Upgrade question for the new Macbook Pro's.

A) Hardware wise, any SSD will do the trick (or should...I've never encountered one that doesn't have the right dimensions for a MBP). Software wise, since Mac OS doesn't support the TRIM command, it's probably better to find a drive that does its own garbage collection, lest you see a gradual reduction in performance. Personally, I recommend the OWC Mercury Extreme. I'm using one in my 15" MBP in an optibay adapter as my boot drive (having left the mechanical HDD in the main bay as a data drive), and I'm to a usable desktop from power on in about 15 seconds.

B) Any RAM meeting the basic hardware specs will work. It doesn't need to be Mac specific. Again, I recommend OWC's RAM . . . they'll give you a rebate on the original system RAM.

The install on both is relatively easy and is explained, with pictures, on the Apple support website. http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_Pro_15inch_Early2011.pdf. Have a look at page 35.

My personal recommendation, assuming you haven't put any data on the computer as yet, is to install the SSD and do a clean install of your OS from CD. If you have put data on the computer, buy yourself a firewire 2.5" SATA external enclosure, put the SSD in there, download Carbon Copy Cloner, clone your HDD to the external SSD, then do the swap.

 

First off, Thanks for your service!

Now as far as the RAM goes, nothing is Apple specific anymore. I believe you need 10600/10666 DDR3 1333 MHZ RAM. I have g-SKILL, have had Crucial. Pretty much any brand of RAM will be an excellent choice.

The SSD, I am not too familiar with as prices are just too high for the amount of storage you get.

 

Do you mind letting me know which optibay you're using? and how the install went? I ask cause I'm thinking about picking up a small SSD (32gb range) and running the operating system in the optibay and then using the stock drive for data.

 

I'm using the OWC solution. The install is only tricky because you're working with small parts. If you're patient and careful (take your time, use good tools, and keep track of parts you've removed), however, you won't have any problems--OWC provides very good instructions. The only "problem" I had was with the little bracket that is used to anchor the optibay itself to the chassis--you obviously need to orient it the same way on the optibay as on the ODD, and I wasn't paying sufficient attention. So, the first time I screwed it in, I had it inverted.