Thunderbolt on late 2012 iMac 27inch

[exdos]

Hi,

I have a late 2012 27inch iMac which has 2 Thunderbolt sockets which I'd like to put into use with USB devices. Im struggling to find any adapters with Thunderbolt (1 or 2) male ends with female USB sockets. Can anyone point me to any cost-effective (i.e. cheap) solutions to this problem otherwise it seems that the thunderbolt sockets are redundant. My iMac has 4 USB 2.0 sockets, so I'd like to be able to benefit from being able to use the later USB 3.0 of many of my devices.

Thanks for any help.

 

[dtravis7]

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp667?locale=en_US

Those 4 ports are USB 3.0. Are you sure you own a late 2012 27" iMac? I have a Late 2012 21.5" and I can assure you the 4 USB ports are 3.0.

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-i5-2.9-27-inch-aluminum-late-2012-specs.html

 

[exdos]

When I go into: About This Mac -> System Report -> Hardware -> USB it shows USB Bus 2.0

 

[dtravis7]

When I go into: About This Mac -> System Report -> Hardware -> USB it shows USB Bus 2.0

What version of Mac OS is installed? I notice with Mojave and I believe High Sierra also that you have to point at the top part of that window where is says USB 2.0 Bus and scroll. I also had the same issue till I found that and when I scrolled the window the USB 3.0 Bus appeared.

 

[usagora]

Here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015F6ODUQ/?tag=macforums0e4-20

 

[exdos]

I'm using High Sierra 10.13.6. Ive just cloned my Mac HD onto a 1Tb Crucial SSD using an external SATA to USB cable using one of the USB ports of my Mac. I now intend to use the SSD as my Mac OS system HD. I'm looking at the possibility of keeping this SSD external to the Mac and using the existing internal HDD as my Time Machine Back up disk, so that I don't need to bother opening the Mac and I get to keep the internal HDD rather than removing it to replace.

From my first use of this SSD via USB, it seems that this method is significantly faster than the internal HDD, but I'm wondering if it would be better if I could install the SSD onto the logic board and retain the existing internal HDD? Theres an "how to" instruction video by OWC which shows that it's possible to do this with one of their SSDs, but I'm not sure if the Crucial SSD will be able to do this because it's in an aluminium enclosure. If I remove the enclosure, will the SSD board fit onto the logic board?

 

[harryb2448]

USB2 makes it a 2011 or earlier iMac so running an SSD will be pretty slow. If you are lucky and it is a 2011 model, it will have Thunderbolt which is many ntimes faster than USB2.

 

[pm-r]

Here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015F6ODUQ/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Amazing to discover what's actually available out there and I wasn't even sure it could actually be done!!

Some of the comments are interesting, ie:

Nick Ugolini
Testing the transfer of larger files I found transfer speed went from 21 MB/s on USB 2 and increased to 98 MB/s using the Thunderbolt adaptor. While not as fast as a standard USB 3.0 connection I now have 7 additional USB 3.0 ports on my computer and couldnt be more pleased with the result.

I haven't checked, but I thought monoprice.com may have such an adapter as they seem to be very adaptive and good at supplying almos custom stuff.





- Patrick
======

 

[pm-r]

When I go into: About This Mac -> System Report -> Hardware -> USB it shows USB Bus 2.0

I'd suggest using what Dennis suggested and the specs from everymac.com for your particular iMac.





- Patrick
======

 

[dtravis7]

USB2 makes it a 2011 or earlier iMac so running an SSD will be pretty slow. If you are lucky and it is a 2011 model, it will havew Thunderbolt which is many ntimes faster than USB2.

Harry, a 2011 iMac has one thunderbolt port. The OP's imac has 2. It's a 2012. He just needs to scroll the window on USB and the 3.0 bus will show up. I will post pics later when I am at that system.

 

[exdos]

Harry, a 2011 iMac has one thunderbolt port. The OP's imac has 2. It's a 2012. He just needs to scroll the window on USB and the 3.0 bus will show up. I will post pics later when I am at that system.

It's definitely a Late 2012 iMac. I've now scrolled down in the System Report and you are correct about the USB showing the 3.0 bus. That being so, the data transfer rate of USB 3.0 is published as being 640Mbps, which is faster than the transfer rate to/from the SSD, so am I right in thinking that if I connected the SSD to the internal SATA cabling by replacing the existing HDD, I will see no increase in performance of the SSD than I'm getting with it externally?

I think I can answer my own question: I've just transferred some large files to the SSD and using Activity Monitor, it was showing a read/write rate of around 100mbps, so that's about 1/5th of the speed of the SSD using USB 3.0. Therefore would Thunderbolt give me the same speed as the internal SATA ?

 

[dtravis7]

Am posting these for others in case they also get fooled by apples newest USB window like I and the OP did.


first pic is when you first click on USB

2nd pic USB 2.0 highlighted

3rd pic window scrolled down to show USB 3.0 Bus.

 

[ferrarr]

I think I can answer my own question: I've just transferred some large files to the SSD and using Activity Monitor, it was showing a read/write rate of around 100mbps, so that's about 1/5th of the speed of the SSD using USB 3.0. Therefore would Thunderbolt give me the same speed as the internal SATA ?

In order to see a sped increase, you would need to have a Thunderbolt enclosure. If you have a USB enclosure, then it will still operate at the USB speed. And internally, will also be faster.



Bob -

Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[harryb2448]

OP says he has 4 USB2 sockets so it is NOT a 2012 model of any description Dennis.


"My iMac has 4 USB 2.0 sockets".

 

[dtravis7]

OP says he has 4 USB2 sockets so it is NOT a 2012 model of any description Dennis.


"My iMac has 4 USB 2.0 sockets".

Read his later posts. He tried what I said and he has 4 usb 3.0 and 2 thunderbolt's. He was not expanding the window to show all the USB controllers.

 

[exdos]

UPDATE

I've now got an external enclosure with USB 3.0 for my Crucial MX500 1Tb SSD. Using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/38019/blackmagic-disk-speed-test , my SSD gives a consistent 420MB/s for both read and write. The manufacturer claim the SSD can do 560MB/s read and 510 MB/s. The performance improvement using the SSD externally is now very noticeable and I now need to consider whether I want to fit it internally and lose the 1Tb HDD, or whether it will fit onto the Logic board so that I can retain the HDD as well as run the SSD internally.

 

[pm-r]

I now need to consider whether I want to fit it internally and lose the 1Tb HDD, or whether it will fit onto the Logic board so that I can retain the HDD as well as run the SSD internally.

Hmmm...??? If you really need all that speed with internal drives, why not consider upgrading to a newer and faster Mac where all that has been done and tested for you?

Something to consider as your current Mac is now close to seven years old, but also has some decent resale/trade-in value.





- Patrick
======

 

[exdos]

Hmmm...??? If you really need all that speed with internal drives, why not consider upgrading to a newer and faster Mac where all that has been done and tested for you?

Something to consider as your current Mac is now close to seven years old, but also has some decent resale/trade-in value.

- Patrick
======

I've recently bought 16gb of RAM for 87GBP (=$114) giving me 24Gb RAM total and the 1Tb SSD for 125GBP ($163). Therefore, for a fraction of the price of a new iMac this iMac has got a new lease of life. As it is, I can remove the RAM upgrade and the SSD whenever I want to get a new Mac.

This set-up is now worth more to me than it's resale value.

 

[pm-r]

This set-up is now worth more to me than it's resale value.

That often seems to be the case.





- Patrick
======