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SSD Buying Guide

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Just received a 15" MBP i7, 2.5ghz with hi-res antiglare screen.

After booting to the original hard drive, shut it down and did the following:

1. Upgraded the memory from the standard 8 gig to 16 gig - memory from Crucial - 2 8 gigs sticks.

2. Replaced the standard 500 gig 7200 rpm drive with a Crucial M4.

I booted and held the "CMD-R" key down to boot to recovery mode so I could install Lion; however, it was so slow, I decided to cancel and install from a Lion install CD that I had created when Lion first came out.

Installing Lion on the new M4 took about 20 minutes, then went to target mode on the OLD MBP and attached a Firewire cable to migrate from the old to the new. Took just about 20 minutes to copy everything over.

Excluded a few things that I had copied to an external firewire drive like iPhoto (82 gig), iTunes (39 gig), and a VMware Win7 virtual machine (85 gig).

Rebooted after the migration was complete and my new MBP was ready for use. Of course, I had to copy the items from the external drive that I mentioned in the previous paragraph and that took another 20-30 minutes.

All in all, it took less than 2 hours to install and migrate.

Blackmagic Disk Speedtest reports 265 Write and 512 Read so I'm really happy with the performance.

My only complaint... I'l never be happy with a spindle drive again!
 
Crucial M4 512GB

Incase anyone is in the market for a Crucial M4 512GB SSD, I found the best price at B&H Photo. It's going for $630 compared to Neweggs $665. I also saved on tax since I live in California.
 
jjfcpa said:
Just received a 15" MBP i7, 2.5ghz with hi-res antiglare screen.

After booting to the original hard drive, shut it down and did the following:

1. Upgraded the memory from the standard 8 gig to 16 gig - memory from Crucial - 2 8 gigs sticks.

2. Replaced the standard 500 gig 7200 rpm drive with a Crucial M4.

I booted and held the "CMD-R" key down to boot to recovery mode so I could install Lion; however, it was so slow, I decided to cancel and install from a Lion install CD that I had created when Lion first came out.

Installing Lion on the new M4 took about 20 minutes, then went to target mode on the OLD MBP and attached a Firewire cable to migrate from the old to the new. Took just about 20 minutes to copy everything over.

Excluded a few things that I had copied to an external firewire drive like iPhoto (82 gig), iTunes (39 gig), and a VMware Win7 virtual machine (85 gig).

Rebooted after the migration was complete and my new MBP was ready for use. Of course, I had to copy the items from the external drive that I mentioned in the previous paragraph and that took another 20-30 minutes.

All in all, it took less than 2 hours to install and migrate.

Blackmagic Disk Speedtest reports 265 Write and 512 Read so I'm really happy with the performance.

My only complaint... I'l never be happy with a spindle drive again!
Click to expand...

Congratulations on new MBP!

Did you enable Trim? I had a 512Gb Crucial M4 in my 2010 MBP starting last Sept. I benchmarked it new with Quickbench, then again after two months. The write speed was less than half the new.

I enabled Trim and after a day the write speed was back to new.

I used the Terminal method to enable Trim because of the bad press Trim Enabler was getting back then, but I believe Trim Enabler has been changed to address the criticisms, and Anandtech recommends it. When I moved the Crucial to my new 2011 MBP two weeks ago I used Trim Enabler and it it has been fine.
 
Mike Boreham said:
Congratulations on new MBP!

Did you enable Trim? I had a 512Gb Crucial M4 in my 2010 MBP starting last Sept. I benchmarked it new with Quickbench, then again after two months. The write speed was less than half the new.

I enabled Trim and after a day the write speed was back to new.

I used the Terminal method to enable Trim because of the bad press Trim Enabler was getting back then, but I believe Trim Enabler has been changed to address the criticisms, and Anandtech recommends it. When I moved the Crucial to my new 2011 MBP two weeks ago I used Trim Enabler and it it has been fine.
Click to expand...

No, I did not enable Trim, but I plan on testing for the next few months to see if anything changes. I believe I read that Crucial states that you don't need it, but there are lots of users (such as yourself) that say it helps. I guess I want to find out for myself. I'll let you know how things go.
 
newegg.ca 512GB M4: $599

I have Macbook Pro 13" 2009. I am torn between M4 and 830. Here in Canada, we only get M4 here, unless we order 830 from newegg.ca or tigerdirect.ca from USA. Even though I think Samsung 830 is a better choice. I feel in case if I have to RMA the drive, it's easier when Crucial has office in Ontario, Canada. I am in Vancouver, BC.

I found newegg.ca has M4 512GB for $599
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...b0tCA-_-Solid+State+Disk-_-Crucial-_-20148527

Is this the right one? I find newegg.ca has different m4 512gb if you search. But this CT512M4SSD2BAA is the cheaper one.
 
Yeah that's the right one. I just installed the 128GB version a couple hours ago. It looks to me like the more expensive variants are 7mm (thinner, like the Samsung 830), which is unnecessary.
 
Hey guys, I currently have a mid 2010 i5 MBP. I am looking at getting a 120 GB SSD in that area to run as primary and move my 1TB internal to the optical bay. Which SSD would you guys recommended? I know the first posts states the intel 320 series. Would the Crucial M4 work? Which is the best one to get and does TRIM work only on post 2011 MBP or would it work on mine as well.

Thank you
 
harry454 said:
Hey guys, I currently have a mid 2010 i5 MBP. I am looking at getting a 120 GB SSD in that area to run as primary and move my 1TB internal to the optical bay. Which SSD would you guys recommended? I know the first posts states the intel 320 series. Would the Crucial M4 work? Which is the best one to get and does TRIM work only on post 2011 MBP or would it work on mine as well.

Thank you
Click to expand...

Trim can be enabled on your MBP provided you have Lion.

Not going to be drawn on the SSD, but just note that the M4 is a 6G device and the Intel is 3G. Since your MBP is a 3G it doesn't matter now which you chose, but if you might put it in 6G machine later, the Crucial might be better choice
 
Mike Boreham said:
Congratulations on new MBP!

Did you enable Trim? I had a 512Gb Crucial M4 in my 2010 MBP starting last Sept. I benchmarked it new with Quickbench, then again after two months. The write speed was less than half the new.

I enabled Trim and after a day the write speed was back to new.

I used the Terminal method to enable Trim because of the bad press Trim Enabler was getting back then, but I believe Trim Enabler has been changed to address the criticisms, and Anandtech recommends it. When I moved the Crucial to my new 2011 MBP two weeks ago I used Trim Enabler and it it has been fine.
Click to expand...

Really? I did not know this. So enabling TRIM via Lion is better for the Crucial M4 than just relying on its own integrated optimization firmware?
 
harry454 said:
Hey guys, I currently have a mid 2010 i5 MBP. I am looking at getting a 120 GB SSD in that area to run as primary and move my 1TB internal to the optical bay. Which SSD would you guys recommended? I know the first posts states the intel 320 series. Would the Crucial M4 work? Which is the best one to get and does TRIM work only on post 2011 MBP or would it work on mine as well.

Thank you
Click to expand...

The hard drive bay in the MBP is 6G so go for the Crucial, however the optical bay is only 3G, so make sure you but the SSD in the hard drive bay. I have a 128 gig M4 in my hdd bay and my old 750 gig in the optical slot. Works amazing.
 
NickZac said:
Really? I did not know this. So enabling TRIM via Lion is better for the Crucial M4 than just relying on its own integrated optimization firmware?
Click to expand...

I can only quote my own experience. Before buying the M4 I read that the built in garbage collection on the M4 was pretty good. After I found the performance drop, I found others with same disappointing experience, e.g. here, and some other places where the GC on Crucial M4 was described as poor.

Very difficult to get objective info about Trim, and there has been a firmware update since then, so things may have changed again.

----------
bridgeman said:
The hard drive bay in the MBP is 6G so go for the Crucial, however the optical bay is only 3G, so make sure you but the SSD in the hard drive bay. I have a 128 gig M4 in my hdd bay and my old 750 gig in the optical slot. Works amazing.
Click to expand...

The hard drive bay on Harry's 2010 MBP is only 3G so he won't get the 6G benefit of the Crucial, but as I said he may want to upgrade the MBP later, so the Crucial is more future proof.
 
I know most of you are running the SSD + HDD setup with replacing the optical drive...anyone running with JUST an ssd? hows it going for you
 
ano0oj said:
I know most of you are running the SSD + HDD setup with replacing the optical drive...anyone running with JUST an ssd? hows it going for you
Click to expand...

I've been running my 2011 MBP with my Samsung 830 since Jan. 1st daily without a single problem. I benchmark it about twice a month and have had no degradation in speed thus far. I did enable trim manually right after the install, so no problems with that. I have a 256 gig with 125 gigs used.

My friend also just got the same setup for a 17" early 2012 model with no problems so far.
 
Expirobo said:
I've been running my 2011 MBP with my Samsung 830 since Jan. 1st daily without a single problem. I benchmark it about twice a month and have had no degradation in speed thus far. I did enable trim manually right after the install, so no problems with that. I have a 256 gig with 125 gigs used.

My friend also just got the same setup for a 17" early 2012 model with no problems so far.
Click to expand...

heat reduced any? would love a super quiet mac at all times
 
I have a new 17" MBP coming tomorrow. I still have time to have a Crucial 128 GB m4 and a Data Doubler delivered at the same time. I'm very tempted to do so. If I do, what would be the fastest way to get the computer up and running on the SSD? I have not upgraded any of my other machines to Lion, so I see no way to make a boot CD. Would I just make a Time Machine backup of the new machine, then reboot with the SSD installed? I presume internet recovery takes forever, especially on my 6 meg DSL.

Also, when I boot to install the OS on the SSD, do I leave the data drive out until the OS is up and running, then install the old HDD and format it?

Thanks for any help.
 
randy98mtu said:
I have not upgraded any of my other machines to Lion, so I see no way to make a boot CD. Would I just make a Time Machine backup of the new machine, then reboot with the SSD installed?.
Click to expand...

Its easy to make a boot DVD (or usb drive). Just make sure you use disk utility to burn the image, The first time through I didn't understand and just burned the .dmg on a DVD... :) You have to burn with Disk Utility to turn the .dmg into the bootable DVD (or USB drive which does installs faster).

Here are the instructions.

http://mashable.com/2011/07/20/lion-clean-install-guide/
 
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Step 1 is to download Lion from the Mac App Store. In order to do that, I need to buy it. I haven't bought it, but my new computer will have it already.

In other reading today, I think I'm just going to use Carbon Copy Cloner to image the stock drive onto the SSD in an external enclosure.

And I did cave. My 128 GB m4 is coming tomorrow. Along with my late 2011 17" Pro. :D
 
randy98mtu said:
My 128 GB m4 is coming tomorrow. Along with my late 2011 17" Pro. :D
Click to expand...

Cool man. I'd get a new MBP but I want to wait until the '12 models to see if there is a massive redesign. My mid '10 17" is humming with the m4 I put in. Are you going to enable Trim? I did but I had my reservations based on what I read. I used Trim Enabler 2.1.
 
LEARN2MAKE said:
Cool man. I'd get a new MBP but I want to wait until the '12 models to see if there is a massive redesign. My mid '10 17" is humming with the m4 I put in. Are you going to enable Trim? I did but I had my reservations based on what I read. I used Trim Enabler 2.1.
Click to expand...

Don't know that much about it yet. I am thinking I will, but like others, I think I'm going to check my speeds a couple times the first few months and then decide.

As for waiting, I decided I really like the current case style, and performance wise I don't long for that much more out of these things. I'm primarily going to use it for Lightroom, and I think the current hardware will be more than adequate for that.

I was also reading more on OWC last night. Looks like I can just leave the stock drive in, put the SSD in an external enclosure, then boot to the recovery console and I can clone to the SSD without any additional software. I didn't realize it was all built into OSX. :)
 
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