If your MacBook isn’t running as fast as it used to, you might be tempted to go out and buy a new one. But before you decide on that significant outlay, have you considered upgrading the hard drive to SSD?
It’s much less expensive and it could be just what you need to return your computer to peak performance. Especially if you’ve recently upgraded to High Sierra (2017) or later as these operating systems are optimised for SSDs.
But there are a lot of SSDs on the market, so which is best for your MacBook Pro?
What SSDs are compatible with MacBook Pro?
Click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen.
Click About This Mac and then System Report.
Click the SATA/SAT Express link in the left pane, then check the
Physical Interconnect entry - this is the SSD controller and will be either PCIe or SATA.
Typically, older models will have SATA controllers and more recent models will have PCIe controllers, but it’s absolutely crucial you confirm which your MacBook Pro has before you purchase an SSD.
Once you know your controller type there are still decisions to be made, so read on for our suggestions of the best SSDs.
Best SSD for MacBook Pro SATA controller
You can’t go wrong with a SanDisk SSD PLUS SATA III SSD. It comes in several different sizes, ranging from 120GB up to 2TB, so depending on your disk space requirements and your budget there’s something to suit everyone. And although it is designed for the SATA 3.0 interface it is also compatible with earlier MacBook Pros using SATA 2.0 or 1.0.
Alternatively, the Samsung 870 EVO range is also available in various sizes and has similar read and write speeds (up to 560 MB/s and 530 MB/s) to the SanDisk.
Both are much quieter and use less power than older drives so it won’t just be speed where you notice performance improvements.
Best SSD for MacBook Pro PCIe controller
If your MacBook Pro has a PCIe controller then you can get an SSD with even faster read/write speeds - almost double that with a SATA controller.
We recommend the Transcend Jetdrive 820 or OWC Aura Pro X2. These are both compatible with MacBook Pros made from late 2013 to late 2016 and again will use less power and be much quieter, as well as being significantly faster.
How much does it cost to update the SSD in MacBook Pro?
Upgrading the SSD is a lot cheaper than buying a brand new MacBook, but it can still be quite costly.
If you choose an SSD with a larger capacity then it will be more expensive, so you need to make sure you understand your space requirements and only purchase what you need.
You should also consider how comfortable you are doing the upgrade yourself. As well as the physical installation you’ll need to configure the software and copy data across. This should only be done by qualified experts, especially if you’re upgrading a fleet of Macbooks - get just one step of the process wrong and you could be looking at very expensive costs to put it right.
At Counterpoint, we know just how valuable SSD upgrades can be in breathing new life into older computers and saving on the cost of replacing an entire suite. That’s why we offer our own SSD upgrade service to save you the trouble of doing it yourself. We’ll analyse your existing machines and recommend the right solution to give them the best performance for as long as possible. And our expert engineers will carry out the upgrades, giving you total peace of mind that no data will be lost and you will be working much faster and smoother as soon as possible.