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maffs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2010
6
0
To the Knowledge base :),
I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) and despite the obvious upgrades to 4GB of RAM and 7200rpm hard drive I'm thinking it maybe time for a new one or a new SSD.

I don't do a great deal of work on it but recently I started to get a annoyed by the 'lag' between clicking on a shortcut (excel) and it opening 10 seconds later. I've do a check on the HD and all is as it should be so am i getting impatient or have i just become accustomed to how much quick my MBP was compared to the windows machines in work and now i want faster???

There's no real reason to change my MPB (really) so should i buy a Solid State Drive, reinstall Lion from scratch and use this as an opportunity to rid myself of the many downloaded files i dont need or use?

If i am to go to the SSD is there a particular one out there i should buy. 256gb would be the minimum i'd want.

Many thanks,

Chris
 

trustever

macrumors 6502
Jan 14, 2013
290
0
Mate I have your same computer but with original drive and I am considering buying a new imac to have a bit more processing power when I use photoshop, now my actions take so long to be processed that the lag is really an incentive to updgrade.
If in your daily use you don't do process intensive tasks the upgrade to the SSD will make some sence as it will drastically reduce the boot time and and the start of the application but all the rest will be the same.
 

Macthemaca

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2012
14
0
SSD or New MacBook Pro?

I have the same device which I recently upgraded to 8 GB RAM and replaced the DVD drive with a Samsung SSD 256GB.
Now it boots fast and has 750 GB hard drive memory in total which should last me a while.:) and much cheaper than a new mac.
 

js81

macrumors 65816
Dec 31, 2008
1,199
16
KY
Can't speak for an 08, but my 09 was/is like a whole new animal with its SSD upgrade. Only other recommendation I'd add would be Mountain Lion. :)
 

Panch0

macrumors 6502a
Feb 23, 2010
684
9
Virginia
I just recently upgraded from a late 2008 MBP 15" with aftermarket Intel SSD and 8GB RAM. I finally upgraded because I wanted the lighter weight of a new 13" MBA, but there was no performance problem with that MBP.

I had a 160GB Intel X25-M, wich was the fastest drive available when I bought it.

You don't want to go looking for the fastest drive available now, as the 2008 MBP won't support it anyway. Stick to the lower end, SATA II devices (3Gbps), as that's the fastest your MBP will support.

I would just price shop for the lowest price for the capacity you want from a well known brand. Intel, OCZ, Samsung, Corsair, Crucial - any of these will make so much of a difference from your current drive, that the difference between each SSD in unnoticeable.

I would also consider selling you MBP and using the proceeds toward a new macbook rather than spending any money upgrading a 4 year old machine. Adding SSD is an easy upgrade, and you can do it for a couple hundred dollars, but I'd still think about just upgrading the whole computer instead.
 

auhagen

macrumors regular
May 30, 2010
131
1
Denmark
You pretty much answer it yourself.

"There's no real reason to change my MPB (really)"

Go with the SSD upgrade. It will be another machine, and last a little longer.
It will be far cheaper, and i think you will be more happy with that decision.
 

maffs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2010
6
0
Some great pieces of advice here guys - thank you.

I think I'll go SSD 256gb (samsung probably). Reinstall Lion and use this as an opportunity shed some bloated folders. I do have a copy mountain lion but some of my apps dont (didn't) work in it when i came out so i reverted back.

Thanks again,

Chris
 

Silencio

macrumors 68040
Jul 18, 2002
3,447
1,552
NYC
The late 2008 MacBook Pro will take up to 6GB of RAM. Max that out and get the SSD. I did the same upgrades to my black MacBook and they keep it performing very solidly.
 

maffs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2010
6
0
The late 2008 MacBook Pro will take up to 6GB of RAM. Max that out and get the SSD. I did the same upgrades to my black MacBook and they keep it performing very solidly.

Thanks.
I thought the max was 4GB? Can you confirm where i can get some info on the 6GB please :) ?

My MBP has 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

cheers,
 

Panch0

macrumors 6502a
Feb 23, 2010
684
9
Virginia
Thanks.
I thought the max was 4GB? Can you confirm where i can get some info on the 6GB please :) ?

My MBP has 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

cheers,

Official support is 6GB, there was a firmware upgrade that allows 8GB, which you probably already have... read about it here: Other World Computing

4GB was the most you could have pre-installed by Apple...
 

socbrian

macrumors regular
Mar 25, 2009
139
3
nc
I have the late 2008 uni body MB and I just threw 8GB in there and it works fine. I am on the most up to date software / firmware also
 

maffs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2010
6
0
Thanks

Well i've spent the afternoon sorted and deleting files that i now longer need, some 50GB in total, and now its much quicker.

Its like the HD new this could be the end of its life :)

I'm interested in upgraded to 8GB of RAM... £40 for 2x4GB opposed to £130 for 256GB SSD.

Hmm more considerations,
 

auhagen

macrumors regular
May 30, 2010
131
1
Denmark
You wont see that much performance gain with more ram, in what your doing.

I would rather have 4gb of ram and a ssd, instead of 8gb of ram and no ssd.
 
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