storage as the old style disk Hard Drives. It would be sweet just to velcro a little SSD to the back and never see it or hear it, but not at the risk of not having reliable backup.

Sorry if you see this twice. I am not a frequent user and realized I posted this to a different support community.

Thanks.

iMac 24″, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jun 25, 2021 1:21 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 25, 2021 1:25 PM

Hello, mb34.


Yes, it seems that SSDs are at least as reliable as HDDs.

See the report at this link, for example:

https://www.backblaze.com/blog/how-reliable-are-ssds/


If you google "SSD reliability" you'll find lots of info on the subject.


I think you'd be fine to do as you are thinking.


4 replies

Jun 25, 2021 2:49 PM in response to mb34

Drives for Time Machine should be about 2 ½ to 3 times the size of the drive(s) you're backing up.  I recommend drives from OWC (MacSales.com) as they have a history of reliable hardware, excellent customer support and honoring warranties.  Consider one of these depending on your budget and needs:


Envoy Pro EX with USB-C or USB 3 - best SSD from a speed vs price standpoint

OWC Envoy Pro EX with Thunderbolt 3 - fastest if you have a Thunderbolt 3 port but more expensive

OWC Envoy Pro mini - best for laptops

OWC Mercury Elite Pro 7200 RPM Storage - excellent choice for Time Machine usage, inexpensive and come in larger sizes that SSDs don't.


Jun 25, 2021 7:14 PM in response to mb34

IMHO, SSDs are overkill for Time Machine. If your external enclosure is rated SATA 6GB/sec (SATA III) and you use a quality rotational hard drive, TM backups are quite fast after the first one.


We exclusively use the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB3 series containing SATA 6GB, 7200 RPM WD Black drives. No issues. For best reliability and service, get an enclosure that uses 3.5-inch drives and comes with an independent power supply. The computers that earn income each have two OWC drives: one for Time Machine and the second for bootable clones made by Carbon Copy Cloner. Belt and suspenders, ya know.

SSD reliability

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