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MacBook Pro 2012 Non Retina & SSD Question

K

kidstretch

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
36
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I recently bought a new MacBook Pro 2012, Non Retina model, 8 GB ram, 750 GB HD, 2,6 GHz. I also have a 2008 MacBook aluminum, which i switched the optical drive with a 115 GB SSD. My 2008 MB boots a lot faster than the new MB of course. So, i want to upgrade my new MB with an SSD disk.

My question is this. Shall i go for the 6G types, i read there are several problems with them on MacBooks. What is the difference between 6G and 3G models?

The use of the MacBook is for music production (i have all my samples in an external USB 3 disk, so i guess if Logic is installed in the SSD, everything will work pretty fast) and use of digital djing such as Serato. So i'm thinking of getting a 256 GB disk or even a 512 GB and also keep the default 750 GB HD for my mp3s' while playing with my Serato system. Can anyone suggest a good solution? My current SSD on the old MB is from OWC.
 
The difference between 3g and 6g is just the speed: 3Gb/s vs 6Gb/s. You probably won't see a considerable difference in speed from a 3G or a 6G SSD model, maybe a few seconds at most.

The 115Gb SSD you have will still work with your new MBP. You place that as the main drive and use the 750gb HDD in the optibay. 115GB should be enough for the OS and applications. It all depends on how many applications you have and the size of those applications. If you need more space then just get a larger SSD. Any of the crucial or samsung SSDs on newegg will work just fine.

And if you don't have the optibay already, OWC sells kits, i think they called it data-doubler.
 
I have the Samsung 830/256GB. Originally used it in my early 2011 MBP moving the HD to where the optical drive was with a caddy. By putting the SSD where the HD was you'll use the SATA III (6g) connection but the optical uses an older SATA II (3G)... Anyway, worked awesome!

But just upgraded to the new non-retina (same specs as yours with HR/AG), swapped out the OEM Hitachi with the Samsung and the new MBP doesn't start... I posted a few moments ago and it is just above. Should work great once I figure out this little hiccup.
 
mohsy90 said:
The 115Gb SSD you have will still work with your new MBP. You place that as the main drive and use the 750gb HDD in the optibay.
Click to expand...

In my old 2008 MB i have installed the SSD on the optical drive space.
So, from what i understand, if i buy a 3G type, it doesn't matter where i install it, hd or optical drive space, right?

Also, has anyone heard about those problem i was talking about?
I mean, the difference in money between 3G and 6G is small, but if there are problems, i'll go for the 3G type!
 
kidstretch said:
In my old 2008 MB i have installed the SSD on the optical drive space.
So, from what i understand, if i buy a 3G type, it doesn't matter where i install it, hd or optical drive space, right?

Also, has anyone heard about those problem i was talking about?
I mean, the difference in money between 3G and 6G is small, but if there are problems, i'll go for the 3G type!
Click to expand...

It's preferable that you have the SSD in the main HD slot, and have the 750HD in the optibay.
 
mohsy90 said:
It's preferable that you have the SSD in the main HD slot, and have the 750HD in the optibay.
Click to expand...

from a lot of things i have read, the 2012 has SATA III 6gb/s in both bays. I can confirm this since i now have a 2012 model too. so it would actually be ideal to leave the spinning drive in the main bay (since its protected from movement of the laptop) and put the SSD in the optical bay (since a fall wont really harm it).

i am in the process right now of ordering the OWC data doubler, 16GB memory, and one of their SSDs. i will pop the SSD in the data doubler, and leave my 750gb spinning drive in the main bay.

i may be wrong, but both sata connections read 6gb/s on my 2012 model.....and like i said, there have been posts about this as well.
 
So how can we check for sure that both connections are at 6G on the MB?
Also, will you get a 6G type or 3G? OWC states in their site that there are some kind of compatibility problems with the new Maczbooks.
 
kidstretch said:
So how can we check for sure that both connections are at 6G on the MB?
Also, will you get a 6G type or 3G? OWC states in their site that there are some kind of compatibility problems with the new Maczbooks.
Click to expand...

could you post a link to their website where it says that? cause im still trying to figure out which drive im going to get.

i would get a 6gb/s no matter what drive i get.

if you click apple-about this mac-system report-hardware-serial ata-

then you can select each controller, and they both say under "link speed" - 6gb/s. my 2009 macbook pro shows 3gb/s on each controller. however, if you notice, the optical drive in the 2012 shows a 6gb/s link speed with a 1.5gb/s negotiated link speed. some people are saying that that 1.5gb/s is the speed, but its not, its the "negotiated" link speed, because thats what the optical drive uses...you cant even use the full potential of 3gb/s on a 7200rpm hard drive, an optical drive definitely cant, it only uses 1.5gb/s. so when you replace the optical drive with a 6gb/s ssd, it will then change the negotiated speed to 6gb/s.

this is how i understand it, though, i could be wrong, i suppose...
 
kidstretch said:
So how can we check for sure that both connections are at 6G on the MB?
Also, will you get a 6G type or 3G? OWC states in their site that there are some kind of compatibility problems with the new Maczbooks.
Click to expand...
The situation is a little confused. The 15" 2011 MBP's SATA connections were technically both SATA III, but the ODD bay had problems operating at SATA III speeds (the HDD bay was fine). With the new 15" 2012 cMBP OCW have confirmed that both bays now operate at full SATA III speeds (but not on the 13" version).
 
Besides OWC data doubler, is there something I can buy from eBay that is actually cheaper, preferably from Europe that does the same thing?
 
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got the crucial m4 256 gb, am i good with those results?
 

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