SSDs in Macbooks

Blackout · 16 Sep 2009 at 15:25

Hi all,

I have been thinking of getting a MBA (the SSD version) and I am just wondering what type of SSD is in there (for some reason I seem to think Samsung but I am betting it is the older variaty).

Anyone know what SSD is in there? And how much (presumably) they are to say a crucial/Vertex/newer Samsung etc.

I have seen some benchmark threads here, but to be honest the numbers don't really mean much to me.

All that I really want is speed of boot up/shut down and opening std programs etc.

Can you even put a non std-issue SSD in an MBA?

NickK · 16 Sep 2009 at 15:51

Not sure about the MBA, although my old company CTO had an SSD MBA. I think it's an Intel as Apple are big Intel partners there's probably a low cost to Apple.

First question - can you open a MBA?

I have a MBP3,1 (2007) with a Vertex 120 but to fit I had to unscrew the casing, un-peel sticky things, unscrew additional things and then finally get to pull the old HD drive out to change it.

Sleep/restore and App speed is related to HD and to the CPU/memory speed. The SSD is very quick - especially with snow leopard.

Spuds · 16 Sep 2009 at 22:29

Just run a quick test on my 1st gen MacBook Air with an SSD running Snow Leopard. From pressing the power button to being in OSX was around 40 seconds. Launching Microsoft Word 2008 took 8 seconds, Adobe Lightroom took about 5 seconds (Although I have very little in Lightroom on the Air) and Firefox was about 3 seconds. Shutdown time was about 2 seconds.

This article is suggesting that its Samsung SSD drives in the Air.

geekyEd · 16 Sep 2009 at 22:36

Apple use the terrible samsung drives, go aftermarket

Adrianr · 16 Sep 2009 at 22:45

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18050566

Some benchmarks in there with some figures from an SSD'd MBA.

Ol!ver · 17 Sep 2009 at 02:22

I shoved an SSD into my MacBook last year. The drives have gotten even faster now too: http://www.the-iblog.com/2008/11/11/who-needs-to-spend-500-on-an-ssd/

Blackout · 17 Sep 2009 at 10:26

Cheers chaps.

I have been doing a bit more reading on this, and it appears that whilst it is possible to open and replace the HD it is not for the faint of heart. In addition, the controller is not a SATA controller which would limit choice considerably. These comments were quite old but I don't think they changed the PATA/SATA controller in the most recent spec (shame). Anyone know any different?

Seems a real pain as the MBA is 'almost' perfect for me.

geekyEd · 17 Sep 2009 at 10:30

May I ask why the air and not a MBP, you get a lot more for your money and although it isnt as thin, macbook's or MBP's are not exactly huge.

Dangerous Dave · 17 Sep 2009 at 12:28

The SSDs supplied by Apple are pretty poor a MBA owner posted benchmarks in another thread already mentioned above and a MBP equipped with a Seagate 7200rpm HD was faster with the replacement Crucial SSD being almost 5 times faster !

Blackout · 18 Sep 2009 at 17:08

Re why the MBA - Well I have a macbook (black) already as well as a spontaneous purchase of a Samsung NC10 (which I don't really use and should sell). I guess what I want is something between the two that offers greater portability but still is Mac based and with a decent screen/KB etc.

Re the numbers already posted, yeah I saw that but to be perfectly honest, they are just numbers to me and I can't translate that into real world usage. I know the standard issue SSDs are not as good, but how much worse are they is what I am currently trying to get to grips with.

I may end up getting an SSD in the Macbook for now though (well if I can pull my finger out and sell the NC10 at least). I am still hoping Apple do a netbook-like device at somepoint soon!