In this article I will show you, how to install a SSD into the Apple MacBook Pro. All the essentials of material and tool that is required for the installation are linked in the article.

1. The 256GB Samsung 850 Pro is the fastest consumer SSD we have seen to date. Thanks to Samsung's new 3D V-NAND the 850 Pro has lower power consumption and better performance, albeit marginally, than both the 840 Evo and 840 Pro. Looking at the benchmark figures for the 840 and 850 Pros shows that the effective performance improvement is 10% whereas the 850 Pro beats the 840 Evo by 16%.
2. Reports have been coming in for a while not that people end up with dead Samsung 850 Pro SSDs. The problem seems to originate from a firmware update issued using samsung's Magician Software.
3. 2 days ago  Samsung EVO Select microSD (512GB) — $90, was $100: We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we.

Hi There, I got an 850 Pro and an 860 Evo, Both firmware updated (Incl. Magician Software) Both appear correctly on 'Drive Information' However, when selecting 'Diagnostic Scan', the 850 Pro says it. SSD manufactures like Samsung saw the effect that inefficient controllers had on SSD's life span so they redesigned their controllers. They did such a good job that TRIM does virtually nothing for extending the life on modern SSD's. This is because the controller does as good of a job as the TRIM at managing data on the ssd.

For the installation of the SSD we have to unscrew the MacBooks, therefore it makes sense to upgrade the main memory (RAM) right now. In a a previous article I have already put together suitable memory recommendations: Apple MacBook Pro: RAM upgrade (HowTo)

Difficulty level:

1. Data migration
2. Installation

Frequently asked questions

What are the advantages of a SSD?

• short start times for operating system and apps
• comfortable and faster work under Mac OS X
• SSD work completely silent
• SSD has no mechanical parts, thus insensitive to hits and external influences

To what should I pay attention with a SSD?

When choosing the SSD, care should be taken that the memory size of the new SSD is not too low. It is advisable to choose an SSD with at least 120 GB or better even 240GB. With regard to the height both SSDs with 7 and 9.5 mm can be installed. All SSDs recommended below meet these requirements.

What are the differences between Samsung EVO/Pro series?

The main difference is the flash memory which is used in the SSD. The new Evo series is designed for the home user and relies on TLC flash memory. This one is reasonable to produce but on the other hand a bit slower. Therefore Samsung could recover this performance disadvantage in the EVO series with a so-called turbo-Write buffer and achieve a similar performance to the Samsung Pro.

I have a detailed explanation of the differences (incl. Advantages and disadvantages) in a separate article: SSD Comparison: Differences between Samsung 860/850 Pro and EVO series

Can I install an SSD with SATA 3 in a MacBook Pro with SATA2?

Yes, SATA3 is fully backward compatible. Therefore SSDs with SATA 3 can be easily operated on SATA2.

Which MacBook Pro models can be upgraded with a SSD?

Suitable SSDs for Apple MacBook Pro

[Last update: 15.04.2018]

Notation
On the market there are a variety of solid-state drives (SSD), but they differ seriously in speed and durability. For this reason I have compiled only high quality and fast SSDs that I could test in MacBook personally in my professional life and as a result I can recommend in good conscience.

MacBook Pro Non-Retina (2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012)

• Samsung 860 Pro Series, 2,5 Zoll, SATA IIITip
  (Available sizes: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB)
• Samsung 860 EVO, 2,5 Zoll, Sata IIITip
  (Available sizes: 250GB / 500GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB)
• Samsung 850 Pro, 2,5 Zoll, SATA III
  (Verfügbare Größen: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB)
• Samsung 850 EVO, 2,5 Zoll, SATA III
  (Available sizes: 120GB / 250GB / 500GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB)
• Crucial MX500, 2,5 Zoll, SATA III
  (Available sizes: 250GB / 500GB / 1TB / 2TB)

My recommendations were helpful?
Then just say 'thank you' with a coffee!

Data migration

Before the existing disk is exchanged for a SSD, all data and settings must be saved. There are different approaches.

Option 1: Clone hard drive to SSD

1. Before making any modifications create a backup via Time Machine, in case of emergency there is a backup
2. Connect the SSD via USB to the MacBook Pro (e.g. using SATA to USB3.0 Adapter)
3. The new SSD must first be formatted using Disk Utility (as “Mac OS Extended Journaled“)
4. Then subsequently create a fully bootable 1:1 copy of your hard drive to the SSD with SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner. (This process may take several hours).

Option 2: OS X reinstall and restore the backup

1. Before making any modifications create a backup via Time Machine for later restore.
2. Create a bootable OS X recovery stick (instruction)
3. Now the new SSD have to be installed in the MacBook Pro (introduction see installation)
4. After the SSD is installed into the MacBook, insert the USB flash drive. Then turn on your MacBook while holding down the ALT key.
5. You will be asked which medium should be used for booting. Select the USB stick.
6. Before reinstalling the SSD, it first must be formatted (as “Mac OS Journaled Extendet”) via the Disk Utility. After that OS X can be installed on the new SSD. In order to this just follow the instructions on the screen.
7. Finally, the data and settings from the Time Machine backup will be restored now.

Installation

In principle, everyone who doesn’t have two left feet can do the installation. The important thing is to allow oneself plenty of time for the installation and proceed with caution. There are two ways to install a SSD in the MacBook Pro:

Option 1: Install SSD as a second drive

Everybody who needs a lot of memory or uses the DVD drive rarely, can install a second hard drive / SSD to the place of the Super Drive. For this purpose, a special frame (conversion kit) is required in which the hard disk will be installed. Then the removed SuperDrive comes in an portable USB enclosure, which is included in the conversion kit.

I made very positive experience with the following four conversion kits:

• OWC Data Doubler Optical Bay Hard Drive/SSD Mounting Solution (~ $20)
• Hard Drive Caddy Tray for Apple MacBook Pro 13/15/17 inch (~ $8)

Option 2: Replace hard drive with SSD

The replacement of the existing hard drive with a SSD is the easiest way. This reconstruction is completed quickly with little effort (about 10 minutes). For this purpose, no special accessories or conversion kits are required, only a proper SSD and the appropriate screwdrivers.

After the SSD is built into the MacBook, it makes sense to use the removed hard drive as an portable hard drive. A good portable enclosure with a fast USB3.0 interface is, for example ORICO portable USB3.0 enclosure

Tools

If you decide on the installation variant 1, the conversion kits I mentioned have already all tools needed for. At the Flancrest kit there is even a SATA-USB adapter enclosed to clone the hard drive without a separate 2.5 “USB hard drive. Otherwise, the mini screwdriver set from Hama is recommended that contains the required PH00 and Torx6 screwdrivers.

Safety recommendation

Basically, it is recommended when working within range of electronic components, to wear an antistatic wrist strap. It protects against electrostatic charging, thus preventing possible damage to electrical components in the Macbook. The bracelet is slipped over the arm and has a cable with alligator clip which is simply clamped to the radiator. Corresponding bracelets are already available for a few dollars (e.g. Rosewill Anti Static Wrist Strap).

Preparation

Basically a Time Machine backup should be created. If this is completed, the MacBook Pro can be shut down. Afterwards unplug the power cord and other cables and place them upside down on a soft surface.

Instruction

The following Youtube video explains the installation procedure in great detail:

Starting up / completion

After installation, the MacBook can now be started for the first time from the SSD Pro. Please do not be alarmed if the boot should not be noticeably faster after a new installation. Because Spotlight must rebuild the index from scratch, which can take some time.

Should there still be any problems (e.g. durable high-revving fan), in addition the SMC (introduction) and NVRAM / PRAM (introduction) should be reset.

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Samsung dominates the market with high-quality SSDs. Although the bandwidth of the SATA III protocol has now been exhausted and significant speed increases are no longer possible, development is not standing still here. Samsung still improves the offered SATA SSDs inpPuncto energy efficiency, storage density and lifetime.

With the Series 860, in the EVO & Pro version, Samsung has presented the next generation of its popular SSDs. The new 860 EVO/Pro and its predecessor 850 have quite similar performance values for reading and writing. Nevertheless, the prices differ considerably in some cases. Therefore, the legitimate question arises: How does this price difference come about and which SSD should I buy for my application?

Sequential Read

Sequential Write

Fundamental differences

The price difference is justified mainly in the memory type used and the associated (minimum) service life. In NAND flash memory of home users SSD, a distinction is made between MLC (Multi-Level Cell), TLC (triple-level cell) and their stacking in multiple layers in the form of 3D VNAND.

850 EVO Series

The Samsung EVO series is aimed at the upper mainstream customer and offers very good performance at a lower price compared to the Pro series. In the 850 Samsung uses vertical 3D NAND memory. In contrast to its big brother (850 Pro), EVO does not use MLC memory cells, but cheaper TLC memory cells, which are stacked in 32 layers. This triple-level cell flash (TLC) can store 3 bits per cell, which makes it cheaper compared to MLC memory (with only 2 bits per cell), but it is also slower and the wear of TLC flash cells is slightly higher. However, the 3D-VNAND version also significantly increases the service life and robustness of TLC memory cells.

To minimize the performance disadvantages of TLC memory cells, Samsung uses a buffer memory (TurboWrite cache) for the EVO. As long as this cache can be written, the EVO achieves a similar performance as the Samsung Pro series. However, if this cache is full, this puts a lot of pressure on performance. In everyday life, however, most files are rarely several GB in size, so the TurboWrite cache can always intercept everything.

The 120/250/500GB versions of the 850 EVO use the Samsung MGX controller, the 1TB and 2TB models use the 3-core MEX controller of the 850 Pro. The MGX controller has only two instead of three cores, which are clocked with 400 MHz just like the cores of the MEX. Both controllers promise improved energy efficiency.

Samsung Ssd 850 Evo Macbook Pro Wird Nicht Erkannt

Warranty and lifetime

The guaranteed writing performance for the smaller models (120/250GB) is 75TB Written. For the 850 EVO from the storage size 500GB and beyond, Samsung even promises a write performance of 150 TB Written (TBW) – the same as with the 850 Pro, but with only 5 years warranty. In the home user area, the 850 EVO thus survives the service life of most PCs.

Samsung 850 EVO, 120 GB
Samsung 850 EVO, 250 GB
Samsung 850 EVO, 500 GB
Samsung 850 EVO, 1000 GB

850 Pro Series

Until it was replaced by its successor, the 860 Pro, the Samsung 850 Pro was, so to speak, the royal class in the field of home user SSDs. The memory and long-term performance of the 850 Pro are particularly noteworthy. In its predecessor model (840 Pro), Samsung used normal MLC flash memory. This was replaced by so-called 3D-VNAND (MLC) flash memory. In contrast to the flat structures of the MLC memory, the third dimension is also used and the memory cells are stacked on top of each other in 32 layers. This means that more memory cells can be accommodated on a smaller area. These can be larger and thus ensure a significantly longer service life in terms of writing power (TBW). Other features of the 3D-VNAND include lower energy consumption and higher writing speeds. The memory cells are read and written by the Samsung 3-Core MEX Controller. Another highlight that distinguishes the 850 Pro from all other SSDs on the market is the 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Warranty and lifetime

According to Samsung, the individual cells of 3D-V-NAND tolerate particularly many write cycles. The guaranteed write performance depends on capacity and is 150 TB Written (128GB/256GB) for the smaller models and rises to a remarkable 600TB Written (4TB model). This means that the 850 Pro survives in practice the period of use of almost every PC or notebook. Samsung therefore gives a self-confident 10-year warranty on the 850 Pro Series. The warranty expires, whichever comes first. In the long-term test of heise.de the 850 Pro with 256 GByte only gave up after more than 9 PByte written data. In an average 40 GByte office day, this corresponds to a theoretical term of a good 623 years.

Samsung 850 Pro, 128 GB
Samsung 850 Pro, 256 GB
Samsung 850 Pro, 512 GB
Samsung 850 Pro, 1000 GB

860 EVO Serie

The Samsung 860 series has been on the market since January 2018 and is the successor to the 850 EVO. It uses the revised MJX controller and Samsung relies on current V-NAND v4 with 64 layers. However, as with the 850 EVO, the MLC memory cells are reserved for the Pro version and the 860 EVO uses the cheaper TLC memory cells. This 3-bit triple-level cell flash (TLC) is generally slightly slower than 2-bit MLC memory. Wear is also slightly higher compared to MLC flash cells. However, the VNAND version of the TLC cells largely compensates for these disadvantages in terms of service life and robustness.

Like its predecessor, the 860 EVO uses an SLC (TurboWrite Cache) to compensate for the performance disadvantages of the TLC memory. Turbowrite capacity is dynamic, so it can be expanded according to demand and available residual capacity, which is why Samsung Turbowrite now calls it “intelligent”. This gives it a similar performance to the Samsung Pro series. Provided this cache is not full due to huge files. Then the write rate drops to a measly 300 MB per second, especially with the smaller models (250 & 500GB). In everyday private life, however, the cache seldom reaches its performance limits.

Overall, a speed difference to the predecessor model 850 EVO is almost undetectable. The performance of current SATA SSDs is almost always limited by the Sata 6 GBit/s interface.

Warranty and lifetime

The durability of the 860 series has increased significantly, which is twice to four times as high as that of its predecessor. Samsung guarantees writing performance for the 860 EVO between 150TB Written (250GB model) and 2400TB Written (4TB model) with a 5-year warranty.

Samsung 860 EVO, 250 GB
Samsung 860 EVO, 500 GB
Samsung 860 EVO, 1000 GB
Samsung 860 EVO, 2000 GB
Samsung 860 EVO, 4000 GB

860 Pro Serie

Samsung’s new flagship SOHO SSD is the 860 Pro in memory sizes from 250GB – 4TB. As with the previous models, the Pro version of the 860 differs primarily in its higher quality flash memory and durability. The Samsung 860 Pro uses MLC-NAND with 2 bits per cell, while the 860 Evo uses the cheaper TLC-NAND with 3 bits per cell. This also explains the price difference between EVO and Pro. The new VNAND v4 MLC flash memory is now layered in 64 layers and somewhat more efficient than its predecessor. This is achieved by operating the storage cells with a voltage of 2.5 volts instead of 3.3 volts. The memory is controlled by the Samsung 3-Core MJX Controller. This is the first time Samsung has used the same controller with the EVO and Pro.

As with the EVO series, a speed difference to the predecessor model 850 Pro is almost undetectable. The performance of current SATA SSDs is almost always limited by the Sata 6 GBit/s interface. The big difference to the 850 Pro is therefore the significantly increased durability with a shorter warranty period.

Warranty and lifetime

The durability has dramatically increased and the guaranteed TBW (Terabytes Written) is twice to eight times higher than 850. 300TB Written (256GB model) and exorbitant 4800TB Written (4TB model) write performance is guaranteed for the SSD of the 860 Pro series, depending on the capacity of the SSD. This means that the point of criticism regarding service life, which is still often appropriate in some cases, is finally history. If you look at the long term test of the previous model, new records can be expected for the 860 Pro. The only downer is Samsung’s warranty period. While the previous 850 Pro still had a self-confident 10 years, the 860 Pro has now been reduced to 5 years and is therefore identical to the 860 EVO. The guarantee expires if one of the two limits (TBW or 5 years) is reached. For private users, this is almost always the annual limit.

Samsung 860 Pro, 256 GB
Samsung 860 Pro, 512 GB
Samsung 860 Pro, 1000 GB
Samsung 860 Pro, 2000 GB

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Samsung 850 Evo Pro

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