BTO MBP with SSD; which SSD?

[L0s7man]

If I order MBP with SSD from Apple store, which SSD will that be?

The upgrade from 750GB HDD to 128GB SSD is not too expensive (it's still a ripoff but I don't need 750GB HDD; but hell, 256GB SSD price is unbelievably ridiculous $500!, lol), so I was thinking about getting 128GB SSD and putting it in optibay while getting something faster for main drive.

I'm just curious which SSD it is?

 

[Adamantoise]

Only reason people order SSDs from Apple is because they're not comfortable doing the upgrade themselves.

However, you've mentioned that you intend to use an Optibay ... This leads me to believe you're technically competent.

So why on earth would you order the SSD from Apple?

You a trust fund kid or something?

Edit: Oh and to answer your question, it depends. Apple uses multiple suppliers for most of their parts.

 

[rainking]

Get the standard 750GB and put that in the optibay and get a SSD from newegg.

 

[sn1pes]

Only reason people order SSDs from Apple is because they're not comfortable doing the upgrade themselves.

However, you've mentioned that you intend to use an Optibay ... This leads me to believe you're technically competent.

So why on earth would you order the SSD from Apple?

You a trust fund kid or something?

Edit: Oh and to answer your question, it depends. Apple uses multiple suppliers for most of their parts.

Wow, what is your problem?

What is so bad about ordering the SSD from Apple? Apple's prices for SSD upgrades are just about on par with SSD prices elsewhere.

Also, many people don't want to deal with the instability of the newer SATAIII SSD's anyway, so why not have Apple put it in for you? That way you know it will be compatible (ie Trim) and it will be covered under your Apple Care warranty.

 

[Adamantoise]

What is so bad about ordering the SSD from Apple? Apple's prices for SSD upgrades are just about on par with SSD prices elsewhere.

$600 to play Russian roulette for a 256GB SSD? Okay.

Also, many people don't want to deal with the instability of the newer SATAIII SSD's anyway, so why not have Apple put it in for you? That way you know it will be compatible (ie Trim) and it will be covered under your Apple Care warranty.

Lol now you're just making stuff up.

 

[timewarrior]

$600 to play Russian roulette for a 256GB SSD? Okay.



Lol now you're just making stuff up.

I agree with others on this thread. There are many issues with using non-standard SSDs on Macbooks. The performance difference between real-life usage is negligible between Apple SSDs and other SSDs. However Apple SSD is guaranteed to be more tested and compatble. So I feel that going for Apple SSD is worth it esp given that the price of Apple upgrade to 256 GB is same as Vertex 3 256 or Intel 510 256.
I got a MBP with 256 GB BTO last week, but with 4 GB RAM - because I am going to upgrade RAM myself. There is a big cost advantage with RAM upgrade.

 

[Adamantoise]

I agree with others on this thread. There are many issues with using non-standard SSDs on Macbooks. The performance difference between real-life usage is negligible between Apple SSDs and other SSDs. However Apple SSD is guaranteed to be more tested and compatble. So I feel that going for Apple SSD is worth it esp given that the price of Apple upgrade to 256 GB is same as Vertex 3 256 or Intel 510 256.
I got a MBP with 256 GB BTO last week, but with 4 GB RAM - because I am going to upgrade RAM myself. There is a big cost advantage with RAM upgrade.

You are just saying things to make yourself feel better about paying $600 for a 256GB SSD.

Lol, the SATA II drive Apple is putting in those MBPs does not retail for $600, there's no 256GB SATA II drive on Newegg that is even more expensive than $500.

All I'm saying is, if you intend to open up your notebook regardless, why not install your own SSD while at it?

If you're scared of these nonexistent "compatibility problems", you might as well buy the kind of SSD Apple puts in there and save yourself money in the process.

But hey, it's your money. Do what you will.

 

[clickclickw00t]

this thread is getting outta hand...


buy a 500GB from apple- put it in an external for backups and stuff
on newegg, pickup a small SSD (64or128GB) and a 1TB. Get an optibay.

awesome setup...

 

[timewarrior]

this thread is getting outta hand...


buy a 500GB from apple- put it in an external for backups and stuff
on newegg, pickup a small SSD (64or128GB) and a 1TB. Get an optibay.

awesome setup...

Everyone to everyone's solution

 

[nickcao]

If I order MBP with SSD from Apple store, which SSD will that be?

The upgrade from 750GB HDD to 128GB SSD is not too expensive (it's still a ripoff but I don't need 750GB HDD; but hell, 256GB SSD price is unbelievably ridiculous $500!, lol), so I was thinking about getting 128GB SSD and putting it in optibay while getting something faster for main drive.

I'm just curious which SSD it is?

mine is toshiba oem apple sad

 

[Darby67]

In full agreement with Adamantoise. If you want a 256GB SATA II SSD, which is what is put in by Apple, save yourself anywhere from $150 - $200 and do it yourself.

For $600, if you chose, you can save a few bucks and install an SATA III SSD. The option for an OptiBay or the like is also out there and if you have $600 you can have it all: SATA II SSD with a large capacity HD installed in an OptiBay.

RAM and HD/SSD options from Apple are far from cost efficient and I would suggest looking further into doing the job yourself.

There are many issues with using non-standard SSDs on Macbooks.

I'm not sure what those issues are, but I have yet to encounter them, 2+ years and 2 different MBPs and not one issue...and I wouldn't characterize myself as the lucky type.

 

[DWBurke811]

There is something to say about having native TRIM support, and having Apple replace the drive if anything goes wrong. Apple RAM is a rip off, but I don't really feel the SSDs are that over priced.

 

[stevemiller]

yeah some people are getting overly hostile here. i did a fair amount of price checking and with the education discount, the apple ssd was right on par with other sata ii drives. the $90/128gb in particular is an awesome steal if you have modest space requirements.

native trim support may well be of negligible benefit vs 3rd party garbage collection/trim enablers, but its nice to have. as is being able to take my comp to the apple store down the street rather than deal with some RMA nonsense with some manufacturer online if there are issues.

going for a 3rd party solution is perfectly fine and may be better for some people (especially those who love staring at benchmark scores and setting up windows partitions to update drivers.) but there are others who would just rather get down and start using their computers

all kidding aside, i pained over the apple vs 3rd party solution myself. for me, the apple one felt like the right choice, but for someone else the opposite may be true. i think each person just has to weigh the pros/cons of each option and decide whats best for them.

 

[Alexjones]

I just ordered my Crucial 256 GB SSD. I hope this thing works. I paid $500 including tax and shipping

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I agree with others on this thread. There are many issues with using non-standard SSDs on Macbooks. The performance difference between real-life usage is negligible between Apple SSDs and other SSDs. However Apple SSD is guaranteed to be more tested and compatble. So I feel that going for Apple SSD is worth it esp given that the price of Apple upgrade to 256 GB is same as Vertex 3 256 or Intel 510 256.
I got a MBP with 256 GB BTO last week, but with 4 GB RAM - because I am going to upgrade RAM myself. There is a big cost advantage with RAM upgrade.

Apple doesn't make SSDs. If you're really worried about compatibility just buy one of the SSDs that Apple uses off of Newegg and install it yourself. You'll save a couple hundred bucks and have the same drive that Apple would have used. Win win.

Anyway I would use a faster drive, one that Apple doesn't use. Because it will work and on the very little chance that it doesn't I would install it in one of my other or send it back and get another drive.


There is no logical reason to waste your money having Apple upgrade the drive.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

Apple's 128 GB is competitively priced for their higher 15/17 models with student discount as a $90 upgrade (a lot of ifs right there). Given the base HDD is worth ~$70, that puts the SSD price at $160. This is about right, but you're really getting a pretty crappy drive (usually Toshiba). For about $40 more, you can move up to a FAR SUPERIOR Crucial M4.

The 256 GB/512 GB SSDs simply aren't competitively priced options.

 

[alFR]

nonexistent "compatibility problems"

People on here (and other forums) have reported numerous issues (although to be fair a lot of people have been fine too) e.g.:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1057025/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1170854/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1211054/

It seems that SATA III drives in particular are, at this point, a bit of a crapshoot: Anandtech would seem to agree with that.

Apple doesn't make SSDs. If you're really worried about compatibility just buy one of the SSDs that Apple uses off of Newegg and install it yourself. You'll save a couple hundred bucks and have the same drive that Apple would have used. Win win.

Except you can't, because the Toshiba SSDs Apple uses have a custom firmware tweaked by Apple (the part numbers are different, Google or Mroogle it if you don't believe me).

There is no logical reason to waste your money having Apple upgrade the drive.

Unless you either don't want the hassle of potential returns / doing a TRIM hack / not having TRIM. Or if you can get an Edu discount, in which case the Apple SSDs are about the same price as the 3rd-party alternatives (at least in the UK).

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

It seems that SATA III drives in particular are, at this point, a bit of a crapshoot: Anandtech would seem to agree with that.

One thing missing is that I have not seen is a current comparison of the latest, highest-overall performance SSD's (e.g. Kingston HyperX, OCZ Vertex-3 MAX IOPS), vs. Apple standard SSD, running on, e.g. (SL, Lion). Anandtech covers performance on Windows (7, x64).

Except you can't, because the Toshiba SSDs Apple uses have a custom firmware tweaked by Apple (the part numbers are different, Google or Mroogle it if you don't believe me).

Also still wondering about 6 Gbps issues on MBP?

Unless you either don't want the hassle of potential returns / doing a TRIM hack / not having TRIM. Or if you can get an Edu discount, in which case the Apple SSDs are about the same price as the 3rd-party alternatives (at least in the UK).

I agree that Apple prices are more reasonable now-- just wondering about how much performance is being left on the table with the Apple option vs the highest performance alternatives.

 

[Weaselboy]

One thing missing is that I have not seen is a current comparison of the latest, highest-overall performance SSD's (e.g. Kingston HyperX, OCZ Vertex-3 MAX IOPS), vs. Apple standard SSD, running on, e.g. (SL, Lion). Anandtech covers performance on Windows (7, x64).

Also still wondering about 6 Gbps issues on MBP?

I agree that Apple prices are more reasonable now-- just wondering about how much performance is being left on the table with the Apple option vs the highest performance alternatives.

1. Here at BareFeats.

2. SATA III is not officially supported by Apple. Users here report a lot of problems with the 17" and fewer with the 15" and 11", but still some problems. If you want the extra speed of a SATA III drive you at this point are increasing the chances of incompatibility.

3. It depends on your usage. If you are using the SSD to work with very large data files, like video editing, you are likely to notice a difference. If you do not work with large data file and just use your machine for web browsing, email, some document editing, you are not going to notice much difference in day to day usage between a SATA III and a SATA II SSD. I think for the average user people are perhaps focusing too much on small differences in synthetic benchmark tests.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

It depends on your usage. If you are using the SSD to work with very large data files, like video editing, you are likely to notice a difference. If you do not work with large data file and just use your machine for web browsing, email, some document editing, you are not going to notice much difference in day to day usage between a SATA III and a SATA II SSD. I think for the average user people are perhaps focusing too much on small differences in synthetic benchmark tests.

Although I do recreational digital photography, my biggest timewaster on both OS X and Windows is software builds, and, system-management related: Filevault - Backups - Virus Checking etc. IOPS/Random reads/writes are the key. The 2-2.5X speedup of the best SSD's over the Apple standard is quite significant, but, I'm not in the mood (right now) for dealing with glitches and hassles.