Late 2015 iMac HDD replacement 17,1

[wofawarrior]

My HDD went out on my (late 2015) iMac so I'm looking at a OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G Professional grade SSD, its formatted for Macs, has anyone installed one? I'm getting the 2tb
Also any advice on putting the OS on a flash drive to install should I install Catalina or Mojave?

 

[velocityg4]

Their prices are quite high. You can quite literally install any 2.5 SATA SSD. Formatting for macOS is trivial. It just takes a few seconds in Disk Utility.

Also why the 6G? The Aura Pro x2 is much faster. Being an NVMe SSD. Although you can use other NVMe SSD with an adapter and save money there too.

Use the appropriate version of DiskmakerX to easily create a bootable USB flash drive installer.

Downloads

diskmakerx.com

Edit: If your Mac uses a 3.5" HDD you'll want a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter. If you still go with an SATA SSD.

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

www.amazon.com

 

[wofawarrior]

the The Aura Pro x2 isn't compatible with my Mac

 

[20 Inch 2006 IMac]

What Velo said, any old Sata SSD will work so long as it has Dram and is from a reliable brand, don't be duped into paying for overpriced stuff just because it's marketed to apple users

 

[wofawarrior]

Their prices are quite high. You can quite literally install any 2.5 SATA SSD. Formatting for macOS is trivial. It just takes a few seconds in Disk Utility.

Also why the 6G? The Aura Pro x2 is much faster. Being an NVMe SSD. Although you can use other NVMe SSD with an adapter and save money there too.

Use the appropriate version of DiskmakerX to easily create a bootable USB flash drive installer.

Downloads

diskmakerx.com

Edit: If your Mac uses a 3.5" HDD you'll want a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter. If you still go with an SATA SSD.

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

www.amazon.com

It does come with the adapter

 

[wofawarrior]

Their prices are quite high. You can quite literally install any 2.5 SATA SSD. Formatting for macOS is trivial. It just takes a few seconds in Disk Utility.

Also why the 6G? The Aura Pro x2 is much faster. Being an NVMe SSD. Although you can use other NVMe SSD with an adapter and save money there too.

Use the appropriate version of DiskmakerX to easily create a bootable USB flash drive installer.

Downloads

diskmakerx.com

Edit: If your Mac uses a 3.5" HDD you'll want a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter. If you still go with an SATA SSD.

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

www.amazon.com

I've never had to shop for hardware lol .. as a result I'm not familiar with reputable companies/websites

 

[velocityg4]

I've never had to shop for hardware lol .. as a result I'm not familiar with reputable companies/websites

Just buy the SSD off Amazon. If you are set on SATA. Get a Samsung 860 Evo for top performance. It's much cheaper than those OWC prices. Get the adapter I previously linked to.

Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E2T0B/AM)

The SSD you trust: The newest edition to the world's best-selling SATA SSD series, the Samsung 860 EVO SSD is specially designed to enhance performance of mainstream PCs and laptops. With the latest V-NAND technology, this fast and reliable Solid State Drive comes in a wide range of compatible fo...

www.amazon.com

If you don't want to risk dealing with Amazon's third party vendors. Shop with BHPhotovideo.com. They are my preferred website for buying laptops. Given the wide selection, good prices and occasional killer deals.

I'd only go to OWC if you want the Aura Pro X2 blade SSD. As that is a seriously fast SSD and takes out the guess work of M.2 adapters for Mac. Not that the M.2 adapters are difficult. At least I can respect that they made an SSD with Apple's proprietary connector. There is nothing special about their SATA SSD.

You can get kits for opening the screen and replacing the adhesive through OWC (Macsales) or iFixit. Along with instructions.

the The Aura Pro x2 isn't compatible with my Mac

Which specific 2015 iMac is it? Model number and CPU. As some aren't compatible.

 

[Juicy Box]

IIRC, the iFixit adhesive strips are foam like the Apple ones, making cutting them a lot easier than the OWC ones.

It does come with the adapter

Do you mean the 3.5" to 2.5" adapters? Those adapters are cheap, you can get many of them for less than $10.

Do you mean the SATA Cable adapter with stick on Temp sensor? I would highly recommend that adapter. Some people forgo the sensor adapter and use SW for the fan speed like the Macs Fan Control app instead, but I figured if you have the iMac opened up, you might as well spend a little bit more and get the sensor cable and not worry about it or mess with SW to manage it.

 

[Juicy Box]

Here is the Temp Sensor Adapter:

iMac Intel 21.5" and 27" (Late 2012-Early 2019) SSD Temperature Sensor

Add an SSD to your iMac with this cable. A temperature sensor for the SSD is included.

www.ifixit.com

You can also find sensor adapter with upgrade kits containing tools, and the adhesive strips, but without a SSD included, saving you money if you purchase it elsewhere.

Get a Samsung 860 Evo for top performance.

I am not sure about the performance of it versus the competition, but I have replaced the internal drives of two iMacs and one MBP with the Samsung 860 Evo, and have not had any problems with them.

The 860's seem like high quality drives.

If price of the 860's is an issue, or if you found a good deal on another well know brand with good reviews, I have had good results with Sandisk and Adata SSDs.

 

[cynics]

The Samsung 860 Pro is the best, the 860 Evo is the more affordable runner up (haven't checked prices on them in years though). I agree I just used the adaptor....dropped the SSD into a corsair bracket that I had to drive another hole into...

 

[velocityg4]

Here is the Temp Sensor Adapter:

iMac Intel 21.5" and 27" (Late 2012-Early 2019) SSD Temperature Sensor

Add an SSD to your iMac with this cable. A temperature sensor for the SSD is included.

www.ifixit.com

I am not sure about the performance of it versus the competition, but I have replaced the internal drives of two iMacs and one MBP with the Samsung 860 Evo, and have not had any problems with them.

The 860's seem like high quality drives.

If price of the 860's is an issue, or if you found a good deal on another well know brand with good reviews, I have had good results with Sandisk and Adata SSDs.

They're basically as fast as the SATA interface can achieve. There's some middling difference between the top end SATA models. I just went with the 860 Evo since it is so reliable and fast yet vastly cheaper than that OWC 6G.

 

[20 Inch 2006 IMac]

It does come with the adapter

Just buy the fan adapter off of OWC and buy a Samsung, Adata or Kingston SSD

 

[wofawarrior]

I've never had to shop for hardware lol .. as a result I'm not familiar with reputable companies/websites

Sorry I wasn't able to respond more yesterday, I was at work. this is great info thank you. the kit I am looking at comes with a kit, tiny pizza cutter to cut the adhesive around the screen, new adhesive to put it back on, bracket and cables. It has everything I will need including a easy to follow step by step video which made it look super easy.

DIY Bundle - 2TB OWC 6G SSD and HDD Kit for 27-inch iMac

Add an SSD to your hard drive equipped iMac to experience faster booting, near instant application launches and data transfer speeds up over 500 MB/s.

eshop.macsales.com

 

[wofawarrior]

I am open to any suggestions, if you know of a better and less expensive option please let me know.
Thank you all for your input, I truly appreciate it

 

[wofawarrior]

Their prices are quite high. You can quite literally install any 2.5 SATA SSD. Formatting for macOS is trivial. It just takes a few seconds in Disk Utility.

Also why the 6G? The Aura Pro x2 is much faster. Being an NVMe SSD. Although you can use other NVMe SSD with an adapter and save money there too.

Use the appropriate version of DiskmakerX to easily create a bootable USB flash drive installer.

Downloads

diskmakerx.com

Edit: If your Mac uses a 3.5" HDD you'll want a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter. If you still go with an SATA SSD.

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

ORICO 2.5 SSD SATA to 3.5 Hard Drive Adapter Internal Drive Bay Converter Mounting Bracket Caddy Tray for 7 / 9.5 / 12.5mm 2.5 inch HDD / SSD with SATA III Interface(1125SS)

www.amazon.com

Thank you so much for the downloads site!!! I am so glad I came here to ask for help! you rock!!

 

[wofawarrior]

I will check out B&H I love them, thank you for your help.
and .. I wish I could have gotten the aura pro 2x as well .. I have a late 2015 i7
(I found my Mac info)

still trying to learn how to navigate this site

 

[mbosse]

Here is the Temp Sensor Adapter:

iMac Intel 21.5" and 27" (Late 2012-Early 2019) SSD Temperature Sensor

Add an SSD to your iMac with this cable. A temperature sensor for the SSD is included.

www.ifixit.com

You can also find sensor adapter with upgrade kits containing tools, and the adhesive strips, but without a SSD included, saving you money if you purchase it elsewhere.

You don't need the OWC adapter for any late-2012 or younger iMac - they read the temperature data easily from the SSD without any such thing (tested with various Samsung and Sandig drives).

Best,
Magnus