20 replies to this topic

[#Michael]

I have a late 2009 15" unibody macbook pro. I want to put in an ssd so it extends the life a bit more but I am not sure what make/model is compatible with it. Is there a configuration guide somewhere that will help? I am look for a 250GB drive.

[Ambroos]

You should try Crucial's Memory Advisor: http://www.crucial.c...re/advisor.aspx

It's brilliant. Enter your exact model and it'll come up with memory and drives that are guaranteed compatible. After entering your model just hit "SHOW ALL COMPATIBLE SOLID STATE DRIVES' in the respective category to expand the list. The Crucial m4 is an excellent SSD that will do perfectly!

[LogicalApex]

Unless Apple only allows specific drives you should be fine with any SATA SSD. The only major consideration on SSDs in laptops is drive height, but your 2009 MacBook shouldn't be using slim model drives so you shouldn't have to worry (you can get a slim drive into a non-slim bay, but not the other way around).

[neufuse]

LogicalApex, on 29 December 2012 - 21:59, said:

Unless Apple only allows specific drives you should be fine with any SATA SSD. The only major consideration on SSDs in laptops is drive height, but your 2009 MacBook shouldn't be using slim model drives so you shouldn't have to worry (you can get a slim drive into a non-slim bay, but not the other way around).

Can't remember exactly, but didn't Apple make it so TRIM only works out of the box on "approved" SSD drives?

[mr_han_solo]

Not every drive will work. I have a Patriot Inferno and my late 2012 Mac Mini will not sleep. In retrospect I wish I would have done some more homework before using the drive. Fortunately I have not had any problem with leaving the Min on 24/7.

TRIM is disabled on non-apple SSD's. However, download TRIM Enabler (Free) and it will enable it for whatever drive you get.

Also if anyone has any ideas on how I get my Mini to sleep I would be open to suggestions.

- Han

[Ambroos]

neufuse, on 29 December 2012 - 22:03, said:

Can't remember exactly, but didn't Apple make it so TRIM only works out of the box on "approved" SSD drives?

If your drive has proper garbage collection TRIM isn't all that important. I've been running without TRIM for ages (two Toshiba SSD's in RAID0), and the difference in speed is negligible.

[#Michael]

mr_han_solo, on 29 December 2012 - 22:10, said:

Not every drive will work. I have a Patriot Inferno and my late 2012 Mac Mini will not sleep. In retrospect I wish I would have done some more homework before using the drive. Fortunately I have not had any problem with leaving the Min on 24/7.

TRIM is disabled on non-apple SSD's. However, download TRIM Enabler (Free) and it will enable it for whatever drive you get.

Also if anyone has any ideas on how I get my Mini to sleep I would be open to suggestions.

- Han

That was my problem with a seagate drive last year....kept getting kernel panics.

[LogicalApex]

Wow, thanks for the correction. I don't keep up with Apple and I wasn't aware they managed to cause problems for users with a commodity part like the disk drive.

[neufuse]

Ambroos, on 29 December 2012 - 22:10, said:

If your drive has proper garbage collection TRIM isn't all that important. I've been running without TRIM for ages (two Toshiba SSD's in RAID0), and the difference in speed is negligible.

yes, but my point still stands, Apple still disabled the feature on non-apple devices... still stupid

[threetonesun]

LogicalApex, on 29 December 2012 - 22:24, said:

Wow, thanks for the correction. I don't keep up with Apple and I wasn't aware they managed to cause problems for users with a commodity part like the disk drive.

Apple didn't, per se, but a lot of SSDs require firmware updates to run out of the box on Macs.

Any of the "better" drives, Samsung, Crucial, Intel, should work fine.

[#Michael]

What samsung drive would anyone recommend?

[Ambroos]

BlendedFrog, on 30 December 2012 - 02:10, said:

What samsung drive would anyone recommend?

Samsung 830 or Crucial m4. Everything else is less good and/or pricier.

[neufuse]

Ambroos, on 30 December 2012 - 02:58, said:

Samsung 830 or Crucial m4. Everything else is less good and/or pricier.

Samsung 830 is an awesome drive for the price, been using them exclusively in all my new systems

[#Michael]

neufuse, on 30 December 2012 - 15:38, said:

Samsung 830 is an awesome drive for the price, been using them exclusively in all my new systems

The 830 or 840 series? Because it seems that Amazon has the 830 series 256gb for $250 and the 840 series 250gb for $180. Both get great reviews....so which one is better?

[neufuse]

BlendedFrog, on 30 December 2012 - 17:48, said:

The 830 or 840 series? Because it seems that Amazon has the 830 series 256gb for $250 and the 840 series 250gb for $180. Both get great reviews....so which one is better?

830 is MLC 840 is TLC, TLC memory wears faster... MLC is better for wear... TLC is a cheaper memory that crams more bits into a cell