Apple’s New Fusion Drive

Apple today announced a brand new version of storage device for their Macs, a compromise between the HDD and the SSD, called the fusion drive. This storage device features a combination of SSD and HDD technology, so that certain applications can be stored on the faster flash memory resulting in a faster computer. In Apple’s own words:

The new iMac introduces a breakthrough storage option called Fusion Drive, which combines a high-capacity hard drive with high-performance flash storage. Fusion Drive automatically and intelligently manages your data so that frequently used apps, documents, photos, and other files stay on the faster flash storage, while infrequently used items move to the hard drive. You’ll enjoy shorter boot times, and as the system learns how you work, you’ll experience faster application launches and quicker file access.

This new feature will hopefully combine the large storage and low price of an HDD with the speed and performance of an SSD. This new drive is available on the new iMacs introduced today, as well as the brand new Mac minis.