2012 MBP hard drive upgrade path?

I would go with the 7200 rpm drive. However, consider getting a Crucial MX100 SSD $109.00 for the 256GB and $219.00 for the 512GB. You could run the OS and apps off the SSD, and run iTunes etc from your stock HDD via an external drive enclosure.

I would go with the 1TB.
Here is a thread about the exact same thing. It is from 2012 just like your MBP
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1390672/

Personally I would go with the 1TB.
They both are around the same speed. The 750GB would be slightly faster but the extra 250GB would be more benefit.

Here is a very informative thread
http://forum.notebookreview.com/har.../667100-faster-160gb-7200rpm-1tb-5400rpm.html

thekb said:

I have a 2012 MBP with 750GB 5400 RPM drive. Which is a better upgrade:

750 GB Hybrid - 7200 RPM / 32 MB SSD Cache

OR

1 TB Hybrid - 5400 RPM / 64 MB SSD Cache

Aside from obvious difference in size (750 GB vs 1TB), what's the best? how much boost would I get from 7200 drive? WOuld that be counteracted by only 32 MB SSD vs 64 MB in the 1TB version? Which would give most boost in speed?

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Neither. For you to see an actual boost, buy a pure SSD.

yjchua95 said:

Neither. For you to see an actual boost, buy a pure SSD.

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Ideally you go the hard drive route if you want capacity. Go the SSD route if you want speed.

thekb said:

I have a 2012 MBP with 750GB 5400 RPM drive. Which is a better upgrade:

750 GB Hybrid - 7200 RPM / 32 MB SSD Cache

OR

1 TB Hybrid - 5400 RPM / 64 MB SSD Cache

Aside from obvious difference in size (750 GB vs 1TB), what's the best? how much boost would I get from 7200 drive? WOuld that be counteracted by only 32 MB SSD vs 64 MB in the 1TB version? Which would give most boost in speed?

Click to expand...

Do you truly need all of that capacity? Because if you don't and you want to experience quite a speed boost, you should be looking in the direction of a SSD.

thekb said:

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeh, I kinda need the space because I am a digital media packrat. The 1TB option is attractive because it has more space and it's about $10 cheaper. I was thinking that the 7200 RPM drive would make a bigger difference. But after reading the linked threads, I think the two would be comparable.

Click to expand...

Why not just buy a small SSD for OS and apps (256GB-ish or so), and store everything else in external storage? USB 3 HDDs are as fast as internal ones.

thekb said:

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeh, I kinda need the space because I am a digital media packrat. The 1TB option is attractive because it has more space and it's about $10 cheaper. I was thinking that the 7200 RPM drive would make a bigger difference. But after reading the linked threads, I think the two would be comparable.

Click to expand...

Yes, the 7200 will only be slightly faster. But it has less capacity, and it is much louder and has more problems. My MBP has a 500gb 7200 rpm hard drive, and it is loud! It is louder than the fans. I have a 500gb external drive which is 5400rpm, and it is so much quieter. But I don't know... maybe the MBP amplifies the sound of the hard drive. It is hard to tell.

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