Is the 512GB SSD worth the money?

[Reha]

I have an 11" i7/8/256 on order, but keep contemplating over getting the 512GB SSD. I plan to keep the Air for 2-3 years as I have also invested in AppleCare.

I previously owned a Macbook Pro and iPad, which I have sold in favor of the Air. I have a company laptop, and the Pro became a couch computer for Internet, Email, Photos (Canon 5D/Photoshop) and occasional video/audio work. I travel frequently and since I am not allowed to do personal stuff on the company laptop, my personal computer needs to travel in my bag alongside the work computer.

I'm fearing that with my occasional audio/video productions, the 256GB won't be enough considering I'll be keeping the Air for at least a couple of years. On the other hand USD500 for the additional upgrade is A LOT of money that I could only justify if I really need the extra space.

Does anyone have a similar use case and manages successfully the smaller disc space? Or would you recommend me upgrading to the 512Gb SSD?

[Puevlo]

I don't believe it is.

[Jobsian]

The price increment from 256GB to 512GB is massive. If you definitely need the extra space, and I would include getting close to 256GB as needing it, you'll utilise it and thus it'll be worth it. If not, stick to 256GB or lower.

[aristobrat]

The case against spending the extra $ for the 512GB is that you can store bigger files that you don't frequently use on an external HDD. I've been using the 256GB Air for three years now, and I keep all of my iMovie raw video on an external drive, because I rarely use iMovie. If I need to create/edit a video, I'll plug the external drive in, and I'm good to go to edit.

The case for spending the extra $ is that it's more convenient to have the space internally, and the speed of the SSD is faster than the speed of the external (unless you get a TB external).

[Kissaragi]

if 256gb isnt enough then yes

[plumosa]

With the help of ifixit's manuals, a special screwdriver and a new ssd from owc you can replace your stock ssd later on if you find that it's not enough.

Personally I have the 2011 version with only 128gb and I manage to get by because anything I'm not currently working on gets sent to an external drive. I'll upgrade to the 480gb owc ssd when it reaches 1$/gb. Hopefully that will be in the next year.

[jmoore5196]

I'm replacing a Core i7 15" MacBook Pro with an "ultimate" 13-inch MBA. My reasons for spending the money for the 512GB SSD are these:

I cannot imagine my space constraints becoming less severe over the next three years or so. I currently use about 350GB on the MBP.

I could move some of that content to a USB drive at far less cost, but one reason I'm buying the Air is that it is more portable than the MBP. Adding an external drive would sort of defeat the purpose.

Learning to live with space constraints was a problem for me until I bought the MBP with a 500GB HDD. Granted, the storage is expensive, but I really don't want to return to the days when I was counting every spare gigabyte. I know I'll take a resale hit and I may shorten the life cycle of the MBA to compensate a bit for that.

[skuid87]

I dont think it is.

The cost of upgrade is massive.
Had the same dilemma as you about space. Very similar use as you (perhaps a bit more video). Also looking to keep for at least 3 years.

In the end I wen't for 128GB MBA 13". I thought about it. I definitely needed more space. But is it worth paying the premium for FLASH memory? I figured that I only need the flash memory for OS + Apps + Essential/regular files. Anything else, including Video files for editing, can be stored on a portable HDD.

Remember, the new MBA has USB3, combine that with a nice 7200rpm drive, and you've got a drive you can work on! A decent 500GB portable HDD with 7200rpm and USB3 isn't going to cost you more than £100. Much better value for money IMO.

[kodeman53]

With the help of ifixit's manuals, a special screwdriver and a new ssd from owc you can replace your stock ssd later on if you find that it's not enough.

Personally I have the 2011 version with only 128gb and I manage to get by because anything I'm not currently working on gets sent to an external drive. I'll upgrade to the 480gb owc ssd when it reaches 1$/gb. Hopefully that will be in the next year.

The OP wont be able to do this until OWC designs and builds an SSD that will work in the 2012 MBA.

[GBlansten]

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1386752

[ZBoater]

if 256gb isnt enough then yes

We have a winner!

[Reha]

Well, not really as I have specified my use. I'm not interested in a general discussion about SSD and what we think it's worth.

Happy to hear your thoughts on managing disc pace with avarage iTunes, iPhoto libraries and Adobe CS5 or Aperture/Final Cut Pro being installed though.

I have also indicated why I have chosen the 11" Air, just in case we are going OT by recommending a 13" Pro or Air.

Thank you.

[xchaotic]

It's not worth it, simple as that - if you're a pro user that needs a lot of storage consider at least 13" MBP with SSD + HDD combo perhaps?

[Cheffy Dave]

I don't believe it is.

Depends on the user, if you need the space, it is:cool:

[negatv1]

I dont consider it 'as simple as that'. SSD drives of this size are expensive. I wanted it. I bought it. Does it pass the 'worth' test? When I hit 256+1 GB of data on my disk, I think it will. (Yes I know that a formatted disk (in this example 256GB) is actually less than this stated amount of space, the whole 1024=1000 ordeal, yada yada :D)

[GREEN4U]

I don't even think the 256gb is worth it. That's an extra $300. Quite a premium. 8GB upgrade for $100 though is amazing for Apple.

[ZBoater]

"Worth" is such a relative term. If you have the money and the need, then its "worth it". If you can't afford it and will have to forego rent to buy this, then maybe its not "worth it".

$500 extra dollars for the extra 256GB is a bit pricey, but not outrageous. Considering Apple is the only game in town right now, and these things are not upgradable until OWC comes up with new modules, that makes it more "worth it", especially if you NEED the space.

Me, personally, if I were to buy a new MBA, I would buy with a 2TB SSD. I'd have to go hungry for a couple of months, but to me that would be "worth" it. :D

[Stingray454]

I went with 256. My current Air har 128, that's an ok amount - I get by, but sometimes have to manage my files a bit. 256 is enough, and I don't think I'd even use more than 300:ish even if I had a 512. But, that's mostly because I have an iMac and NAS with >4Tb space for all my movies, music and whatnot :) So if it was my ONLY computer I'd probably need more. Though then I think 256 + a TB raid solution would be better for me.

[Beanoir]

If you're not sure then the chances are that even if you do need it the extra space its not likely to be for a while. I'd go with the 256GB, then by the time you might come to needing more you'll probably find OWC will have an option for new 512gb and it'll be much cheaper I would have thought.

[RocketRed]

I think 512GB SSD is a good long term investment if you don't plan on buying the 2013 and 2014 Macbook Air.

[Beanoir]

I think 512GB SSD is a good long term investment if you don't plan on buying the 2013 and 2014 Macbook Air.

What we've learnt from the past couple of years tells us it probably isn't worth buying it form Apple though....

[christophermdia]

I think it is completely worth it. I got the ultimate config, but the 13 version. This stuff is not easily replaceable. I mean I could buy a new drive from OWC and then try to sell my 256, but thats a hassle, I rather just get the bigger drive now and not worry about it. I have 8TB connected to a server at home, I can access everything if I need to but there are some things I just want to have with me, be it pics, movies, or music....if you can't afford it is one thing, but if money is not a problem, then why not...l..

[Resseh]

I dont think the extra £200 for the 256GB from 128GB upgrade is worth it. But my Wow folder is 30gb, Diablo is something like 15gb?, i trimmed down my itunes folder but thats still about 50gb and my Apperture library is 40gb.

So whilst i begrudged paying such a large amount for flash RAM, I needed it so paid the extra. I wanted the i7 upgrade but couldnt justify that one though :(

[AZC]

You can also boost the storage of your Air by up to 64gb (for now) without compromising the form factor with something like the Nifty Micro SD MiniDrive

http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Nifty-MiniDrive-More-Space-Pretty-Package?c=home

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nifty-MiniDrive/345487028804355

[KPOM]

Given how quickly SSD prices are falling (http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/22/falling-ssd-prices-swift-boot-up/), now that the MacBook Airs have USB 3.0 ports, it might just be better to purchase a cheap USB 3.0 external enclosure and a higher capacity SSD when the time comes that you need the extra storage.

[richlee111]

Given how quickly SSD prices are falling (http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/22/falling-ssd-prices-swift-boot-up/), now that the MacBook Airs have USB 3.0 ports, it might just be better to purchase a cheap USB 3.0 external enclosure and a higher capacity SSD when the time comes that you need the extra storage.

I agree with KPOM that SSD prices keep falling, and will most likely continue into next year. So if this is the case, my considerations are:

1) If you need the extra 255gb of storage right now and will need it for the next couple of years, then get the 512.

2) If you are just worried about not having enough storage in the future without any specific needs right now, then wait. Yea, future proofing 3-5 years down the road is good, but I bet the price options for the next 2 generations of Airs will have the 512gb option at a lot cheaper price then now. If that's the case, you might just want to take the $500 you save now and upgrade to a better machine for $1000 or $1500 that it would take to get a new one.

3) Resale on the 512gb will be worse percentage-wise then the 128 or 256. Basically people don't care that you paid $500 extra new when you try to sell the machine. They usually want the cheapest one they can get:)

[tigres]

I struggled with this arguement myself for a week then just said F it.

Bought the maxed out 13.

[Reha]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

I gave Apple a call and changed my order to the maxed out 11".
Since I plan to keep the Air for 2-3 years I consider it a long term investment. It is my only computer and I don't want to limit myself from the get go. I also invested in AppleCare which I don't want to void with replacing the SSD myself.

I know the price tag hurts, but not being able to edit photos and video due to lack of disk space would be worse. It's now preparing for shipment...

[arctic]

The funny thing is, if I'll throw in the 512gb BTO, might as well include the maximum RAM. Then we are talking around the price range of getting a Retina MBP and you'll have the sweet discrete GPU. Now, if we only have eGPU's at our disposal, getting a Max'd Air is more attractive than going with the Retina.

[Reha]

Yes, this is absolutely true, and I was thinking along these lines as well.

The cost of a maxed out Air is similar in price to a entry level rPro, but addresses a different use case. The reason to go with the 11" Air is the size and the size only, as I'm taking 2 computers with me pretty much all the time.

It was the iPad so far, but I'm not really happy with it for what I need to do. iMovie is too basic and doesn't support video from my Canon s95 or any other camera I've tried. Editing photos are OK but not great. Working on presentations and documents is a pain - not only due to the lack of a keyboard, but the internal dictionary sucks big time. I'd rather type on my Blackberry to be honest.

I tried an 11" that has Adobe CS6 installed and most of the applications work just fine. InDesign is not usable, but I doubt it would any better on the 13". Also Final Cut Pro and Aperture looked OK to me.

[thekev]

Yes, this is absolutely true, and I was thinking along these lines as well.

The cost of a maxed out Air is similar in price to a entry level rPro, but addresses a different use case. The reason to go with the 11" Air is the size and the size only, as I'm taking 2 computers with me pretty much all the time.

It was the iPad so far, but I'm not really happy with it for what I need to do. iMovie is too basic and doesn't support video from my Canon s95 or any other camera I've tried. Editing photos are OK but not great. Working on presentations and documents is a pain - not only due to the lack of a keyboard, but the internal dictionary sucks big time. I'd rather type on my Blackberry to be honest.

I tried an 11" that has Adobe CS6 installed and most of the applications work just fine. InDesign is not usable, but I doubt it would any better on the 13". Also Final Cut Pro and Aperture looked OK to me.


What problem did you have with InDesign? I'm slightly surprised about this. It sucks that you can't go to to the 13". Someone mentioned the OWC thing, but they're not yet compatible with the 2012 machine. The 2011 480GB drive is still $750. This is most likely because they have to use a custom part. It's stocked for one machine and only those that are searching for upgrades or replacements. Also I find their marketing to be deceptive.

[Reha]

InDesign itself runs fine, but it is the screen size that makes it hard to use. Designing pages in portrait layout needs more vertical space when working with text.

Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects etc is fine in 16:9 as the tools sit nicely left and right. I had no issues what so ever.

[chanyitian]

I have an 11" i7/8/256 on order, but keep contemplating over getting the 512GB SSD. I plan to keep the Air for 2-3 years as I have also invested in AppleCare.

I previously owned a Macbook Pro and iPad, which I have sold in favor of the Air. I have a company laptop, and the Pro became a couch computer for Internet, Email, Photos (Canon 5D/Photoshop) and occasional video/audio work. I travel frequently and since I am not allowed to do personal stuff on the company laptop, my personal computer needs to travel in my bag alongside the work computer.

I'm fearing that with my occasional audio/video productions, the 256GB won't be enough considering I'll be keeping the Air for at least a couple of years. On the other hand USD500 for the additional upgrade is A LOT of money that I could only justify if I really need the extra space.

Does anyone have a similar use case and manages successfully the smaller disc space? Or would you recommend me upgrading to the 512Gb SSD?

check your current computer to see how much space is used. If the space is around 256 GB or greater than that, maybe you need to upgrade to 512 GB SSD. You have to do that when you place the order as the macbook air is not user-servicable. would recommend a ram upgrade too. good luck.

[lcseds]

Well, this is kind of like owning a home. I have a condo with no garage, a very small attic and limited closet space. I do just fine keeping it organized and neat. Now, if I had a garage and a basement, I would have three times the stuff. Most of which I wouldn't use.
I can fill a 512 SSD, but I live on a 256 SSD in my MBA. Easier to manage with some light housekeeping.
However, I don't do any serious video editing and my Aperture library is only about 20GB and iTunes 25 GB.
You have to look at what you use it for, and how much stuff you want to keep in the garage.

[iphoneuser2040]

For me, the upgrade in SSD from Apple is way to expensive. If 256gb isn't enough for you, 512gb isn't going to be either.
i.e. if you have files which are going to take up 256gb of space they are likely to be movie/music files and photos etc, all of which, after 3 years are most likely going to exceed 512gb anyway.
I would save the money and buy a decent hard drive, maybe even a NAS for your home. You could spend much less that the SSD upgrade and get something which is arguably more useful!

[Beanoir]

You can also boost the storage of your Air by up to 64gb (for now) without compromising the form factor with something like the Nifty Micro SD MiniDrive

http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Nifty-MiniDrive-More-Space-Pretty-Package?c=home

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nifty-MiniDrive/345487028804355

I wouldn't buy anything from anybody who charges $5 for a "mention on Facebook" and an email!??!!

Amazing..