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Mercury Auro Pro Express

Have you had problems with your OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD for the 2010 MBA?

  • 120 GB, problems

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 120 GB, no problems

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • 240 GB, problems

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • 240 GB, no problems

    Votes: 4 30.8%

  • 360 GB, problems

    Votes: 4 30.8%

  • 360 GB, no problems

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • Total voters
    13
Thiol

Thiol

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2008
693
0
Hi all. Since Toshiba doesn't seem to be distributing the blade SSDs to buyers directly, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express is still the only option for upgrading the SSD on a 2010 MBA. Many people have reported problems (DOAs, failures) on forums, but OWC also has an excellent record of product quality. So I'm starting this survey. If you have purchased one of these SSDs, can you please let us know if you've had any problems or if the upgrade have worked smoothly? Thanks!
 
I don't have the OWC so I can't comment on it. But while OWC is a well known and respected Mac provider, I've seen a ton of complaints about issues with SSDs they sell for MBPs. Seems to me that many third party SSDs have issues on Macs. That was one of the reasons I got the MBA to get an Apple provided SSD. I'll gladly accept slightly lower capacity and speed compared to the maximum possible to get trouble free operation.
 
Bought a refurbed 11" MBA, 4 Gb with a 64GB SSD from Apple and the refurb Store, and dropped the 360 GB OWC Aura SSD into it, as fast as it was before, it is much faster now! 3 weeks no problemo. (STOP drooling Scottsdale.) This replaces my mint 2007 BMB which still runs perfectly. Now I am saving for an ACD to go with it, then we will do the same thing and replace the wifes 2008 BMB with the same set up.
Both will be hooked up to the ACD's and the Bluetooth Keyboard and Magic Trackpad' 50% of the time, and light and solo 50% of the time
Both will be attached to ergonimic articulating arms attached to 36" Anthro carts. Sweet set up's:cool::D:apple::apple:

Been buying SSD's and RAM from OWC for a while, and NEVER had a problem, in fact both BMB's have 256 GB OWC SSD's in them now, with no issues!
 
Last edited:
I'd be very interested in these drives if they didn't cost as much as the computer! Does anyone know if / when there might be more of these released to get some competition and price drops going?
 
Ridley said:
I'd be very interested in these drives if they didn't cost as much as the computer! Does anyone know if / when there might be more of these released to get some competition and price drops going?
Click to expand...

Everyone would be interested.

When you're the sole source...rational pricing is forgotten.
 
I can at least CONCEIVABLY see purchasing the 240GB model. The price of the 180GB is too close to the 240GB price, and the price of the 360GB model is just insane (unless you're one of the elite few that can afford this without much effort...which I am not).

If I had to choose one to buy, it'd be the 240GB model.
 
a problem w/ waking up

I'm having a problem waking up from sleep w/ OWC 240GB SSD. 100% of time it happens after a long sleep, like more than 1 hour 30 minutes. I tried hibernatemode 0,3,25 but didn't help.

I updated the firmware of SSD but still the problem exist. My MBA11 works fine w/ 64GB stock SSD though...

I didn't do benchmark tests but OWC SSD is fast, at least as fast as the stock SSD.

maybe I should get ridoff MBA11 and get MBA13 w/ 256GB... :(
 
I've got the 240GB in my 11 inch 1.6GHz/4GB. No problems after less than a month.

Didn't really seem faster than the stock SSD though. I actually had two Airs at the time that I installed the OWC and so did startup tests for both of them.

The videos that I saw online of the Air starting up with the stock SSD vs. OWC SSD showed a significant difference which I WAS NOT able to reproduce. Both took about the same time to boot up, side by side, same OS, etc.

Regardless, though, I wanted something with higher capacity and OWC is the only option for something larger than 128GB in the 11 inch Air (the 256GB that goes in the 13 inch Air won't fit in the 11 inch).
 
360 GB No wake from sleep mode

Installed 360 GB a week ago. No install problems although fit is a little tight (thicker than Apple 128 GB that had been in). Works great as in very fast. Problem seems to be after being in sleep mode for more than a couple hours, will not wake & hard reboot is needed. Does anyone know of a firmware update (current firmware is Rev 361A13F0) ?

UPDATE: Returned from Memorial Day weekend trip, left drive in sleep mode. Opened laptop & NOTHING, Still nothing after hard reboot. Booted from external drive to evaluate. Neither Disk Utility or Drive Genius 3 could detect the drive much less a volume. Requested RMA and returned drive to OWC. Awaiting new drive. Will post upon installation. In the mean time installed Apple 128GB SSD - No problems.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the poll

Thanks Thiol for this thread. I had decided unless the new 11" MBA has an SSD card slot or 256gb HD I was definitely going to get the 240gb drive. I got a base model 11" on ebay from Macmall for $849 a couple of months ago and haven't touched my 2007 MBP since. With a larger hard drive I could give the MBP to the kids. I don't think the price is that big a deterrent. After all to double the hard drive from 64gb and 128gb is $200. So to quadruple it to 256 could be $800. Besides it's already dropped $20 since I started looking at it last week. I do want to know about any problems though. After all a 500gb hard drive attached to my Airport Extreme gives me all the hard drive I need, around the house anyway.
 
New 340 GB Received

Follow up - Replaced with a a new 340 today and first surprise was how much faster boot time was than previous unit. Less than 24 house since installation so no problems to report :D Should anything change, I will update.

AndrewJW said:
Installed 360 GB a week ago. No install problems although fit is a little tight (thicker than Apple 128 GB that had been in). Works great as in very fast. Problem seems to be after being in sleep mode for more than a couple hours, will not wake & hard reboot is needed. Does anyone know of a firmware update (current firmware is Rev 361A13F0) ?

UPDATE: Returned from Memorial Day weekend trip, left drive in sleep mode. Opened laptop & NOTHING, Still nothing after hard reboot. Booted from external drive to evaluate. Neither Disk Utility or Drive Genius 3 could detect the drive much less a volume. Requested RMA and returned drive to OWC. Awaiting new drive. Will post upon installation. In the mean time installed Apple 128GB SSD - No problems.
Click to expand...
 
AndrewJW said:
Follow up - Replaced with a a new 340 today and first surprise was how much faster boot time was than previous unit. Less than 24 house since installation so no problems to report :D Should anything change, I will update.
Click to expand...

I think your new one has Samsung flash chips on it.:D
 
The poll was never corrected:

There is no 120GB version its 180

AndrewJW you put in a 360.

The only problem with buying these SSDs is you really cant sell your old one until you're out of warranty.

Apple could easily blame the SSD for any ailment.
 
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