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OWC Data Doubler VS. Generic

S

semiauto

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 23, 2012
38
0
So, now that I have my SSD (Samsung 830 128GB) I am planning on taking out the Optical Drive and putting the HDD there, and placing SSD in the HDD spot. I am debating whether or not it is worth it to shell out $60 for an OWC Data Doubler or just buy the generic $20 Hard Drive Caddy off of amazon (newegg also has the same product).

The only negatives I've heard for the generic is that it barely fits in and that it does not support SATA III. But, if I put the SSD in place of the HDD, it should support SATA III, right?

Any advice?


Generic: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058AH2US/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=AD7C755W08DM6

OWC DD: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DDAMBS0GB/
 
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It's obvious that OWC is a class act, with their instructional videos and quality components.

You get what you pay for, I guess. I've read a lot of negative reviews on the generic caddies, improper fit, screws don't line up, etc.

I think that when I do my upgrades, it'll be through OWC simply because they've got everything I need in one place and the instructional videos and support to get the job done, along with the tools.

I'm eventually looking to get 4GBx2 RAM, a 120-240GB SSD, a Data doubler to accept my stock 500GB HDD, and an external enclosure for my displaced Superdrive. All told, about $250-350 for the whole shebang.
 
Shell out some money and buy OWC. Great customer support and your Macbook pro only deserve the best. You get what you pay for.
 
semiauto said:
Sorry,

2012 15" cMBP 2.3GHz
Click to expand...

All the optibays have a passthrough connector that attach to the SATA III connector available for your DVD drive. So, you will be fine with a generic optibay and you'll save at least $40 ;). All instructions are available @iFixit.

For 12 GBP, I bought an optibay @eBay for my late 2008 MBP and it works well.
 
sofianito said:
All the optibays have a passthrough connector that attach to the SATA III connector available for your DVD drive. So, you will be fine with a generic optibay and you'll save at least $40 ;). All instructions are available @iFixit.

For 12 GBP, I bought an optibay @eBay for my late 2008 MBP and it works well.
Click to expand...

This.

OWC is a huge waste of $$$ and will absolutely get you nothing more than a lighter wallet or an emptier bank account.

The generic cheapest caddy from Amazon works great, I have one myself.
 
i have the same question. i have two samsung 830 128 gb ssds.

i want to use the generic caddy for one of the ssd. but i heard it doesnt read sata iii 6.0 gbps. is there any truth to this?

btw i have a 2012 15 non retina mbp
 
The $10 optibays work just as great as the more expensive ones, and almost all online shops than carry them, also sell the CD drive enclosures. Use ifixit for all the guides, and save your money for something that actually makes a difference.
 
Using that exact same optibay adapter from Amazon that you have linked. Works flawlessly on my 2011 not a single hiccup whatsoever. I have my original 750GB in there with a Windows and storage partition that I use daily.

No point paying that much money when you can get something for a fraction of the cost.
 
themumu said:
The $10 optibays work just as great as the more expensive ones, and almost all online shops than carry them, also sell the CD drive enclosures. Use ifixit for all the guides, and save your money for something that actually makes a difference.
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct. I'm very picky and I find the quality & fit of the low cost enclosures to be excellent. In fact if I hadn't seen a friends setup first, I wouldn't have ordered one. They seemed too cheap to be a quality product.

In retrospect, they most likely sell so many that it's reflected in the price.
 
I just got an OWC USB3 enclosure...and it works brilliantly! This is coming off a rocketfish enclosure that only works in windows or with an hdd in it....weird. OWC is great so far for me!
 
loneranger93 said:
i have the same question. i have two samsung 830 128 gb ssds.

i want to use the generic caddy for one of the ssd. but i heard it doesnt read sata iii 6.0 gbps. is there any truth to this?

btw i have a 2012 15 non retina mbp
Click to expand...

Your DVD is sata3 and works fine, so why wouldn't your sata3 Samsung work fine? Once again, all optibays (cheap and overpriced ones) use a sata passthrough connector...
 
I got the generic one you mentioned for $12 2wks ago. I was worried because several reviews mentioned it doesnt fit perfect in a MBP13 but it ended up sliding right in with no issues.

Some people are recommending to get the $60 version but I can't see how paying 4x more makes sense for what this is. What are you paying for? Customer service on a non-moveable part that serves no function but to sit inside your laptop and hold an HDD in place?

BTW. If you have no problems with generic brands then you may want to use the money you saved to buy this enclosure for your old superdrive. You dont see many slot loading enclosures so this looks like an easy way to keep all your accessories looking "apple-ish".
 
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urkel said:
I got the generic one you mentioned for $12 2wks ago. I was worried because several reviews mentioned it doesnt fit perfect in a MBP13 but it ended up sliding right in with no issues.

Some people are recommending to get the $60 version but I can't see how paying 4x more makes sense for what this is. What are you paying for? Customer service on a non-moveable part that serves no function but to sit inside your laptop and hold an HDD in place?
Click to expand...
Some people are educated to pay premium prices for whatever things they buy... :D

urkel said:
BTW. If you have no problems with generic brands then you may want to use the money you saved to buy this enclosure for your old superdrive. You dont see many slot loading enclosures so this looks like an easy way to keep all your accessories looking "apple-ish".
Click to expand...
With the savings I have done I might get one, although I am not sure if I am going to use it. Is it cheaper on eBay? :D
 
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Ordered two of these to work with my MBP 17 (late 2011) and one wouldn't read the HDD, the other was reading it inconsistently. Sent them back, ordered the OWC version and it worked like a charm.
 
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sofianito said:
Some people are educated to pay premium prices for whatever things they buy... :D


With the savings I have done I might get one, although I am not sure if I am going to use it. Is it cheaper on eBay? :D
Click to expand...

I've seen the same product on ebay for a buy it now price of around $20-25
 
It's about support for me. I have the OWC DD and love it. Vertez 4 256gb and 750gb 7200 in the DD optibay. Could not be happier.
 
g8rduc said:
Ordered two of these to work with my MBP 17 (late 2011) and one wouldn't read the HDD, the other was reading it inconsistently.
Click to expand...

Which seller did you order from? I ordered one from BrainyTrade about 10 months ago, and it worked perfectly. Maybe there are some sellers piggybacking that listing with an inferior product.
 
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I'd go with OWC as well. Great company, awesome support. It gives you some peace of mind if you need to reach out to them.
 
I bought and installed that exact Amazon kit recently in a friend's 15". It works perfectly, and was pretty easy to install (using the OWC instructional video haha).

My only observation is that, at one point in the OWC video, it says 'when reinserting x screw use the longer screw provided with the OWC Data Doubler instead of the one from inside your MBP' – the generic kit didn't include the longer screw, and it was a bit of a struggle to fit the original screw back into place because the data doubler is thicker than the optical drive at that point, but it did just about fit. Even if you can't get that screw to go back in the drive is held in place very securely by about four others, so it won't matter.
 
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