MBP Unidbody 15" SSD recommendation

snowbhoy

snowbhoy

snowbhoy

Associate
Joined
31 Aug 2006
Posts
10
Guys,

Bough a 15" core i7 MBP last week, and looking at removing the optical drive and installing an SSD in it's place. Read all the hints etc, just seems that some people have had problems with some drives.

Can anyone who's done it already, and had no issues share/recommend a drive that will work without causing me future problems?

Many thanks in advance.
 
i am also interested in this. been seriously thinking about an MBP but after getting an SSD in my desktop i would definatly want one in a laptop, however the ones they let you select are incredibly expensive and most probably not that good compared to whats out there from OCUK for example...
 
Got the vertex 2e here. I think its the best drive for the MBP as the MBP doesnt have 6gb/s sata so the C300 doesnt perform as well as the vertex on the 3gb/s connection.

Lovely drive and a piece of **** to install.
 
I just bought a 13" MBP (I did originally buy the 15" but sent it back because it;s too big to carry around with me all day) and it was a toss between this and the new 13" MBP air.
I have buyers remorse but I don't have time to send the laptop back so I'll stick with it, but I am missing the SSD that I would have got with the air.

So I'm also tempted to whip out the optical drive (that I don't use) and put in an SSD too.
One big questions which the OP might also be interested in;

Does removing a 'nonuser replaceable' component like the optical drive void the warranty?

Sure it's easy to take out/out back in, but in apple's eyes it might be enough to refuse a future repair etc.

Thanks guys.
 
Interested in this too. Just picked up a new 13" MBP today and first thing I wanna do is swap put the HD for an SSD (will keep the optical drive). Was thinking the intel might be good but people rating the vertex 2e more?

I just want something that will work out of the box really with minimal hassle - fine poking around in windows updating firmware etc but Macs still scare me a bit lol!
 
I've had both in my MBP - currently using the 2E with the Intel in my Mini. I had a problem with 'stuttering' when I had the Intel in my i7 MBP?

Could just be me of course, doesn't seem to be a common problem. I don't get it in the Mini.
 
coughs said:
Why do lots put the C300 in then?
Click to expand...

Because they look at the specs, say "OMG, quickz0r" and buy one. I looked at them, looked at the capabilities of my Mac Pro and said "nah" and bought a Vertex 2E instead.
 
Concorde Rules said:
Find a 160Gb Intel X25-M from somewhere for £200ish new.

That is what I would do TBH.
Click to expand...

I am tempted to agree with that, my 13" last gen macbook pro with a 160GB x25-M boots as fast as any video I've seen online pretty much, though I'm going to have to replace it for lack of space soon (and I use the optical drive just enough to make removing that impractical - and I'm slightly uncomfortable with doing it...)
 
bigredshark said:
I am tempted to agree with that, my 13" last gen macbook pro with a 160GB x25-M boots as fast as any video I've seen online pretty much, though I'm going to have to replace it for lack of space soon (and I use the optical drive just enough to make removing that impractical - and I'm slightly uncomfortable with doing it...)
Click to expand...

True.

However, after taking my 15" apart the superdrive seems to come out really easily. So the optibay thing can be used for me.

Might be worth waiting for the Intel G3 next year, but 300Gb has been said to be £320 (Same as the G2 160Gb) so *shrug* really...
 
Blackout said:
Interested in this too. Just picked up a new 13" MBP today and first thing I wanna do is swap put the HD for an SSD (will keep the optical drive). Was thinking the intel might be good but people rating the vertex 2e more?

I just want something that will work out of the box really with minimal hassle - fine poking around in windows updating firmware etc but Macs still scare me a bit lol!
Click to expand...

Well back up your data on an external hard drive or time machine.
Open up your MBP, (make sure you have the right screwdrivers!), put in the SSD.
Load up your install disk and go into the menu and select disk utility. Format the SSD as HFS+ then continue with the installation.
When it gets to the part about restoring from a previous mac, select time machine or if you backed up your data another way just reboot and transfer your data manually. Bish bash bosh!
 
Cheers chaps! Some good info there.

I really should wait for G3 but that's if that is longer than 3 months I suspect that I'll cave WAAAAAAAAAAY sooner than then...I'm feeling the cash start to smoulder in my wallet already!

I must admit, I thought that a 120gb SSD drive would be enough but after checking my HD capacity recently on my old 250gb macbook I'm starting to doubt that even a 160gb would be enough in the long term (especially as I probably need to leave a bit of space for wear levelling etc). Maybe I should just look at storing some of the stuff externally.

Any reason why folks would recommend the Intel over the Vertex? Also 160gb Intel for £200 new? Crikey most places I have looked at seem to have this priced at about the £300 mark.
 
Blackout said:
Any reason why folks would recommend the Intel over the Vertex? Also 160gb Intel for £200 new? Crikey most places I have looked at seem to have this priced at about the £300 mark.
Click to expand...

Yes, and it's way overpriced.

All im going to say is bay of e.

I paid £220 for mine, brand new, sealed. SMART showed 219Mb of writes to it, so it was new.

Im sure now you could get it for £200, or even lower second hand.
 
Cheers Concorde Rules.

Always makes me a bit nervous that particular place (but maybe should look into it afterall). Does your SSD bench on par with other normal shop-bought drives? I just wonder whether someone somewhere has worked out a way to put cheaper drive components into a casing and packaging that looks like its the real deal. I suspect many wouldn't know the difference.
 
I've put and Intel G2 drive into my 15" Unibody. Installation is pretty straightforward, except for the fact that the screws that you will find in the HDD have a very peculiar head - I think they were micro-torx or something. Suffice to say, even my engineer neighbour didn't have the correct tool so we improvised with a jeweller's clamp. You don't really need these screws for the SSD as a tiny bit of wobble isn't going to cause any problems; I just wanted the HDD to put into a USB3 enclosure [which I must admit performs incredibly well despite the fact the MBP obviously only supports USB 2.0].
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom