2012 mbp way to slow?!

[lasloduncan]

I use it for a backup to my imac...or try to...catalina with all the latest updates ( frankly I think it lacks the backbone for current s/w-)-so email zoom google meets all that works fine..just going from one browser to another -painfully slow email slow also-I boot to a ssd but I fear os is still using the internal h/d for most stuff...that is pretty much the extent of my tech ability with this piece of gear.-

seems to me the answer would be to buy a used later model mbp 15" screen....thoughts from seniors out there? please.
might there be a diagnostic sw I could run and get some directions on how to resolve or not? thank you

2012 mbp with cd slot

 

[DeltaMac]

How much RAM is installed??
Your 2012 MBPro will support up to 16GB.
If you still have only the original 4GB, that's likely the main challenge, and a RAM upgrade will probably result in much less "painful" operation. Replacing that internal hard drive with an SSD, and using THAT for your boot system (plus more RAM) will also give your MBPro that big boost so it works like you might hope (and probably better than you expect!)

I have one of those 2012 MBPros. The speed is OK. I have upgraded to an internal 500GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM.
It's easy to upgrade - would take you 10 minutes, tops. (plus software installs on the now-internal SSD.)
My 72-year-old eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be, but no problems doing all that to end up with a fine daily-use laptop.

The 2012 13-inch Macbook Pro remains a capable Mac, and is the last Mac sold with an internal optical drive, if that is still important to you. (Apple continued to sell that 2012 model as new until October 2016)

 

[wordsworth]

I agree with DeltaMac. Get the 16GB memory modules and 500GB SSD. There are various YouTube videos that tell you – and show you – what you need to know and how to do the upgrades. My wife has a mid-2012 MacBook Pro and I currently have the 16GB memory and 500GB SSD here ready to fit into the machine. Unfortunately she has a problem with Apple Mail at the moment and so I need to figure out what's causing it before I do the upgrades and then move the machine from El Capitan to Mojave (the last OS to allow her to use legacy software).

I recently upgraded a white MacBook (early 2009) with extra memory and a Crucial SSD (their website, too, has various useful videos) and was delighted at how manageable it was to do, and how much it transformed the laptop's usefulness (from 'not very' to a working machine again). I now have the confidence to do such an upgrade again.

To do the upgrades you'll probably need two different screwdrivers. One of these will handle the screws fixing the base to the laptop's chassis, and the other to swap out the internal hard drive from its housing and replace it with the SSD. SOme of the videos will identify these for you and you can always seek further advice on Mac Rumors, of course.

Just take your time and learn all you need to know before you begin, and keep links to the how-to videos so that if need be you can refer to them again as you work on the laptop. The MacBook Pro model you have is a great machine – one of Apple's best, in my opinion, and as a real workhorse there is no reason to retire it yet.

As for upgrading it, slow, careful and methodical will get you there.

 

[justashooter]

There are three upgrades/repairs that greatly speed up these machines.

* It is common for the 2012 MacBook Pro 13 to have a SATA cable failure that causes slow access to the drives and it is easy to replace.
* Replacing the hard drive with an SSD will greatly speed up these machines, it will be like having a new computer. A 500gb Crucial MX500 is less than $60.
* Going from 4GB to 8gb or 16gb ram is a huge plus. (I have found 8gb is generally enough for most uses (web browsing, email, writing documents, etc.) 16gb if you are using photoshop, photoshop elements, other photo editing programs, video editing, etc. I generally buy used

A test of the SATA cable is to remove the hard drive, put it in an external USB3 enclosure and boot from the external enclosure. If it runs like it used to from the external drive then the SATA cable is probably bad. I general replace them anyhow when upgrading, they are only about $14.

You can then use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your hard drive to the SSD.

If you can run a screwdrive you can do all these upgrades yourself. This link is to videos on Other World Computing web site that shows how to perform these upgrades.

13-inch MacBook Pro ("Unibody", Mid 2012)

Step-by-step videos for the 13-inch MacBook Pro ("Unibody", Mid 2012).

eshop.macsales.com

 

[rovostrov]

I use a 15" 2012 MBP, with upgraded SSD and 16GB RAM. No issues with Catalina.
Everything works well and even though its not as super-fast as a new one, it's not what
I'd consider slow at all

 

[bingow]

@lasloduncan, there are some very helpful threads along the lines of @justashooter, which I followed, except for adding more memory. Dramatic(!) improvement in speed with a 500GB SSD. I also replaced the SATA cable, but my octogenarian shaky hands had great difficulty doing it; not so with the SSD, and more recently, a new battery from OWC. Now, I have zero interest in a new Mac (my wife has the 2020 M1: we're both happy).

 

[lasloduncan]

as I said and maybe not plainly...t5 1 tb Samsung boot drive velcroed to the lid. that I cloned the int hard drive too then boot from the t5...also have 16 memory..I spend waaaay to much time and effort trying to keep these things running I am not wild about replacing cables etc.... battery no doubt is older but I rarely unhook it from power.--I may take it to a small shop see what they say, I dont have time to be an apple tekkie tho seems like by default it is part of being a user-the cable would be my first guess .thank you very much - my eyes are older than 72 and why I like my 27" imac hahha will have battery replaced also.

maybe somehow involved....knowing apple.--

stands to reason simply replace cablee why test it....it is ten years old.....thank you guys I have no one to ask...except this forum...and youtube that is its own migraine.

 

[Samorap]

I use it for a backup to my imac...or try to...catalina with all the latest updates ( frankly I think it lacks the backbone for current s/w-)-so email zoom google meets all that works fine..just going from one browser to another -painfully slow email...

I own a 15-inch mid-2012 MBP with 8 GB of RAM. I love it. It doesn't run slow at all. I use it as backup to my 2019 16-inch MBP.

Using "Force quit" once a week helps the 2012 MBP to run like new. To use force quit, close out all apps. Click the Apple symbol, select "Force Quit", select "Finder" then click Force Quit.

I also use a maintenance tool called OnyX to clear out old logs and caches. You can download it free here.

 

[clueless88]

I think replacing the internal drive with an SSD will give your MBP a nice kick in the pants. Not sure if the performance of an external boot drive would match an internal SSD drive. I have swapped out my HDD/SSDs in my 2012 MBP and have managed to keep the original drive cable intact. Was really amazed going from the spinning HDD to a Samsung SSD--boot time is much faster.

 

[Okta]

An SSD is a massive improvement over a 7200 RPM Magnetic drive, let alone a 5400 RPM one. I think you should consider that first

 

[bingow]

You can have my mid 2012 MBP non-retina (with its new Samsung EVO860 500GB SSD and OWC battery) when you pry it from my cold, cold hands. Thanks again to the many contributors here who encouraged me to do it.

 

[Macdctr]

Like others here have said, get yourself an SSD whether a 1TB or 512GB SSD. Set this SSD up as your internal boot drive and I suspect you will notice a big improvement in performance of your computer.

There are many choices of SSDs and I prefer the Samsung drives for their performance and reliability.

For example, you can purchase a 1TB Samsung 860 EVO internal SSD for $109.99 at Best Buy

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