Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Most HD Space possible in MBP?

R

Ryuukumori

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 18, 2008
467
0
Okay, so as of now, we're all (hopefully most of you all) are waiting for the MBP update like me. I can assume the updated ones should have 2.5" HDs.

If I were to manually input an internal HD, is this as easy as installing RAM yourself?

If so, what is the largest and most RELIABLE hard drive out there that is 2.5" and can fit in a MBP? I am a person who NEEDS space (since I am 3/4's filled up with my 320GB Seagate External Hard Drive).

I don't mind paying online. Thanks for any help.
 
In current MBPs, the hard drive is not really user-replaceable. It's a fairly big job, and will likely void your warranty.

That said, I know Western Digital has a 320 GB, 5400 rpm drive on the market.
 
Replacing the hard drive in the MBP is not easy, not impossible, but not easy like the macbook.

As of right now the largest drive that i know can fit in the mbp is the 320GB 2.5" drive.
 
WildCowboy said:
In current MBPs, the hard drive is not really user-replaceable. It's a fairly big job, and will likely void your warranty.
Click to expand...

On this board the OP can find countless thread which attests otherwise: the hard drive IS user-replaceable (just keep track of where the screws go), and replacing the drive will NOT void the warranty as long as no damage is done to the computer in the process. That's not just my experience, it's straight from the mouth of two different Geniuses at the Apple store.

Keep the HD just in case Apple wants to blame a HD issue on a user-replaced part, but having one in there in no way voids the warranty.
 
bijou said:
On this board the OP can find countless thread which attests otherwise: the hard drive IS user-replaceable (just keep track of where the screws go), and replacing the drive will NOT void the warranty as long as no damage is done to the computer in the process. That's not just my experience, it's straight from the mouth of two different Geniuses at the Apple store.

Keep the HD just in case Apple wants to blame a HD issue on a user-replaced part, but having one in there in no way voids the warranty.
Click to expand...

Indeed I just replaced my 160GB 5400 for a 320GB 5400 easiest thing I have ever done! But I am fairly competent at this sort of thing. Give it a try just make sure you have all the proper tools.

Cheers!
 
bijou said:
On this board the OP can find countless thread which attests otherwise: the hard drive IS user-replaceable (just keep track of where the screws go), and replacing the drive will NOT void the warranty as long as no damage is done to the computer in the process. That's not just my experience, it's straight from the mouth of two different Geniuses at the Apple store.

Keep the HD just in case Apple wants to blame a HD issue on a user-replaced part, but having one in there in no way voids the warranty.
Click to expand...


I just got off the phone with an Apple Care Rep and he told me that it doesn't void the warranty. If you don't trust yourself to do it, find someone who's an apple authorized repair tech and have them install it for you. Apple Care gave me some local techs that could possibly do it and all I had to do was call around. Looks like i'm going to have a 320GB HD soon. :D This will be great for me b/c of all of my photography needs and music. On my old PC I hated having to have an external drive connected just to listen to music or transfer stuff to the iPhone.
 
largest 7200 rpm drive out there?

is 200GB the largest currently-available 2.5" drive that rolls at 7200 rpm? i can't find anything bigger; in fact, i was recently at fry's and the largest they had was 160.

i know it's the largest apple offers, but that's not what i'm asking.

v
 
vixapphire said:
is 200GB the largest currently-available 2.5" drive that rolls at 7200 rpm? i can't find anything bigger; in fact, i was recently at fry's and the largest they had was 160.

i know it's the largest apple offers, but that's not what i'm asking.

v
Click to expand...

To the best of my knowledge, 200GB is the largest 7200RPM drive out there. However, I have read that a 320GB 5400RPM drive is roughly as fast as a 200GB 7200RPM drive due to the increased density of the platters.
 
If you really want tons of storage, and can go without a DVD drive, a company makes a bay that let you put another drive in place of the DVD drive.

Therefore you can have 2 of the largest (or fastest drive) internally.
However it might be better to get an external raid, perhaps firewire 800.
I use Lacie Little Big Disk.
 
Consultant said:
If you really want tons of storage, and can go without a DVD drive, a company makes a bay that let you put another drive in place of the DVD drive.

Therefore you can have 2 of the largest (or fastest drive) internally.
However it might be better to get an external raid, perhaps firewire 800.
I use Lacie Little Big Disk.
Click to expand...

Mmm.. pretty sure I saw someone saying the OptiBay uses PATA interface, not sure if there's a 320 that uses it. But that is certainly an option, and if I had money to burn I would go for that with an SSD ;)
 
I have a 2 year old Lacie Little Big Disk 320gb that is firewire powered. It was incredibly huge at that time. =)
 
Andrmgic said:
I think I may wait for Samsung's apple-compatible 500gb drive coming in March :)
Click to expand...

I don't understand...

I see on the HP website, their dv9700 series have 500 GB 5400 RPM hard drives. Not sure if they're the 2.5" ones like in the MBP, but it seems as though they exist IN notebooks. Anyone want to comment?
 
The HP laptops have two 250 GB hard drives in them. Which helps explain why their 17" model (dv9700) has almost twice the volume of a 17" MacBook Pro.
 
Ryuukumori said:
I don't understand...

I see on the HP website, their dv9700 series have 500 GB 5400 RPM hard drives. Not sure if they're the 2.5" ones like in the MBP, but it seems as though they exist IN notebooks. Anyone want to comment?
Click to expand...


Also, the upcoming 500gb hdd from hitachi, I think.. is 12.5 mm thick, which is too thick to fit into the macbook or the macbook pro. (by 3mm, apparently)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back