- Can You Upgrade Storage On Macbook Pro 2017
- How To Get More Storage On Laptop
- Can You Upgrade Storage On Macbook Pro
Your MacBook Pro was designed to complete a wide variety of different tasks with ease and speed. Apple is well known for leading the pack in new technological advancements and always seem to utilize cutting edge components and design in all of its products. Regardless of which model year of MacBook you might have, chances are when it was new, it was at the top of its class in function and form.
When you decide to upgrade the storage of your MacBook Pro, it is not in doubt that your aim will be to get more storage. The considerations should, however, not stop there. It is good to choose an SSD which provides storage space that is fast to read and write on. SSDs also last a long time and reliable.
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009), and MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009) Number of memory slots: 2: Base memory: 4 GB: Maximum memory: 8 GB: Memory card specifications - Double Data Rate Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (DDR3) format - 30mm (1.18 inch) - 2 GB or 4 GB - 204-pin - PC3-8500 DDR3 1066 MHz type. See full list on macbookproslow.com. Hopefully by now you’ve upgraded your 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro with more storage, kicking the “replace it” can down the road a while longer. With some patience and elbow grease, you can double or even quadruple your internal storage for a fraction of the price of a new MacBook Pro. If you are a creative or photographer, who needs to store lots of files on your MacBook Pro, by all means, bump up your storage even further. If you can afford it, make the choice. However, if you must decide on more storage or better memory, but not both, go with more memory.
Storage is an important factor to consider with any computer. Regardless of how many nice features your MacBook Pro has, if you run out of storage, it can cause unwanted issues. Some people even believe that you can never have too much storage capacity on a computer. Your MacBook Pro came with built-in storage but depending on your model, it is possible to add more storage capacity to your computer.
Why Add More Storage?
More storage is a good thing. The more storage capacity you have on your computer, the more programs, apps, files, and data you can run and store. If you run out of storage space, you might have to delete files or programs in order to make room for new ones. While you can always place this data on something like an external hard drive, it can be a pain to run out of storage capacity on your computer.
When you reach the limits of your computer’s storage capacity, you might also start to notice issues with performance. Things can start to run slowly and freezes can occur as your computer struggles to keep everything operating effectively without enough storage to do so. By adding more storage, you can avoid these potential problems while keeping all of the files and data you wish and not having your performance suffer.
Adding Storage – Things to Consider
When you buy a new MacBook Pro, you usually have options for what storage capacity you want to be included on your computer. More storage costs more money so oftentimes, buyers don’t get a high amount of storage. While this cost may seem significant, the extra storage can really help with performance and other important operations on your computer so it’s always good to consider a storage upgrade if you can afford it.
Another thing to consider is that not all MacBook models can have storage added to them internally. You can always use external storage methods, which we will discuss below, but some Apple computers won’t allow the additional storage capacity to be added after the machine has been manufactured. This is another reason to get the most memory you can afford at the time of purchase.
How to Add Storage to MacBook Pro
There are several methods to gain additional storage capacity on your MacBook Pro. Some of these options are only available for certain model years and newer model MacBooks cannot actually add storage internally. The newest models come equipped with an SSD (Solid State Drive) storage which cannot be upgraded. These are the model years that can be upgraded which have and SSD:
- MacBook Pro Retina 2015 or earlier.
- MacBook Pro non-Retina 2016 or earlier.
- If you have a different style MacBook or want to learn more about this upgrade, check out this link.
If you can’t upgrade your SSD, there are other methods to increase the storage capacity of your computer including:
1. External Storage
You can use external storage methods to add storage to your MacBook Pro. The most common way to do this is by using an external hard drive. These drives connect directly to your computer using an appropriate cable and will give you as much extra storage as you want or need. You can transfer files and data quickly and easily from your computer to this external hard drive to gain extra storage.
2. SD Cards
On older model MacBooks, you can use an SD card to gain extra memory. These cards aren’t as common as they used to be, but that means they are really cheap. If your computer has an SD card input, all you have to do is slide an SD card in and you can easily gain a couple hundred GB or more in storage capacity.
3. Cloud Storage
Another option to add storage to your computer is through the cloud. This is a good way to backup files or data and allows you to gain almost endless amounts of storage, although you will have to pay for it. One downside to cloud storage is that it can be slow to download or upload files depending on your internet speed. You can get up to 2TB of cloud storage with Apple’s iCloud and that is a considerable amount to work with.
4. Network Storage
This isn’t a very common method for increasing storage these days, but it does work and can offer an increase in storage capacity if you have another computer or hard drive laying around the house. By utilizing the storage capacity on another device, you can connect it to your MacBook pro and gain added space. The downside to this method is that you have to be on the same network as the added device so you might not be able to leave your house.
Final Thoughts
I still think that the easiest way to add storage to your computer is to start with a lot of it from the get go. This means upgrading the storage on your MacBook Pro from the time you buy it. You don’t have to go with the absolute highest amount of storage available but you should get more than the basic option. All of these added storage options will cost some money so getting more from the start is a good option.
If you don’t want to pay as much upfront, you can use any of the methods above to gain added storage on your computer. I find the easiest method to do this is an external hard drive and usually carry one with me everywhere I take my computer, just in case. It also functions as a backup for any important files or data you have.
How much storage do you have on your computer? Do you think it will be enough or will you need to upgrade?
By Nathan E. Malpass, Last updated: August 27, 2019
I have a MacBook Pro and I fill it with a lot of stuff. I put on videos, music, images, documents, and worksheets. What I want to do right now is to upgrade my hard drive to a solid state drive (SSD). This is due to the fact that an SSD is smaller and faster. Can you teach me how to upgrade my hard drive to a solid state drive?
~MacBook Pro Owner
People Also Read2 Solutions on How to Turn on iMessage on MacHow To Fix Update iMessage On Mac Not Working?
Part I: Introduction
Do you want to replace your traditional hard disk drive with a modern solid state drive? You might be surprised that, at present, it’s actually affordable.
Plus, the result is an astounding 5x increase in performance. An SSD for a MacBook with a storage capacity of 500GB costs approximately USD 150.00. While a 1TB version will cost you around USD 300.00. This is significantly cheaper than a MacBook itself.
Plus, it’s actually very easy to upgrade your traditional hard disk drive to a modern SSD. Even if you don’t know much about Macs in general, you can still do it.
In this article, we will be telling you how to upgrade your traditional hard drive into a surprisingly faster solid state drive (SSD). Hop on!
Part II: Is An Upgrade To An SSD Really Needed?
Upgrading your traditional hard disk drive within a MacBook Pro to a solid state drive is very easy and quick. However, this upgrade might not be necessary all the time.
If you utilize your Mac for tasks that don’t consume many resources (e.g. browsing the web, making documents), then the current hard disk drive you use is probably okay.
Don’t try to upgrade your hard drive first. If you think your system is very slow, try running FoneDog’s Mac Cleaner first.
The said tool will help you clean up junk within your system. All junk such as duplicate files, old files, large files, all types of caches, and temporary files, can be removed with a few simple clicks. Here are the advantages and the steps to use the said tool:
* It gives you the ability to make your Mac device perform faster by freeing up more space within the said device.
* It scanning mode is very powerful and helps locate duplicate files, system files, junk files, unnecessary applications, clutter, etc.
* It gives you the ability to clear up junk files. It helps you locate and remove duplicate files. It helps you find and clear up similar images. It helps you delete large files and old files.
* The Mac Cleaner helps you delete unnecessary applications without leaving any leftovers behind. Plus, it helps in securing redundant searching history. Finally, it helps in the management of extensions, shredding of files, and cleaning of browsers.
![Upgrade Upgrade](https://cdn2.macworld.co.uk/cmsdata/features/3446650/iMac-with-Logic-Pro.jpg)
* All of the features of the Mac Cleaner can be implemented with just a few clicks.
* Scanned results of the Mac Cleaner can be sorted on a variety of factors including date, time, size, etc.
* The Mac device status is displayed by the device including disk usage, CPU status, memory usage, etc.
* It helps you locate and detect files that are identical. Thus, more space is freed up within your device because no two files are exactly the same. Redundancy is removed within your device.
Here’s how to use FoneDog’s Mac Cleaner step by step:
(Screenshots below are under the dark mode on Mac.)
Step 01 - Download the tool.
Step 02 - Launch it within your Mac device. The main interface will show a variety of the device’ system status.
Step 03 - Select ToolKit and then Cleaner which provides you with the cleaning function for the system, photo, email, files, apps and other fields on your Mac.
Step 04 - Press Scan button. The tool will now do a comprehensive scan of your device.
Step 05 - Once the process of scanning is complete, click View. This will allow you to check scanned results.
Step 06 - Select the specific files you wish to remove per category and press Clean.
Step 07 - Confirm the cleaning operation.
Step 08 - Wait until the cleaning process is finished.
However, if you think that the issues below come up every single time, upgrading to an SSD will certainly give you the performance boost you need:
* Startup that is very slow.
* Sluggish performance especially with applications that are resource hungry (eg.g. Adobe Photoshop).
* Crashes with the system. Free file backup and sync software.
* Errors of denied permissions to files and data that were previously okay.
Part III: Things To Consider When Looking For A MacBook Pro Solid State Drive (SSD)
To get the best possible performance that you want, you need a solid state drive that’s up to par. Here are the things you should consider when purchasing an SSD:
01 - Speed Of Read/ Write - Solid state drives are given a rating based on their read or write speed. The higher the read/ write speed, the better the actual performance. A good SSD to buy has a speed of 500MB per second. Anything above this is good as well. However, the actual speed you will experience is about one-third of what was advertised.
02 - Memory - The two available options are single-level cell (SLC) and multi-level cell (MLC). The multi-level cell is actually cheaper and has the ability to hold more information than SLC. However, SLC is more reliable.
03 - Capacity- Of course, the larger the space, the better. The higher the capacity of the solid state drive, the more benefit it will lead to that of Mac’s performance.
04 - Reliability - Of course, you have to check out reviews for this. Check out what users and even experts state about the performance of the SSD.
Check out its reliability as well. You’ll notice that SSDs that are branded ranks higher than unbranded ones. The best brands out there are usually SanDisk, Samsung, Crucial, Transcend, and KingSpec.
Part IV: How To Place An SSD On A MacBook Pro
Okay, let’s roll into the meat of this article. Before you start placing your SSD onto your MacBook Pro, here are the things you will need:
* SATA-to-USB cable
* Torx T6 screwdriver
* Phillips screwdriver (small)
Step 01: Formatting the SSD
Before you perform an upgrade of a MacBook Pro’s solid-state drive (SSD), it is necessary for you to make a clone of your current hard disk drive. This is to ensure that the new SSD will run perfectly when it has been installed.
However, before you clone the hard disk drive, you first need to perform a cleanup of your entire hard drive. To do this, you need FoneDog’s Mac Cleaner tool. This will help remove junk files and clutter within your system. In this way, these junk are not transferred to your new drive.
After you have finished cleaning the hard disk drive, it’s time to clone it. This can be implemented by using a tool such as Carbon Copy Cleaner or SuperDuper!. You can also use the program Disk Utility by Apple. Here’s how to do it step by step with the Disk Utility tool:
Step 01 - Plug your solid state drive to the Mac device. Do this by using the SATA-to-USB cable we said you needed earlier.
Step 02 - Visit Applications.
![Pro Pro](https://wickedcoolbite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/about-macbook-model.jpg)
Step 03 - Go to Utilities.
Step 04 - Launch Disk Utility.
Step 05 - Click on the icon of the SSD.
Step 06 - Go to the tab labeled Partition.
Step 07 - Choose the following from the actual Partition Layout: Partition 1.
Step 08 - Press Options.
Step 09 - Choose GUID Partition Table within the next window that comes up.
Step 10 - Press the tab labeled First Aid.
Step 11 - Press Verify Disk Permissions.
Step 12 - Press Verify Disk.
Step 13 - Press Repair Disk.
Step 14 - Shut your Mac down. Restart it again while you hold the Option key.
Step 15 - Select the option that allows you to boot to your Recovery Disk.
Step 16 - Press the label that states to Reinstall your Mac’s operating system.
Step 17 - Select the solid state drive as the destination drive.
Step 18 - Copy the files and data from the hard disk drive towards the solid state drive. When the Mac prompts if you wish to restore your files or data from another disk drive, select the hard drive that’s currently installed.
Step 02: Removing The Hard Disk Drive
Now will be the time to get your hands dirty.
Step 01 - Ensure that the Mac device is shut off.
Step 02 - Locate the 10 screws and remove them by utilizing the Phillips screwdriver.
Step 03 - Ensure that you keep the screws in a small container to avoid losing them.
Step 04 - Detach the cover.
Step 05 - Touch a part that’s metal in order for the static electricity to be released.
How to install chrome on macbook pro. Step 06 - Find the hard drive
Step 07 - Detach the plastic bracket that’s securing the hard drive. This is usually helped by two screws. Simply remove these screws to detach it.
Step 08 - Remove the hard disk drive gently.
Can You Upgrade Storage On Macbook Pro 2017
Step 09 - The SATA ribbon should be disconnected in this step. You can disconnect or remove the SATA ribbon through wiggling its connector. Avoid yanking this SATA ribbon.
How To Get More Storage On Laptop
Step 10 - Remove the Torx screws that are attached toward the hard disk drive. This is usually four in number.
Step 11 - Screwing the posts towards the solid state drive is the last step of this phase.
Step 03: Fitting In The Solid State Drive (SSD)
Step 01- Attach the ribbon (SATA ribbon) to that of the solid state drive carefully. After which, you have to lower it in order to keep it in place.
Step 02 - Put the holding bracket in place.
Step 03 - Place back the cover of the MacBook.
Step 04 - Put the 10 screws back again
Step 05 - Switch your MacBook Pro on.
Step 06 - Visit System Preferences.
Step 07 - Go to Startup Disk.
Step 08 - Ensure that your solid state drive is the one selected as the startup disk.
Step 10 - Restart the Mac device.
Can You Upgrade Storage On Macbook Pro
Part V: Conclusion
Now, you can enjoy a MacBook Pro after you have installed and upgraded to a new solid-state drive. You will notice the difference in performance.
Your applications will open faster, your files will be saved faster, plus you will be able to multitask within your Mac device.
Use FoneDog’s Mac Cleaner and its 8 modules in order to maintain your Mac device regularly. Plus, use it to remove junk files so you can experience a smooth performance every single day.
FoneDog’s Mac Cleaneris a great Mac device cleanup tool that will definitely give you the best user experience you need.
>Mac >A How-To Guide on MacBook Pro or Mac SSD Upgrade
Comment ()