REVIEW: $10 Optibay Caddy

Orlandoech.com · 10:06 AM

When I had my 2011 15" MBP I bought the overpriced OWC Data Doubler Optibay Caddy for $70. When my brother got his 2012 13" MBP I decided to search for a cheaper, yet acceptable alternative.

I landed on this $10 caddy from Amazon with mostly good reviews, some mixed reviews and some negative reviews stating it didn't fit or it didn't have screw holes to secure the HDD or included screws.

For $10 and Amazon's amazing return policy, I took the chance and bought it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00

The caddy came with includes screws and it DID have screw holes to secure the HDD to the caddy itself. Its fitment was flawless and it bolted right in with no issues what so ever. Performance was as expected from a slow 5400RPM 500GB HDD. Overall, very satisfied with the product, especially for $10. I do NOT see how anyone who can justify spending $70 on a OWC Caddy because they slap a "mac compatible" or "just works" label on their product.

This $10 caddy is every bit as functional and it also "just works".

defektion · Sep 14, 2012, 02:53 PM

That looks like a solid deal to me boss.

afinch1992 · Sep 14, 2012, 04:47 PM

looks like a great deal. i wonder if it having more covering would increase temps in comparison. last time i looked the OWC was just a cage

Dark Void · Sep 14, 2012, 04:50 PM

Looks good.

How does it perform? (well the HDD performs, but you know what I mean)

Orlandoech.com · Sep 14, 2012, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afinch1992

looks like a great deal. i wonder if it having more covering would increase temps in comparison. last time i looked the OWC was just a cage

Considering the SuperDrive is the same shape/dimensions the temps havent increased by any means.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Void

Looks good.

How does it perform? (well the HDD performs, but you know what I mean)

Performs awesome, as great as a slow 5400rpm drive does lol.

afinch1992 · Sep 14, 2012, 05:09 PM

didnt think so, but it was just something i noticed. it probably works better since is allows the air to flow the way it was designed to

Dark Void · Sep 14, 2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orlandoech.com

Performs awesome, as great as a slow 5400rpm drive does lol.

Yeah - 5400 isn't too bad though. It's acceptable.

maxwelltech · Sep 14, 2012, 06:00 PM

Thanks a lot Orlandoech! I have ordered a Sandisk Extreme SSD (on sale) along with this adapter, and I am going to install it on my 2012 13 MBP. This post is going to be super helpful to me. Thanks!

dreamsINdigital · Sep 15, 2012, 12:30 AM

Does swapping out the optical drive for a hard drive add or remove weight?

Leek · Sep 15, 2012, 12:36 AM

Would you say this caddy is much heavier than OWC's, which was just a frame if I recall correctly? Not that a few ounces would be worth $60 but I'm just curious.

entrywounds · Sep 15, 2012, 03:04 AM

I have this exact caddy and have been using it for a couple months now and have had zero issues. The Hard Drive is a Sata III interface drive and it hasnt had 1 hiccup. Great bargain buy!

quasinormal · Sep 15, 2012, 04:44 AM

I bought a couple of these from a HK ebay seller for $15 each delivered. No problems whatsoever with a 1TB HD.

Now if only i could find a 5.25" enclosure for the optical drive.

yusukeaoki · Sep 15, 2012, 07:09 AM

And I paid 100 dollars for a damn caddy and superdrive case (free) from MCE

Cache · Sep 16, 2012, 02:12 AM

Could someone recommend a site in europe which sells these or similar ones that will fit perfectly? The one mentioned in the OP isnt available on amazon.co.uk for instance.

yusukeaoki · Sep 16, 2012, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cache

Could someone recommend a site in europe which sells these or similar ones that will fit perfectly? The one mentioned in the OP isnt available on amazon.co.uk for instance.

Its way more pricey but I use the MCE optibay.
Bought it because of the brand name.

On the way bottom of the list, you can see where to buy in UK.
http://www.mcetech.com/wheretobuy.html

Cache · Sep 16, 2012, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yusukeaoki

Its way more pricey but I use the MCE optibay.
Bought it because of the brand name.

On the way bottom of the list, you can see where to buy in UK.
http://www.mcetech.com/wheretobuy.html

Thanks for the link, but it is indeed a bit more pricey. Since it's basically a simple frame, I'm sure there are other cheaper alternatives here in Europe. I refuse to pay more for such a simple construction, so I'll just have to find out which of the cheaper ones fits perfectly. :P

LeeM · Sep 16, 2012, 08:12 AM

just search macbook optibay on ebay, buy the cheapest. i got one for a fiver that looks exactly the same as the one in the op.

NMF · Sep 16, 2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeM

just search macbook optibay on ebay, buy the cheapest. i got one for a fiver that looks exactly the same as the one in the op.

Ditto. Works great.

yusukeaoki · Sep 16, 2012, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cache

Thanks for the link, but it is indeed a bit more pricey. Since it's basically a simple frame, I'm sure there are other cheaper alternatives here in Europe. I refuse to pay more for such a simple construction, so I'll just have to find out which of the cheaper ones fits perfectly. :P

Except you get a free Super Drive enclosure and screw drivers with MCE.

Orlandoech.com · Sep 16, 2012, 07:49 PM

$13 SuperDrive Enclosure - http://www.amazon.com/Micro-SATA-Cab..._rhf_se_s_cp_5

Cache · Sep 26, 2012, 07:13 AM

I went ahead and bought this one from ebay:

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/320902699655?...ht_2736wt_1378

Fits perfectly. Have a very old 100gb 7200rpm hdd in there atm to test the caddy out, but it works nicely. Will substitute the drive for an ssd soon though.

Orlandoech · Nov 2, 2012, 12:16 PM

UPDATE: This kit is still fully functional and works flawlessly.

CASLondon · Nov 2, 2012, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cache

Could someone recommend a site in europe which sells these or similar ones that will fit perfectly? The one mentioned in the OP isnt available on amazon.co.uk for instance.

This is a good resource

http://hardwrk.com/en/home/

Also,

http://thebookyard.com

has the caddys, and any other parts you need. Good people

cocacolakid · Nov 2, 2012, 01:27 PM

The optibay weighs 2.5 ounces, without a hard drive.

Orlandoech.com · Dec 7, 2012, 04:14 PM

Closing in on 90 days with no issues at all. This caddy is well worth $10 or so, especially considering the OWC and MaxUpgrades versions are well over $50 and the OWC and MaxUpgrades versions are much heavier.

Sep 14, 2012, 12:01 PM	#1
Orlandoech.com macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT	REVIEW: $10 Optibay Caddy When I had my 2011 15" MBP I bought the overpriced OWC Data Doubler Optibay Caddy for $70. When my brother got his 2012 13" MBP I decided to search for a cheaper, yet acceptable alternative. I landed on this $10 caddy from Amazon with mostly good reviews, some mixed reviews and some negative reviews stating it didn't fit or it didn't have screw holes to secure the HDD or included screws. For $10 and Amazon's amazing return policy, I took the chance and bought it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00 The caddy came with includes screws and it DID have screw holes to secure the HDD to the caddy itself. Its fitment was flawless and it bolted right in with no issues what so ever. Performance was as expected from a slow 5400RPM 500GB HDD. Overall, very satisfied with the product, especially for $10. I do NOT see how anyone who can justify spending $70 on a OWC Caddy because they slap a "mac compatible" or "just works" label on their product. This $10 caddy is every bit as functional and it also "just works". Attached Thumbnails __________________ GUIDE: SSD Tweaking GUIDE: DIY Fusion Drive SSD Benchmark Comparison USB3 HDD vs SSD Last edited by Orlandoech.com; Dec 12, 2012 at 10:06 AM.
	5

Sep 14, 2012, 02:53 PM	#2
defektion macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2010	That looks like a solid deal to me boss. __________________  MBP w/Retina 2.6/16/512 \|  27" iMac 2.8/16/1TB (Late 2009) \|  Mac Mini 2.0/4GB/500GB (Early 2009) \|  iPad 2 16GB WiFi \|  iPhone 4S 16GB
	0

Sep 14, 2012, 04:50 PM	#4
Dark Void macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jun 2011	Looks good. How does it perform? (well the HDD performs, but you know what I mean) __________________ ` 13'' MacBook Pro • 2.4 GHz P8600 Intel Core 2 Duo • 8GB 1067 MHz DDR3 • Crucial M4 256GB • NVIDIA GeForce 320M 256MB
	0

Sep 14, 2012, 06:00 PM	#8
maxwelltech macrumors regular Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: California	Thanks a lot Orlandoech! I have ordered a Sandisk Extreme SSD (on sale) along with this adapter, and I am going to install it on my 2012 13 MBP. This post is going to be super helpful to me. Thanks! __________________ MacBook Pro 13 i7 (Mid 2012) w/ 128GB SSD; ThinkPad X301; iPad 4 WiFi 32GB, HTC One 32GB AT&T
	0

Sep 15, 2012, 12:30 AM	#9
dreamsINdigital macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2006	Does swapping out the optical drive for a hard drive add or remove weight? __________________ 15" iMac (1998): 233 MHz PowerPC G3, 32 MB RAM, 4 GB HD 13" MacBook (2006): 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo, 1 GB RAM, 320 GB HD 15" MacBook Pro (2011): 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HD
	0

Sep 14, 2012, 04:47 PM	#3
afinch1992 macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Dallas, Tx	looks like a great deal. i wonder if it having more covering would increase temps in comparison. last time i looked the OWC was just a cage
	0

Sep 14, 2012, 05:09 PM	#6
afinch1992 macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Dallas, Tx	didnt think so, but it was just something i noticed. it probably works better since is allows the air to flow the way it was designed to
	0

Sep 15, 2012, 12:36 AM	#10
Leek macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2012	Would you say this caddy is much heavier than OWC's, which was just a frame if I recall correctly? Not that a few ounces would be worth $60 but I'm just curious.
	0

Sep 15, 2012, 03:04 AM	#11
entrywounds macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2012	I have this exact caddy and have been using it for a couple months now and have had zero issues. The Hard Drive is a Sata III interface drive and it hasnt had 1 hiccup. Great bargain buy!
	0

Sep 15, 2012, 04:44 AM	#12
quasinormal macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia.	I bought a couple of these from a HK ebay seller for $15 each delivered. No problems whatsoever with a 1TB HD. Now if only i could find a 5.25" enclosure for the optical drive.
	0

Sep 15, 2012, 07:09 AM	#13
yusukeaoki macrumors 68020 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: California, USA.	And I paid 100 dollars for a damn caddy and superdrive case (free) from MCE __________________ 17" MacBook Pro (Early 2011), 2.2GHz i7 Quad, 16GB RAM, 128GB SSD+1TB HDD@5400rpm 11" MacBook Air (Mid 2012), 2.0GHz i7 Dual, 8GB RAM, 256GB Flash iPhone 5 (White), 32GB
	0

Sep 16, 2012, 02:12 AM	#14
Cache macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2007	Could someone recommend a site in europe which sells these or similar ones that will fit perfectly? The one mentioned in the OP isnt available on amazon.co.uk for instance.
	0

Sep 16, 2012, 08:12 AM	#17
LeeM macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2012	just search macbook optibay on ebay, buy the cheapest. i got one for a fiver that looks exactly the same as the one in the op.
	0

Sep 16, 2012, 07:49 PM	#20
Orlandoech.com Thread Starter macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT	$13 SuperDrive Enclosure - http://www.amazon.com/Micro-SATA-Cab..._rhf_se_s_cp_5 __________________ GUIDE: SSD Tweaking GUIDE: DIY Fusion Drive SSD Benchmark Comparison USB3 HDD vs SSD
	0

Sep 26, 2012, 07:13 AM	#21
Cache macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2007	I went ahead and bought this one from ebay: http://www.ebay.nl/itm/320902699655?...ht_2736wt_1378 Fits perfectly. Have a very old 100gb 7200rpm hdd in there atm to test the caddy out, but it works nicely. Will substitute the drive for an ssd soon though.
	0

Nov 2, 2012, 12:16 PM	#22
Orlandoech macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2012	UPDATE: This kit is still fully functional and works flawlessly. __________________ HOW TO: rMBP SSD Upgrade Samsung 830 vs OCZ Vetex 4 vs Crucial M4 vs Corsair GT USB3 HDD vs SSD Speeds $10 Optibay
	0

Nov 2, 2012, 01:27 PM	#24
cocacolakid macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Chicago	The optibay weighs 2.5 ounces, without a hard drive. __________________ 2012 Mini 2.3 i7 Samsung 840 250 GB SSD 16GB RAM 2012 13" MBP Samsung SSD, 16GB RAM TBD, iPad 4, iPhone 4S
	0

Dec 7, 2012, 04:14 PM	#25
Orlandoech.com Thread Starter macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT	Closing in on 90 days with no issues at all. This caddy is well worth $10 or so, especially considering the OWC and MaxUpgrades versions are well over $50 and the OWC and MaxUpgrades versions are much heavier. __________________ GUIDE: SSD Tweaking GUIDE: DIY Fusion Drive SSD Benchmark Comparison USB3 HDD vs SSD
	0

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