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Would you upgrade a mid 2010 13"? Help :)
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From crucial (for me, this has been the best bang-for-the-buck for a while
8GB kit : $64.
250GB SSD: $93.
Battery (Amazon): 65.
Total: 222
You could do this $23 cheaper if you can get by with a 120GB SSD, but that might be cutting it too tight.
Shipping varies. Usually free from crucial, amazon could be free depending on your seller and your prime-ness.
Tools required:
Torx (6 or 8, I forget which). $2
Phillips (0). $2
A USB enclosure or dock for the drive if you plan to transfer data. If you have a time machine backup or CCC clone already, no need. $15
I'm assuming US.
Awesome! That's good news. I'm going to go ahead and do it all. Thanks for everybody who gave some positive input! I appreciate it.
I'm running that exact same 13" 2010 model with the slightly faster 2.66 processor. You can actually upgrade to 16gbs of ram in our computers, you need to get the Mushkin 1067 ram; it's on sale right now for $108. http://www.ebay.com/itm/131465370256?ru=http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=131465370256&_rdc=1
This is the same ram that works in the 2010 Mac Minis.
Run Mavericks instead of Yosemite. I had a 120 SSD in it for a while on Mavericks and it was fast, but I felt limited by the hard drive space problem and it didn't seem THAT much faster than a 1TB drive.
You can get by on 8 gigs of ram on Mavericks, but why not go for the gusto? I'd rather have the ram upgrade than the SSD and I sold the SSD.
As for the longevity of the machines, you will be buying another good two years of use IMHO. Also, you have the option of Snow Leopard and Rosetta on the 2010 MBP, which is a huge plus in my house.
Finally any hard drive upgrade is not really a lo$s, you can always swap your drive into a new computer.
Ram won't do much if you don't use much of it imho... why not try the SSD first
I think I'll do the SSD first and see how it goes from there, but I've read some people say that upping their RAM is what helped with Yosemite performance.
@California: Did you try running Yosemite with your machine? You talk about Mavericks, which I'm sure runs well with that setup, but what about Yosemite?
@California: Did you try running Yosemite with your machine? You talk about Mavericks, which I'm sure runs well with that setup, but what about Yosemite?
Install an SSD, you will notice a drastically faster and snappier computer.
Not yet. Too many bugs in Yosemite. Also many people say that the full 16gbs is not addressed in Snow Leopard, only after Lion; this is not true.
I understand going with the SSD and the 8 gigs; I paid over 155 for the 16gbs back in the day so it seems like good insurance to get it if you want to run Yosemite and the next OS while its on sale for nearly 100 bucks.
I'm running Yosemite on a mid-2009 13" MBP with 4 GB of RAM, and it runs really well. Very smooth UI with no stuttering. I'm actually a bit surprised since it just made the cut for Yosemite according to Apple's guidelines. (I skipped Mavericks and went from Mountain Lion to Yosemite.) I did install a 250 GB Samsung 830 SSD a few years ago, and it made a big difference in performance. I also just replaced the battery because it finally gave up after almost 6 years.
I really like Samsung SSDs. I recently built a PC and incorporated a 500 GB Samsung 850 Pro in it. The system is really fast. The only issue with using an aftermarket SSD in Yosemite is the loss of TRIM, unless you want to modify the security restrictions Yosemite has placed on kext files. So, while I had TRIM enabled under Mountain Lion, it's not enabled under Yosemite. I don't think it will make an appreciable difference in the remaining life of the SSD.
I really like Samsung SSDs. I recently built a PC and incorporated a 500 GB Samsung 850 Pro in it. The system is really fast. The only issue with using an aftermarket SSD in Yosemite is the loss of TRIM, unless you want to modify the security restrictions Yosemite has placed on kext files. So, while I had TRIM enabled under Mountain Lion, it's not enabled under Yosemite. I don't think it will make an appreciable difference in the remaining life of the SSD.
Awesome, so it sounds like SSD is definitely key here. Thank you! Also, I'm not very familiar with what TRIM is or what it does, I've just seen people complain about it not working with aftermarket SSD's. Looks like I'll have to read up on this.
Well, I don't imagine I can sell this thing for more than $400, which means I'm looking at putting around a grand into a new computer, as opposed to the $200 I'm looking at right now.
I have the exact same MBP model (13'' 2.4GHz P8600) with aftermarket upgrades of an 8GB RAM kit and a 256GB SSD (and it's an older SSD from when they were first becoming "mainstream") and it is still very capable in my opinion.
Of course whether or not it is "capable" is purely subjective, but I personally use it as my main notebook still and I would argue that my usage is more than average. I am sure if you install one of the more modern SSDs that are currently on the market, you would continue to use it for some time.
They are neat models, some of the last ones with the NVIDIA GPUs, albeit integrated. I even did some gaming in Windows 7 on mine back in the day for a solid year and a half.
Even with heavy usage, it has never let me down.
TL;DR - Upgrade it! Good luck friend, hope it works out for you.
Of course whether or not it is "capable" is purely subjective, but I personally use it as my main notebook still and I would argue that my usage is more than average. I am sure if you install one of the more modern SSDs that are currently on the market, you would continue to use it for some time.
They are neat models, some of the last ones with the NVIDIA GPUs, albeit integrated. I even did some gaming in Windows 7 on mine back in the day for a solid year and a half.
Even with heavy usage, it has never let me down.TL;DR - Upgrade it! Good luck friend, hope it works out for you.
This is true, however your computer is 5 years old, it is out of warranty and parts are getting more expensive and difficult to come by, you are pushing towards the inevitable system failure. Of course it may well run fine for another 5 years but equally the logic board could fail tomorrow. You are definitely at the cusp of when it is still prudent to sink money into old tech.
How much do 2012 non-retina MBP 13s go for?
Given the OP mentioned an 'initial' budget of $500 which was revised, would that $500 have gotten him a used 2012 13, or at least a nice 2011 version?
I believe the cost/benefit on this sort of upgrade may be pretty good?
Given the OP mentioned an 'initial' budget of $500 which was revised, would that $500 have gotten him a used 2012 13, or at least a nice 2011 version?
I believe the cost/benefit on this sort of upgrade may be pretty good?
This is very valid, but the OP can always repurpose that SSD if he/she chooses to go that route. If the computer happens to be on its way out, purchasing the SSD would not have been a waste as that same drive can be used in another notebook. SSDs are mainstream in Apple notebooks these days but not in many others, unless you are willing to spend a fortune through the manufacturer.
Yeah I agree they can be repurposed, just pointing out that it is right on the edge of when I would consider it a viable option. Other peoples mileage varies considerably with old tech.
The typical going rate for those is between $600-700 but you can find them for around $500 or less if you're patient. I got mine for $450 albeit mine has a few nicks and scratches.
I have the exact same MBP model (13'' 2.4GHz P8600) with aftermarket upgrades of an 8GB RAM kit and a 256GB SSD (and it's an older SSD from when they were first becoming "mainstream") and it is still very capable in my opinion.
Of course whether or not it is "capable" is purely subjective, but I personally use it as my main notebook still and I would argue that my usage is more than average. I am sure if you install one of the more modern SSDs that are currently on the market, you would continue to use it for some time.
They are neat models, some of the last ones with the NVIDIA GPUs, albeit integrated. I even did some gaming in Windows 7 on mine back in the day for a solid year and a half.
TL;DR - Upgrade it! Good luck friend, hope it works out for you.
Awesome, thanks! I get what the rest of you are saying about it possibly being on the verge of a logic board failure, of which there is no turning back. I figured I could still use the ram and SSD in a new macbook if that ends up happening and I have to buy a new one. My question then is can you still replace the RAM and hard drive in newer macbook models or have they soldered it all in these days?
The Retina models all use proprietary PCIe-based SSDs and have soldered-in RAM so that's not doable. Apple still makes the mid-2012 non-Retina model which has upgradeable RAM and a conventional SATA hard drive. You'd have to get different RAM for that model though as it uses different RAM than the mid-2010 MBP (PC3-12800 at 1600 MHz on the newer one vs. PC3-8500 at 1066 MHz on your model).
Repurposing that hardware holds no water if you're only in the market for a new Mac notebook. They all come with SSDs nowadays and the memory is also soldered. It would only make sense if you had something else that could accept those parts, such as select Mac-based desktops (for the SSD only) or a Windows notebook (for either of the components).
If you are strictly in the market for a MacBook or MacBook Pro and have no other use for that hardware if it weren't to work out in your 2010 model, then perhaps you should go straight for a new model. I know that every laptop is different but as I said I have the same model that has been used heavily over the last 5 years and it doesn't even hiccup with an older SSD.
Hardware lasts for an undetermined amount of time but I have to believe that the lifespan of these machines is largely related to the care they have been given over the years. If your current model still has everything you need in terms of processing and graphical performance, upgrading the RAM and SSD will make a very noticeable difference and you could squeeze another year or even more out of it. I plan on using mine until it literally makes no sense to repair it based on things like costs and expensive repairs.
You could just go for speed and get a $60 small storage SSD and figure something else out if you need more storage. Even a small SSD blows a mechanical drive out of the water in terms of speed. You can stay under $100 for SSD speeds and doubling your memory and breathe a completely new life into your notebook with night and day differences.
I still say go for it, but that's just the kind of person I am. I don't replace things that don't need to be replaced, unlike some that get a new model as they come out. Just different ends of the spectrum.
Thanks for all of your responses, you've been extremely helpful. I'm just gonna go for it. Spending $200 with the chance that this could last another few years with all of the performance I need just seems logical to me. I have to believe it will last AT LEAST another year, which makes it worth it enough rather than trying to sell this thing and put in all the money for a brand new one. If it craps out in a year and I lose out on $200 in ram, battery and ssd that I cant put in a new one then oh well, but I doubt that will happen and Id rather give it a shot
Thanks for all of your responses, you've been extremely helpful. I'm just gonna go for it. Spending $200 with the chance that this could last another few years with all of the performance I need just seems logical to me. I have to believe it will last AT LEAST another year, which makes it worth it enough rather than trying to sell this thing and put in all the money for a brand new one. If it craps out in a year and I lose out on $200 in ram, battery and ssd that I cant put in a new one then oh well, but I doubt that will happen and Id rather give it a shot
I support your decision, and I think you're making the right one.
You're welcome of course and best of luck to you.
My own mid-2010 13" MacBook Pro is still doing fine, and runs FAR FASTER than it did when new, since I put an SSD into it.
Still doing fine with the factory-installed 4gb of RAM, as well.
Perhaps it's because I've left it on OS 10.6.8 (came with 10.6.3, I believe). The old OS does all I need to do with it, and with the "lower overhead" that older OS's have, it boots in FIVE SECONDS FLAT from the time "the Apple" first appears on the grey screen until the finder opens...
Still doing fine with the factory-installed 4gb of RAM, as well.
Perhaps it's because I've left it on OS 10.6.8 (came with 10.6.3, I believe). The old OS does all I need to do with it, and with the "lower overhead" that older OS's have, it boots in FIVE SECONDS FLAT from the time "the Apple" first appears on the grey screen until the finder opens...