What is Apple Fusion Drive ?
An Apple Fusion Drive is a type of hybrid storage solution used in some of Apple’s desktop computers.
It combines a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) with a solid-state drive (SSD) to create a single, unified volume that appears as a single drive to the operating system.
The idea behind a Fusion Drive is to offer the performance benefits of an SSD, such as fast boot and load times, combined with the large storage capacity of an HDD.
Advantages of using a Fusion Drive include:
Performance
The Fusion Drive utilises the fast read and write speeds of the SSD to store frequently used files, resulting in improved system performance.
Storage capacity
The Fusion Drive offers the large storage capacity of an HDD, making it ideal for users who need to store large amounts of data.
User-friendly
The Fusion Drive is transparent to the user, and all data is automatically managed by the operating system. No user intervention is required to maintain the performance benefits of the Fusion Drive.
Disadvantages of using a Fusion Drive include:
User-friendly
Fusion Drives are more expensive than traditional HDDs or SSDs
Limited SSD Capacity
The SSD component of the Fusion Drive is limited in size, meaning that the performance benefits of an SSD can be limited in systems with large amounts of data.
No Manual Control
Unlike traditional storage systems, the Fusion Drive does not allow for manual control over which files are stored on the SSD and which are stored on the HDD.
Alternatives to a Fusion Drive include:
Traditional HDD
A traditional hard disk drive provides large storage capacity at a low cost, but its performance can be slower than an SSD.
SSD
A solid-state drive offers fast read and write speeds, but its storage capacity is typically limited.
Hybrid Storage
Hybrid storage systems
Other hybrid storage systems, such as Intel Optane Memory, offer a similar concept to the Fusion Drive but may have different performance characteristics and compatibility with different operating systems.
Dual Drive Systems
Some users may choose to install both an SSD and an HDD in their computer, allowing for separate storage of frequently used files and large amounts of data. This allows for manual control over which files are stored on the SSD and which are stored on the HDD, but can also be more complex to install, set up and manage.
Displayed below are most of the Apple Mac computers that utilised Fusion Drive
Note: As of November 2021, no Mac offers a fusion drive