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SSD upgrade for a mid-2010 macbook pro 15

A

ano0oj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 20, 2010
382
2
Hey guys, decide it was time to make the upgrade now that prices are relatively cheaper(nearly $1/gb or less) and want to add a SSD to my computer. Now I know I can search for all this, but there were a couple very specific questions I wanted to get cleared up.

I have a 2010 Macbook Pro 15inch with the i5 processor

I know I have a couple routes I can take for an SSD upgrade. I can either replace my optical bay and get the SSD get to put one in there.
With this choice I would put OS and all apps on the SSD and keep everything else on the HDD.

OR
Replace my HDD entirely and have everything on the SSD(documents, music, etc.) I think this would really help with the temperatures this computer gets to at times.


Whats the fastest speed my computer is able to recognize with an SSD? No point in wasting money in getting a 6Gps
Any particular companies I should be leaning towards? Looking for a minimum of 120 or 160gb. I've heard some not so great things about OCW due to constant updates and drive failures
 
I got the 180GB OCZ Vertex II for both my 17 inch mid-2010 MBP and my uncle's 15 inch MBP. Never had any problems, also replaces the HDD and we got all our files on it (superdrive still intact). It was a very cheap one when I bought it in 2011 (before the Vertex III came out).
 
moar replies!

looking at intel or crucial and leaning towards just replacing my HDD entirely and keeping it in an external so I can have a nice, cool laptop
 
I had that model with Crucial m4 128 Gb + optibay (WD Scorpio black 750 Gb) , and it worked great for me.

So much, that I have them moved to my '11 17" MBP, where they work flawlessly, to.
 
rev.b said:
I had that model with Crucial m4 128 Gb + optibay (WD Scorpio black 750 Gb) , and it worked great for me.

So much, that I have them moved to my '11 17" MBP, where they work flawlessly, to.
Click to expand...

How is your battery life with that setup as compared to before?
 
TexasChemE said:
How is your battery life with that setup as compared to before?
Click to expand...

It lasts about 10-30 min less. Nothing to care about, I gladly trade it to have 6 Gbps SSD's speed + 750 Gb storage (and that scorpio black 7200 rpm is pretty fast, too) on a laptop. It's just perfect.

I have the superdrive in the external enclosure provided with optibay. Can't remember the last time I used it. Optical drives are dead, IMHO.
 
How do you guys feel about not having an HDD at all and only an SSD?
probably going to buy 160gb or more
I would love a laptop thats quick and cool on my lap
 
rev.b said:
It lasts about 10-30 min less. Nothing to care about, I gladly trade it to have 6 Gbps SSD's speed + 750 Gb storage (and that scorpio black 7200 rpm is pretty fast, too) on a laptop. It's just perfect.

I have the superdrive in the external enclosure provided with optibay. Can't remember the last time I used it. Optical drives are dead, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, that is well worth the tradeoff of a few minutes less.
 
I think I've got the same MBP as you; mid-2010, i5 with a high-res display. I put 8GB of RAM in it and swapped the HD with a 512 SSD. I LOVE this thing now! It's super fast handles anything I throw at it. I went with a Crucial M4 and upgraded the firmware on the drive before I installed it. Also enabled TRIM support on it. The heat from the bottom has been reduced as well.

Very pleased with the setup and now when the MBP's are updated this Spring or in Summer, I'll just take out my SSD and put it in the new model.
 
sparkomatic said:
I think I've got the same MBP as you; mid-2010, i5 with a high-res display. I put 8GB of RAM in it and swapped the HD with a 512 SSD. I LOVE this thing now! It's super fast handles anything I throw at it. I went with a Crucial M4 and upgraded the firmware on the drive before I installed it. Also enabled TRIM support on it. The heat from the bottom has been reduced as well.

Very pleased with the setup and now when the MBP's are updated this Spring or in Summer, I'll just take out my SSD and put it in the new model.
Click to expand...


512gb SSD? :eek:
If only I wanted to drop $600+, but props man..

looking at a 256gb, Going for either the M4 or the Intel 320, but none even come close to the prices of OCW Vertex 3s now

I've debated selling mine and waiting for the new one, but I'm only getting about $1300 back if I sell it so just decided to do a few upgrades to this and keep this for a couple more years than anticipated.
And with the SSD I really won't ever have to worry about drive failures so probably keep this one for another 1.5-2 years and upgrade then
 
Yeah, 512 was a big deal for me and I looked at taking out my CD drive and going with a smaller SSD. But, there are occasions when I still use my CD drive and I didn't want to deal with having stuff on one drive and not the other. Plus, I figure this drive will (hopefully) last me for quite awhile.
 
will a crucial M4 with SATA III and 6gbps work fine with a i5 2010 macbook pro
 
I would go with the Crucial M4 just because the price is great. I believe it's even cheaper than the Intel 320, which is only sata II.

There is no point in shopping for an expensive sata III ssd when your mbp won't be able to utilize those speeds.
 
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I have the same model mbp as op. mid 2010 15". Just purchased a Samsung 830 series SATA III 256 gb ssd. The shop that's doing the install said that SATA III To SATA II shouldnt have any issues other than you will be running at 3gbps speeds.
 
technowar said:
Is it okay to upgrade to a Samsung SSD 840 - 250GB?
Click to expand...

I just put the 256g Samsung 830 in my 2011 MBP 17, the prices are dropping rapidly as the 840 nears market, and the 830 is a proven OSX winner.

I moved my HDD to optical bay, and run a light user on the boot SSD with Music, Pictures, Movies, Porn (just kidding) on the HDD, plus a bootable backup of the SSD on its own partition. People talk about splitting them but if you aren't totally sloppy the 256 is fine, i have full Adobe/Avid app set and I'm at 90g on the boot drive.

----------
jekyoo said:
I would go with the Crucial M4 just because the price is great. I believe it's even cheaper than the Intel 320, which is only sata II.

There is no point in shopping for an expensive sata III ssd when your mbp won't be able to utilize those speeds.
Click to expand...


What about when you pull the drive when the system is upgraded? The price difference in Sata2 v Sata3 is much smaller than I would have guessed, might as well future proof a bit.

When I went looking for a Sata2 drive for my optical bay, I noticed how few deals there are
 
@CASLondon the rest of the thread is from february.
@technowar I would say the 840 is currently too expensive to be worth it. In a SATA 2 environment you will be limited anyway. Unless you intend to take the drive into a new machine and replace yours soon just getting a 830 or something with a good price is a better way to go.

In a some time the 840 might become a fairly cheap drive thanks to TLC nand but this will take time. Today it isn't.
 
dusk007 is right!
At the moment the 830 is so cheap that it is a really offer!
I also plugged one into a 2011 15" MBP, was pretty easy and helped to increase real world performance.
 
I just put in a Intel x25-m in my computer. Yes it is an old ssd but very reliable which is important to me. I only got the 80gb version because my needs weren't high. The 2010 only has 3gbps Sata anyway so all new ssds won't operate at full speed anyway. It flies, it's quiet, the battery lasts longer and it was only $30 for an 80gb drive after instant rebate and Mir. Benchmarks show its not the fastest compared to newer drives but real world is almost no difference for read speed
 
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