[john love]

Reference the iMac with the HDD (1 TB+) and the SSD (256GB).

1. Does the Finder show 1, or 2 drives?

2. Assuming 1 drive, does SuperDuper automatically transport only System files to the SSD for faster boot times? Or is SD more selective, e.g., all macOS files (System + all the prime macOS apps such as iLife) to the SSD and all other files (e.g., Graphic Converter, Xcode, TurboTax) to the HDD?

3. Assuming 2 drives for the Finder, does SD have to be told which files get transferred to each drive?

Besides the separate $$$ issue, the above questions and their answers play a significant role in my ultimate decision on the SSD option.

BTW, I have read some very good articles on HDD's and SSD's and the advantages/disadvantages of both. So, I have this info. I just need some technical answers to my 3 items above.

In the interest of full disclosure, Let's run with the assumption that 2 drives show in the Finder.

This pretty much nixes my wish to buy the SSD option for my potentially new iMac because ...

I really do not wish to deal with 2 drives because every time I clone the iMac, I have to clone 2 different drives which means I have to decide which files to put on the SSD and which to put on the HDD.

Selfishly speaking, that is too much decision making ... I just want to be able to clone the internal drive(s) on the iMac in one swoop. Of course, I do have external HDD's, so having to clone these externals is a given. But, I want to avoid having to make work by cloning separate internal drives.

Not to mention the fact that I could royally mess up my System macOS by making the wrong decision on which files to put on the SSD and which to put on the HDD.

Thanks, bunches and bunches for your time in helping me make a smart decision.

John Love