Upgrade Old Early '11 or Brand New?

[LarryJoe33]

Won't really help for day to day use though, and add on top of that all the tearing down and reassembling you have to just to replace the aging HDD, it's not worth it!

Yeah, those 12 little screws are a b!itch to take out.

SSD also has a significantly smaller amount of storage when compared to a HDD, it is not worth it.

What are you talking about!!??!?!

am beginning to suspect you don't even know what a HDD or SSD is used for... They are used for storage,

Thanks for that useful information. I had no idea where that word doc goes when I hit save. Enlightening.

You really should just stop. Everyone posts something stupid every now and then, but trying to defend it is a different story. You really do have no idea what you are talking about.

(PS - I have never gotten into it with anyone on these forums, this one is just absurd).

 

[TC_GoldRush]

I've upgraded several 2011 laptops. For those models, it is easy to change the RAM when you are also putting in an SSD. I would actually recommend the 16GB RAM upgrade. The system makes use of it and the extra RAM will cut down on the swapping to SSD.

Also, the CPU speed difference between 2011 and 2014 MacBook Pros isn't that great according to my experience (the feel of the machine for nothing real intensive). The 2011 machine is satisfactorily fast unless you are doing something really demanding. An average user probably doesn't need the latest fast CPUs.

Thanks for clearing this up with me.. I've only had practice on this with iBook G4(s), which require you to practically take the entire machine apart.

Yeah, those 12 little screws are a b!itch to take out.

I'm not experienced with newer macbook models, the older models require serious disassembly.

What are you talking about!!??!?!

Storage... SSDs typically have smaller amounts of storage with compared to HDDs, do your homework.

You really do have no idea what you are talking about.

I do though... the person before you cleared it up with me.. Your comment was just rude and unnecessary.
I gave the thread starter my opinion on what he/she should do, there was no reason to attack me over that. On top of that, upgrading a 7 year old laptop (whose support is being cut soon anyways) is still a waste of time. Just save up for a new one (one that will continue getting support for many years to come...).

 

[2IS]

8GB+SSD will be good enough for quite some time to come IMO. Easily last you until Apple decides to obsolete that model.

 

[LarryJoe33]

I gave the thread starter my opinion on what he/she should do, there was no reason to attack me over that.

Well, I do apologize for some of my tone, it is not like me. I do feel the need though to correct ignorance when the OP asks a legitimate question and receives completely off base feedback. You can call that your "opinion" if you would like, I call it ignorance. You just can't tell someone that the only benefit of an SSD over an HDD is an increase in boot time and that the age of the CPU and the GPU will offset the impact of an SSD. That's just rubbish.

I'm done with replying to you. I think several others on this thread have called you out as well. You aren't familiar with MacBooks and you are some how weighing in. I smell a troll.

 

[2IS]

Thanks for clearing this up with me.. I've only had practice on this with iBook G4(s), which require you to practically take the entire machine apart.

I'm not experienced with newer macbook models, the older models require serious disassembly.

Storage... SSDs typically have smaller amounts of storage with compared to HDDs, do your homework.

I do though... the person before you cleared it up with me.. Your comment was just rude and unnecessary.
I gave the thread starter my opinion on what he/she should do, there was no reason to attack me over that. On top of that, upgrading a 7 year old laptop (whose support is being cut soon anyways) is still a waste of time. Just save up for a new one (one that will continue getting support for many years to come...).

Smaller amounts of storage, as long as it’s enough for your needs is not a relevant talking point. OP is looking for speed and says he uses it for basic tasks. Seems to me an SSD is precisely what is required.

Support is also not relevant unless you need the latest OS... For the basic tasks described, an upgrade to the latest OS is not required.

It’s not a difficult upgrade, so that’s not relavent.

The CPU is more than capable of leveraging the added performance of the SSD, both on boot times and general usage.

This upgrade would probably cost about $200-250. Literally a tenth of the cost of a new MacBook. That is most certainly relevant.

 

[KGB7]

Thanks for clearing this up with me.. I've only had practice on this with iBook G4(s), which require you to practically take the entire machine apart.

I'm not experienced with newer macbook models, the older models require serious disassembly.

Storage... SSDs typically have smaller amounts of storage with compared to HDDs, do your homework.

I do though... the person before you cleared it up with me.. Your comment was just rude and unnecessary.
I gave the thread starter my opinion on what he/she should do, there was no reason to attack me over that. On top of that, upgrading a 7 year old laptop (whose support is being cut soon anyways) is still a waste of time. Just save up for a new one (one that will continue getting support for many years to come...).

SSD is a huge technological breakthrough. Even the 15,000rpm SCSI HD’s can’t compete with it. And I don’t know if anyone who still uses scsi HD’s in any government or business environment.

SSDs have been faster in every way since they came out and are getting faster.

And you can buy a 4tb SSD drive. So your argument is invalid about storage size.
SSDs are also smaller and lighter in weight.

I don’t know where you getting your info, but it’s like talking to a person from another planet, where laws of physics are ass backwards.

 

[Guy Clark]

Absolutely upgrade. Look in to a Seagate SSHD Solid State Hybrid Drive which provides improvement in performance whilst retaining capacity
https://www.seagate.com/gb/en/solutions/solid-state-hybrid/

You do not specify which Early 2011 MacBook Pro you have. Here are the Hard Drive replacement tutorials for the 13", 15" and 17" models
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+Hard+Drive+Replacement/5119
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+Hard+Drive+Replacement/5895
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+17-Inch+Unibody+Hard+Drive+Replacement/3401