Aug 12, 2014 - (Note: while some portions of this user tip can be used when installing a new hard drive in your MacBook Pro, it is intended only for those.
Swapping out your old hard drive for a modern SSD is surprisingly affordable and results in 5X better performance: a reputable 500GB MacBook SSD can be had for around $150, while 1TB options are available for around $300 — both considerably cheaper than a new MacBook. It’s also surprisingly easy, even if you don’t know your way around the insides of a Mac.
Do I really need to upgrade my Mac hard drive?
Fitting a solid state drive in your MacBook Pro is a quick and simple way to boost performance but an upgrade might not always be needed.
If you only really use your Mac to browse the web and do some word processing, your current hard drive is probably fine. If your system feels a bit sluggish, try running CleanMyMac X first to clean away any resource-hogging junk. That might be the only fix you need (this way junk that is clogging up your system, such as old files, images, apps, duplicates and iPhone backups will be cleared away).
If, however, you’re noticing any of the following issues, an SSD upgrade will most certainly help:
- Slow startup
- Sluggish performance in resource-intensive apps such as Adobe Photoshop
- System crashes
- Permission denied errors to files that were previously fine
What to consider when choosing a MacBook Pro SSD
To reap the benefits of an SSD, you need a drive that’s up to the task. Here’s what to consider:
- Read/write speed — SSDs are rated on their reading and writing speed. The higher the speed, the better the performance. Something in the range of 500MB/s and above is good, although actual speed will be about a third less than what’s advertised.
- Memory — MLC (multi-level cell) and SLC (single-level cell) are the two options available. The former is cheaper and capable of holding more information but the latter is more reliable.
- Capacity — Get as much space as you can afford. The greater the capacity of an SSD, the more it will benefit Mac performance.
- Reliability — Read the reviews. See what the experts and other users say about SSD performance and reliability. You’ll typically find that brand name SSDs rank the highest. Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial, KingSpec, and Transcend are standout brands.
How to fit a new MacBook Pro SSD
Okay, let’s get down to business. SSD aside, here’s what you’ll need to fit your new hard drive:
- SATA-to-USB cable
- Small Phillips screwdriver
- Torx T6 screwdriver
Step 1: Format the SSD
To perform a MacBook Pro SSD upgrade you’re first going to need to clone your existing hard drive so that the new one runs like clockwork when it’s installed.
Before you do this, you should use CleanMyMac X to perform a Smart Cleanup. This will clear your system of any junk files so that they’re not transferred over unnecessarily. You can download CleanMyMac X for free, here.
Cloning the hard drive can be done with a tool such as SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cleaner, or with Apple’s own Disk Utility program. Here’s how to do it with the latter:
- Connect the SSD to your Mac using the SATA-to-USB cable.
- Go to Applications > Utilities and open the Disk Utility.
- Click on the SSD icon, followed by the Partition tab and select 'Partition 1' from the Partition Layout.
- Click on Options and select GUID Partition Table in the next window.
- Click on the First Aid tab, followed by Verify Disk Permissions.
- Click Verify Disk, followed by Repair Disk.
- Shutdown your MacBook and restart it, holding the Option key as you do. Choose the option to boot to Recovery Disk.
- Click on Reinstall Mac OS X and choose the SSD as the destination.
- Copy your files over from the installed hard drive to the SSD. When asked to restore files from another disk, choose the currently installed hard drive.
Step 2: Remove the hard drive
Now it’s time to get hands-on.
- Make sure your MacBook is shut down.
- Locate and remove the 10 screws using the Phillips screwdriver. Put the screws in a small bowl so that you don’t lose any.
- Remove the cover and touch a metal part to release the static electricity.
- Locate the hard drive and remove the plastic bracket securing it. This is held in place with two screws.
- Gently remove the hard drive and disconnect the SATA ribbon. Do this by wiggling the connector. Don’t yank on the ribbon.
- Remove the four Torx screws attached to the hard drive and screw the posts into the SSD.
Step 3: Fit the SSD
- Carefully attach the SATA ribbon to the SSD and lower it in place.
- Fix the holding bracket back in place.
- Replace the MacBook cover and screw in the ten tiny screws.
- Switch on your MacBook Pro, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and make sure the SSD is selected.
- Restart your computer.
See, we told you it was easy!
Enjoy a faster, smoother MacBook Pro
A new SSD drive for your Mac will make an instant impact. Apps will launch faster, files will save quicker, and multitasking will be a much smoother experience. Use CleanMyMac X to regularly remove junk files from your system and you’ll enjoy slick performance for many a year to come.
CleanMyMac X finds and removes junk files from your MacBook Pro to free up space and keep your system running to its full potential. Make it the first app you install on your new SSD!
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Retina Display MacBook Pro Q&A
Revision Published January 31, 2019
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How do you upgrade or replace the storage in the 13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models? Is it the same storage and process as the 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro? Is it possible?
By default, 13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models are configured with 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of SSD storage. Via custom configuration, some models also can, or could, be equipped with as much as 768 GB or 1 TB of SSD storage at the time of purchase.
Officially, it is not possible for an end user to upgrade the storage after purchase. However, as firstreportedby site sponsor Other World Computing, the SSD is installed as a removable module in all of these systems and is fairly straightforward to upgrade.
However, different lines use different proprietary SSD modules and it is important to identify both the MacBook Pro and the SSD module correctly.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro)
Identification Help
If you're not sure whether or not you have a 13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro or another model, notebooks with different SSDs share the A1425 and A1502Model Numbers.
As a result, the easiest way to identify them uniquely enough for the purpose of determining the correct SSD type is either by external EMC Number or by the Model Identifier in software.
As always, EveryMac.com has carefully hand documented these details for your convenience:
MacBook Pro | Subfamily | EMC | Model Identifier |
13-Inch (Late 2012) | Late 2012 | ||
13-Inch (Early 2013) | Early 2013 | ||
13-Inch (Late 2013) | Late 2013 | ||
13-Inch (Mid-2014) | Mid-2014 | ||
13-Inch (Early 2015) | Early 2015 |
Finally, EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- additionally can uniquely identify all of the Retina Display MacBook Pro models by their serial numbers and other identifiers.
Upgrade Obstacles & Compatible SSD Details
Apple does not intend for end users to upgrade the SSD in these models themselves, the company even has used uncommon 'pentalobe' screws -- also called five-point Torx screws -- to discourage access. However, access is straightforward with the correct screwdriver, the SSD is simple to access, and upgrades are not blocked in firmware, either. There are two significantly different SSD designs for these models, though.
There is one 6 Gb/s SATA-based SSD for the 'Late 2012' and 'Early 2013' 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro models. Unlike the 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro, the SSD in the 'Late 2012' and 'Early 2013' models is mounted in a small 'drive caddy' that can hold a 5 mm or 7 mm tall SSD (or hard drive), in lieu of the small proprietary SSD module that Apple uses.
The proprietary PCIe 2.0-based SSD in the 'Late 2013' and subsequent models is limited to a smaller 'blade' option, though. By default, the 'Late 2013' and 'Mid-2014' models negotiate a x2 PCIe connection, but in testing, OWC discovered that when a 'blade' SSD from a Cylinder Mac Pro was installed in a 'Late 2013' or 'Mid-2014' model, it 'negotiates a x4 PCIe connection versus the stock cards, which negotiate a x2 PCIe connection,' which means that this newly transplanted SSD was substantially faster than the stock one. The 'Early 2015' models support a x4 PCIe connection by default.
Upgrade Instructions
The bottom panel of the 13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro is attached with ten screws of differing lengths. After removing the bottom of the notebook, the battery removal process is fairly involved -- with four more screws to unscrew before disconnecting the battery -- but the drive caddy itself is easy to remove.
OWC provides this excellent video to walk one through the entire procedure for the 'Late 2012' and 'Early 2013' models, specifically, and subsequent models have a similar procedure:
This video explains how to install the original SSD from your 13-Inch MacBook Pro in OWC's convenient 'Envoy Pro' case to repurpose it as an external drive:
By watching these videos, you should be able to determine if you feel comfortable performing this upgrade yourself or if you would instead prefer to hire a professional.
SSD Purchase Options
In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computer sells SSDs compatible with the 'Late 2012' and 'Early 2013' 13' Retina MacBook Pro models as well as 'Late 2013' and subsequent models.
In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells 13' Retina Display MacBook Pro compatible SSDs with free shipping. The company provides flat rate shipping to France, Germany, and Switzerland and inexpensive shipping for all of Europe, too.
In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells compatible SSDs for the 13' Retina Display MacBook Pro models with fast, flat-rate shipping Australia-wide. Specifically, RamCity recommends the Transcend Jetdrive 720 line.
In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells the compatible OWC SSD upgrade for the 13' Retina Display MacBook Pro with free delivery -- and optional upgrade service -- in Singapore and flat rate shipping to Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea.
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