MacBook Pro SSD to Replace HDD

j05h on 06/10/2015 - 20:04

Hi there,

I have a relatively new (replaced under warranty) 2012 MacBook Pro (one with CD drive). I am getting more and more annoyed with the speed of the thing, and was wondering what would be the best option for an SSD. I would go for just a Samsung (as its a well known brand), but notice they are a tad more expensive than some others- so I thought I'd ask people who know what they're talking about/have had experience

Also, would it be a good idea to upgrade/ put in more RAM? If so does anyone have a good suggestion of what brand?

Thanks in advance :)

Computing

Comments

  • pinchies on 06/10/2015 - 20:45

    SSD will make your macbook feel like a new computer. No questions asked. Brand will not make a perceptible difference unless you buy a cheap/budget Kingston SSD… samsung / corsair have been good for compatibility in my experience.

    • j05h on 06/10/2015 - 22:14

      Thanks!

  • apptrack on 06/10/2015 - 21:09

    I would stick to well known brands such as Samsung and others. Make sure you check the max read/write speed of the SSD before you buy it, sometimes it can be a big difference!

    Mate did the upgrade and the mac is blazingly fast now.

    How much RAM do you have at the moment?

    • j05h on 06/10/2015 - 22:15

      Only 4GB (2x 2 GB) that comes with it. Good to hear about it making it fast, it can get pretty tedious!

      • apptrack on 07/10/2015 - 14:49
        +1

        I would also be thinking to upgrade to 8GB

  • Garden gnome on 06/10/2015 - 22:51
    +1

    I have an early 2011 MacBook Pro and I kitted mine out with an a Samsung Evo 840. What you have to be aware of is that the connection between the current HDD and the logic board is normally faster than the connection between the CD drive and the logic board. However with newer models the speeds were equal, so you need to check what the speed is, either 3.0Gbps or 6.0Gbps. The speed increase with this upgrade was significant and it definitely made it worthwhile for me.
    I found out my model Mac has a slower connection to the CD drive.
    So my build included:
    - 240GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD in the standard hard drive bay
    - Removing the CD drive and replacing it with an OWC Data Doubler, which I got in a bundle with a 1TB HGST 5400RPM Hard Drive.

    The process was a bit tedious and it is very helpful to be looking at a guide, unfortunately I can't find the one I used. For example, I decided to install OSX on the SSD, meaning that I needed to create a bootable OSX image on a memory stick. I backed up all my important files I wanted to transfer over onto my backup desktop hard drive. Then I installed the HDD and SSD, loaded OSX onto the SSD and once everything was up and running I transferred my music and pictures and videos on the HDD.

    http://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-check-and-ena…
    And I also downloaded a TRIM enabler, which I believe extends the life of the SSD. Most updates I have to install the latest TRIM enabler software but thats no big deal.

    My regrets were not also installing 8GB of RAM at the same time for optimum performance and convienince, however if a good enough deal pops up I will buy some. I don't use memory intensive applications like photoshop, only the odd video conversion. Check the internet for guides, and be careful handling internal components.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join