M1 iMac advice

robwright

I just bought an M1 iMac with just 256GB SSD with the intention of adding a 1TB external SSD drive. 

My question is, what do I do store on the internal SSD and what goes on the external SSD? Am I right to think I should run my DAW (Studio One) and VST’s from the internal and store the actual audio files as well as large sample libraries on the external? 

I’ve upgraded from a 2012 iMac with a 1.12TB Fusion drive which is almost full with plug-ins and sample libraries so I dint want to make the same mistake again! 

Advice (or sources of info) would be very gratefully received! 

Ta! 

robwright

Also, I’m using Superior Drummer which is huge - could that go on the external drive or would I put the actual player on the internal drive and all the additional sound ‘packs’ on the external drive? 

Lodious

I do exactly that with SD3 and it works perfectly. I'm using a Samsung T5 drive w/M1 Mac Mini. 

Yorkie

robwright said:

My question is, what do I do store on the internal SSD and what goes on the external SSD? Am I right to think I should run my DAW (Studio One) and VST’s from the internal and store the actual audio files as well as large sample libraries on the external? 

I do just that with large video files on a USB3 hard drive and, while there's a bit of lag, it's a working solution.
But my next computer will have a few TB of internal storage. External storage compensated for my little internal SSD, but it's a bit of a faff for me.  

spark240

I use the Samsung T5 2TB SSD for all the sounds and sample. thoughtcrimes I do like to keep S1 and the VST on the on. board drive...Mac M1 mini 256

robwright

Thanks all! A Samsung T5 is what I need!