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Can I upgrade mid-2012 MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter jdrepjc
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This is a "unibody" MBP, is that assumption correct?
If so, you CAN upgrade it.
You can replace the internal platter-based hard drive with a 2.5" SSD.
You could also upgrade the RAM inside, although 8gb is probably "enough" unless YOU KNOW that you "need more". I'd leave it at 8 for now.
Go to ifixit.com to see what's involved in swapping the drive.
IT'S EASY (shouting intentional). Hardest part is taking out all the screws on the back and putting them back in.
You do need THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB:
- Phillips #00 driver
- TORX T-6 driver (for the "nubs" on the side of the drive)
Just about any 2.5" SSD will do.
DO NOT "buy the fastest" -- will be of no importance.
Instead, buy "for price" (I like Crucial and Sandisk).
You might also consider buying a USB3 2.5" external enclosure, like this:
You can use this to "prepare and test" the SSD BEFORE you open the MBP.
That way, you will still have a "working Mac" while you do the prep.
And... after you do the drive swap... you can put the old HDD into the enclosure and use it for a backup, or extra storage.
If so, you CAN upgrade it.
You can replace the internal platter-based hard drive with a 2.5" SSD.
You could also upgrade the RAM inside, although 8gb is probably "enough" unless YOU KNOW that you "need more". I'd leave it at 8 for now.
Go to ifixit.com to see what's involved in swapping the drive.
IT'S EASY (shouting intentional). Hardest part is taking out all the screws on the back and putting them back in.
You do need THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB:
- Phillips #00 driver
- TORX T-6 driver (for the "nubs" on the side of the drive)
Just about any 2.5" SSD will do.
DO NOT "buy the fastest" -- will be of no importance.
Instead, buy "for price" (I like Crucial and Sandisk).
You might also consider buying a USB3 2.5" external enclosure, like this:
SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)
SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)
tinyurl.com
You can use this to "prepare and test" the SSD BEFORE you open the MBP.
That way, you will still have a "working Mac" while you do the prep.
And... after you do the drive swap... you can put the old HDD into the enclosure and use it for a backup, or extra storage.
You can upgrade the 2012 to Catalina directly. The last OS officially supported by the 2012 MBP. There are workarounds I have read about in posts, called patchers, created by dosdude1 that will allow them to run Monterey, Big Sure, etc. I have not used them.
I have two 2012 MBP 13's. Great computers. I have stopped at Mojave, which I find a very stable OS. I also still use some 32 bit programs. Catalina and newer OS's no longer support 32 bit programs.
You will find a much faster computer with an SSD upgrade.
I have two 2012 MBP 13's. Great computers. I have stopped at Mojave, which I find a very stable OS. I also still use some 32 bit programs. Catalina and newer OS's no longer support 32 bit programs.
You will find a much faster computer with an SSD upgrade.
I used the dosdude1 Catalina patcher on a mid-2009 MBP for a couple years and it was great. But I'd prefer not to run a patcher on this one. I've heard that with certain GPU upgrades I might be able to run Big Sur and Monterey directly. Just hoping someone out there knows if it's possible and how to do it.
Switching to an SSD primary drive is night-and-day.
Your going to wonder why you waited to switch.
If you don't need your superdrive, pickup one of those drive caddys and install your old sata for increased internal disk space.
Can't help with OSX, cause I only run linux
Your going to wonder why you waited to switch.
If you don't need your superdrive, pickup one of those drive caddys and install your old sata for increased internal disk space.
Can't help with OSX, cause I only run linux
Yes, SATA3, 6g. I use Crucial MX500 series, in one of the MBP's and in a 4 SSD RAID, good product. A Samsung 850 EVO in the other. The Crucials are usually cheaper.