I have the late 2009 model with 4gb RAM. My HD is almost full so considering upgrading to a 500gb SSD. But that will cost about $300 and I'm not sure if it's worth it. I have no need to buy a new laptop and only want more storage and speed. Does it make sense to put that much into a 4 year old machine? Other than the need for more space I'm happy with it but faster boot time etc would be nice. If I could extend the useful life of the Macbook instead of spending $1000+ on a new laptop I'd be happy. In order to get the kind of storage I want in a new MBA or MBP I'd have to spend hundreds of $ on top of the baseline model cost. Or should I just spend less on a new old-tech 500gb HDD?
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How much $ to put into Macbook
- Thread starter DaveTheRave
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09 MB is a great macbook. Still has plenty usefulness. A 500GB SSD is quite an upgrade. Have you truly considered if you need 500GB of space? Any external available? Do you need SSD? Faster boot times are great, but how often do you shut down your computer? Obviously faster load times for apps, data, etc. is great but consider if you truly need it. If not, then maybe a higher end 500GB platter style HD is suitable, and obviously much cheaper. If you need SSD, then I would weigh that cost against how many years I think I'll continue using it. Even so, a 500GB SSD in a Macbook has good resale, but may shy buyers away considering price. I just dropped $100 + into a 08 Aluminum and I haven't even touched the HD yet. Still 320 GB. But for me, it suits my needs, and is cheaper than a MBA.
I don't need a SSD but do shut down the laptop often. As far as space, well I am close to maxing out my 250gb HD and I like to keep it simple and backup my drive to an external Seagate 1TB drive. Seems like keeping files on another external drive precludes me from using Time Machine. I'm still on the fence about what kind of drive to upgrade to.
The key question is how long you want to continue using the machine. If you expect to replace it next year, upgrades are a waste. If it will be years longer, its a no brainer. I just dropped $300 on a 480GB M500 for my 2010. 3 years in, I expect to have it for another 3 years. Thats 1000 days with a faster, more reliable, more capable machine. And SSDs offer much more than boot speed. No more clicks, no more head parks when you jostle the machine, faster app, faster files, faster copying, more reliablilty. Oh, and increased battery runtime.
BTW, another consideration is the condition of the machine. If its clean and solid, thats good. If the screen is half broken and keys are missing, Id replace.
BTW, another consideration is the condition of the machine. If its clean and solid, thats good. If the screen is half broken and keys are missing, Id replace.
Def what Twimfy mentioned. The 8GB RAM will help extend life of machine too. That, plus the 480GB M500 that was previously mentioned, that all can be done under $400, and that will get you by easily for the next 3-4 years. Amazon may have some slightly better deals depending on time of day.
Additionally, rather than buy a huge SSD.
Consider a high volume replacement HDD and then put a small say 60GB SSD in the optical drive slot and fusion the drive.
That way you'll retain the storage but you'll still get a good speed increase from the SSD being managed by fusion.
Consider a high volume replacement HDD and then put a small say 60GB SSD in the optical drive slot and fusion the drive.
That way you'll retain the storage but you'll still get a good speed increase from the SSD being managed by fusion.
I'd consider a hybrid drive and definitely 8GB RAM.
Although hybrid drives aren't nearly as quick as SSDs, they do provide some increase in speed at much less of the cost.
Although hybrid drives aren't nearly as quick as SSDs, they do provide some increase in speed at much less of the cost.
What kind of shape is the MacBook in? If it looks and functions as brand new then go ahead and drop the upgrades in. However, some people want to make a MacBook that has a worn trackpad, missing keys, dented corners, etc. feel like new with new parts. That being said, if it is in good shape then go for those upgrades and enjoy it a few more years.
exactly what i did with my 2010 white macbook. except i got a 256gb SSD and a 750gb HDD. totally worth it.