Does the 2017 nTB MBP 13 have a replaceable SSD?

[TazExprez]

I know that the 2016 nTB MBP 13 has a replaceable SSD. Is the SSD on the 2017 nTB MBP 13 replaceable? I am not planning on ever upgrading the SSD, but I have had many HDDs get messed up over the years on many PCs. I just want to have the option to replace it if it ever gets messed up. I know that the 2016 model uses a proprietary connector for the SSD. I am planning on getting the base 2017 nTB MBP 13 with 16GB RAM and either a 128GB or a 256GB SSD. I am leaning toward the 256GB SSD. I am currently using a Mid 2010 base MBP 13 with a 2.4GHz Core2Duo CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 320GB HDD. I recently bought a Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming with a 2.5GHz 7300HQ Quad Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM (easily upgradeable to 32GB RAM), a 256GB SSD and a 1060Ti 4GB video card, but I would also like to use a Mac. Would this Mac be decent enough to learn Final Cut Pro X?

Thanks a lot for any help and have a great day!

 

[Populus]

Yes, like the nTB 2016 MBP, it has a replaceable SSD.
But, again, like with the 2016 model, there is not any brand making this type of SSD... yet.

And I don't know if you can ask in the Genius "please, replace my SSD", because probably there is no option to do that. All Apple want is you to buy a new laptop when your disk is messed up.

But, there's always hope

 

[treekram]

According to the iFixit teardown of the 2016 nTB model (a teardown of the nTB 2017 model is not available and the teardown of the 2017 TB model is not as clear), Apple now uses their own SSD controller. I would doubt very much that another NVMe controller can just be substituted for it. Reverse-engineering this controller and producing a comparable controller would be prohibitively expensive even if it didn't violate some IP that Apple has. So it's very unlikely that a 3rd-party replacement will ever become available. If anything, you can hope that Apple will at some point make these SSD's available at a reasonable price for replacement for failed SSD's outside the warranty period, something they don't do currently.

I don't use FCP but I do non-professional video editing using a different app and I would think that even the base model MBP would be more that adequate to learn FCP. You may want to use an external monitor though.

 

[TonyK]

OWC might have, or the most likely to have, an Apple SSD. Check their website and contact them if unsure.

 

[Populus]

OWC might have, or the most likely to have, an Apple SSD. Check their website and contact them if unsure.

Not the one he's interested, 2016 and 2017 nTB MacBook Pro; which is this one:

 

[TonyK]

bummer

 

[windows4ever]

It is replaceable, but it is going to be very expensive since it will have to be cannibalized from another Macbook.

SSDs fail and if the SSD is soldered to the logic board then the entire logic board is toast. So in that respect a removable SSD is a good thing.

"Right to repair" laws seem to be losing momentum, but I would like to see Apple forced to use industry standard M.2 drives. It's obnoxious that they deliberately corner the market for replacement SSDs.

 

[Populus]

bummer

Hmmm why do you call me that? You didn't even bother checking it before posting.

In OWCs website, they say the new SSDs have an Apple proprietary controller, and that means they cannot make this kind of SSDs, or maybe they can but they would be violating some laws regarding patents. Ultimately, it would be very costly.

Also, to OP, as you can see in OWCs blog, new 2017 nTB MacBook Pros have the same replaceable SSD, but again, with same proprietary technology. You can call me a bummer or whatever you like, but Apple's policies are these, and I don't like them like you and nobody likes them, but this is what we've got.

SSDs fail and if the SSD is soldered to the logic board then the entire logic board is toast. So in that respect a removable SSD is a good thing.

"Right to repair" laws seem to be losing momentum, but I would like to see Apple forced to use industry standard M.2 drives. It's obnoxious that they deliberately corner the market for replacement SSDs.

Exactly. I wish that right to repair would spread over more countries, but in order to achieve that, we have to force industries through our politicians. Right to repair is more than saving some bucks when it comes to repair some device, it is also a respectful attitude towards environment and the lack of resources. We really should push companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft and others, to allow us to repair our products, and not expect us to just buy another one. I have a 2010 MacBook Pro, and could have expanded its life even more, if it wasn't because the MBP I want will no longer be available on sale.

 

[jerryk]

As people keep saying, it is best to treat a MacBook Pro as a sealed system. Buy it with the storage and memory that will work for the period of time you own the system.

 

[treekram]

Hmmm why do you call me that? You didn't even bother checking it before posting.

Exactly. I wish that right to repair would spread over more countries, but in order to achieve that, we have to force industries through our politicians. Right to repair is more than saving some bucks when it comes to repair some device, it is also a respectful attitude towards environment and the lack of resources. We really should push companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft and others, to allow us to repair our products, and not expect us to just buy another one. I have a 2010 MacBook Pro, and could have expanded its life even more, if it wasn't because the MBP I want will no longer be available on sale.

I'm guessing that American English is not your native language. "Bummer" would be referring to the situation of not having an easily replaceable SSD, not to you personally. (Don't know if that's also the case in Britain, Australia, etc.)

In the US, given our political situation, it's unlikely that we'll have more consumer-friendly right-to-repair laws anytime soon.

 

[Populus]

I'm guessing that American English is not your native language. "Bummer" would be referring to the situation of not having an easily replaceable SSD, not to you personally. (Don't know if that's also the case in Britain, Australia, etc.)

You're right, I'm from Spain, and English is neither my first, nor my second language, and I do my best to integrate myself in English communities, like Macrumors Forums. My bad then.

Off topic: if anyone wants to practise Spanish and English talking about Apple, technology, society and other subjects, I'm open to meet new people and practise English, so anyone interested can PM me.

 

[jrasero]

I know that the 2016 nTB MBP 13 has a replaceable SSD. Is the SSD on the 2017 nTB MBP 13 replaceable? I am not planning on ever upgrading the SSD, but I have had many HDDs get messed up over the years on many PCs. I just want to have the option to replace it if it ever gets messed up. I know that the 2016 model uses a proprietary connector for the SSD. I am planning on getting the base 2017 nTB MBP 13 with 16GB RAM and either a 128GB or a 256GB SSD. I am leaning toward the 256GB SSD. I am currently using a Mid 2010 base MBP 13 with a 2.4GHz Core2Duo CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 320GB HDD. I recently bought a Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming with a 2.5GHz 7300HQ Quad Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM (easily upgradeable to 32GB RAM), a 256GB SSD and a 1060Ti 4GB video card, but I would also like to use a Mac. Would this Mac be decent enough to learn Final Cut Pro X?

Thanks a lot for any help and have a great day!

no, but thats why Macs have some of the highest write and transfer speeds

 

[treekram]

You're right, I'm from Spain, and English is neither my first, nor my second language, and I do my best to integrate myself in English communities, like Macrumors Forums. My bad then.

Off topic: if anyone wants to practise Spanish and English talking about Apple, technology, society and other subjects, I'm open to meet new people and practise English, so anyone interested can PM me.

Your written English is quite good. I noticed if you Google "bummer", the 2nd definition is "a loafer or vagrant" but I've never heard the word used in that context (the 2nd definition seems to be archaic).

 

[ross1999]

while releasing steam is vital ,
I am still looking for way to replace my old good 2012r 13 mbp with new mid 2017 mbp ntb entry level and upgrade its SSD. Hope it will be possible soon and some shrewd manufacturer will come with right adaptor.

 

[BeatCrazy]

while releasing steam is vital ,
I am still looking for way to replace my old good 2012r 13 mbp with new mid 2017 mbp ntb entry level and upgrade its SSD. Hope it will be possible soon and some shrewd manufacturer will come with right adaptor.

Probably never.

You’d be better served by just buying/ordering your model with 256/512/1TB and save yourself the frustration of looking for a replacement/upgraded SSD.

 

[ross1999]

You are probably right, I will end up upgrading the upgradable 2012r.Apple become unreasonably greedy for my taste, and it's will only become worse as they loose iPhone market share.

 

[grad]

Without wishing to drift off topic, which one is the latest RAM/storage/battery upgradeable/replaceable/fixable 13" MBP ?