Is it worth buying/installing an SSD in a 4 year old MBP? Ive read that SSDs have gotten a lot better and it speeds up systems greatly, what about a 4 year old MacBook Pro (Santa Rosa) model?
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Worth buying SSD drive for 4 year old MBP (Santa Rosa)
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Sure, why not? Even on that system the hard drive is the bottleneck.
+1
An SSD is a worthy upgrade for almost anything. It will be noticeable!
I have a 2007 MBP 15", probably same generation as yours. When Intel released their first SSD, I immediately bought it (80Gb) and never looked back - best upgrade ever in my 15+ years of computer ownership. I recently upgraded to the 250Gb Intel 510 SSD - not for the speed (it makes no difference with the 1.5Gbit/s SATA connector in this model) but for the space.
The speed of the boot-up and the application launch times are particularly notable.
When I use my friends MBPs, bought more recently (2009 & 2010), I actually think my computer feels faster than theirs, with the SSD advantage.
The speed of the boot-up and the application launch times are particularly notable.
When I use my friends MBPs, bought more recently (2009 & 2010), I actually think my computer feels faster than theirs, with the SSD advantage.
It certainly depends on your definition of "worth it", but it will absolutely make specific aspects of your machine faster. It should be noted, though, that access to your HD is not nearly as easy or straightforward as it is on the unibody design MBPs. Keep that in mind. Also, the SSD will not increase the speed or power of your CPU/Graphics chips, so if you are having any issues with those aspects of your machine, an SSD isn't the cure.
I replaced the HD on my Santa Rosa. There are a million screws to keep track of, but overall, wasn't too difficult.
I followed the ifixit guide, and I printed out the step by step photos and taped the screws to each photo. That way, when I was putting it back together, I was able to just reverse the pages and use the right screws in the right places. Best of all, I didn't worry that bumping my work table would cause zillions of tiny screws to disappear.
Take your time and be careful, and you should be fine. Oh, and make sure you have the proper tools.
I followed the ifixit guide, and I printed out the step by step photos and taped the screws to each photo. That way, when I was putting it back together, I was able to just reverse the pages and use the right screws in the right places. Best of all, I didn't worry that bumping my work table would cause zillions of tiny screws to disappear.
Take your time and be careful, and you should be fine. Oh, and make sure you have the proper tools.
It will provide you with a good speed boost.
Don't spend your money on the latest and greatest SSD though. Your MBP only has SATA 1.5, so your SSD will be limited to 150 MB/s.
Don't spend your money on the latest and greatest SSD though. Your MBP only has SATA 1.5, so your SSD will be limited to 150 MB/s.
Putting an SSD in and maxing out the ram are the best things you can do. It will make you think you have a new computer.