[timmmee]

Hey,

In July 2007 I got a MacBook Pro (15 in, 2.4 GHz C2D) which has remained my computer for the past three years. It's still running well, though it's gotten a bit slower with age (and yes, I have reformatted several times) and the internal hard drive I ordered for it (160GB 7200rpm) is getting to be too small for me.

I've recently upgraded the RAM to 4GB and gotten Apple to replace the battery with a new one (the day before my AppleCare warranty expired, too! haha). I'm wondering if you guys have recommendations for replacement drives. Space is always good, so I was thinking of maybe getting a 320 or 500GB drive to slap in there. 5400rpm or 7200rpm? I haven't used a 5400rpm laptop for intensive applications like I've used my Macbook, so I don't know how much of a difference it makes. However, my battery life has always seemed to be somewhat short with my computer, which could be the fault of the drive.

A third option I guess is SSD, which is still perty expensive... should I wait a bit on that? Is the difference really that mind-blowing?

Edit: here I go again embarrassing myself. Can a mod please move this?

[PB PM]

500GB 7200rpm HDD, they are cheap, often under $100, so go big! As for battery life, I haven't seen any noticeable change between the stock 250GB 5400rmp drive and 500GB 7200rpm drive I use now.

[Maciej]

Yes, the difference will be noticeable with an SSD. Here is a nice comparison video with a Crucial C300 (one of the fastest SSDs, if not the fastest, on the market) vs. a stock 250 GB platter.

It's important to note that I wouldn't recommend getting a C300 for a MBP due to the performance degradation. OS X doesn't support the TRIM command, which could lead to significant slow down over time. If you really want to jump into an SSD now I'd recommend going with a OCZ Vertex 2 or one of OWC's SSDs - both are designed around a controller that does a little better book keeping and will keep you out of trouble as time goes on. (At least until OS X implements a TRIM command.) You can read up on SSDs at Anandtech.com if you're more interested, or wanna get into the more technical aspects.

[Maciej]

Also I forgot to mention that this fall we should be seeing the next generation of SSDs hit the market, some of the advantages should include a better cost per GB, so I'm holding off until fall at least.

[Xaqtly]

I can't wait for the SSD price/performance ratio to improve. I'd definitely recommend an SSD for any laptop, if you can afford it.

[turtle]

I out a 160GB Intel SSD in my old MB and it's awesome! I mean really awesome. Well worth the price for the boost in performance. One click and almost one bounce and CS3 apps open which is huge.

[Luca]

Going to a higher capacity may slightly improve performance because the data will be at a higher density. Denser data = more data read per revolution = less time needed to read an equal amount of data. Going to a 500 GB, 7200 RPM drive may help some.

However, an SSD will definitely give you a major performance improvement. If you can afford one, do it.

[FFL]

This article

http://hothardware.com/cs/blogs/dive...ard-drive.aspx

gives some good insight on the question.

Personally, I'd go with a the 500 GB/7200 RPM.

[Maciej]

Dummy me!

I completely forgot to mention the Momentus XT. A wonderful step between just platters and full SSD this hybrid shows improved performance for your most common tasks and includes the 7200RPM platter you wanted. It's pretty much the best of both worlds right now, if you can't afford to jump to just SSD, or if you need that higher capacity.

[faust]

Stupid question, do they do HD upgrades at the Genius Bar?
I have the original Mac Book Pro, the original hard drive is slow and not nearly large enough for my music and pics.
I will admit I have no idea how to upgrade my hard drive.

Or I am better off just getting rid of it and getting a new unit? Is it worth updating now that its 4+ years old.

[FFL]

Originally Posted by faust Stupid question, do they do HD upgrades at the Genius Bar?

No.

They only replace with the exact same specs... in other words, if your 120 GB drive dies (either in or out of warranty), they will only replace it with another 120 GB drive.

I have the original Mac Book Pro, the original hard drive is slow and not nearly large enough for my music and pics. I will admit I have no idea how to upgrade my hard drive.

There are options for mailing out your MacBook Pro for a full service hard drive upgrade here:

http://www.iresq.com/macbook-repair/macbook-pro.html

[faust]

Thanks for the link and info.

Probably better to spend $250 or so for the upgrade than to blow 5+ times that on a new unit

[FFL]

Originally Posted by faust Thanks for the link and info. Probably better to spend $250 or so for the upgrade than to blow 5+ times that on a new unit

That's my thinking as well.

A bigger hard drive is also the best investment you can make that carries over to resale value.

[ironlung]

Hey timmmee did you end up upgrading your macbook pros hard drive? I just did it today, with a 500 GB Hitachi. It really is not all too hard, I just followed ifixit's guide. The hardest step is taking out all those screws. Definitely worth it.

The drive that I am using is different from other 2.5 500 GBs on the market. It is quieter, no vibration, no added heat and definitely fast. Check it out at newegg Link

[Dorian Gray]

Originally Posted by ironlung The drive that I am using is different from other 2.5 500 GBs on the market. It is quieter, no vibration, no added heat and definitely fast. Check it out at newegg Link

That's just a 7K500 in a retail box. Which isn't to say it isn't a good choice: it's certainly the quietest 500 GB, 7200 rpm, 2.5-inch hard drive on the market. I use one in my MacBook Pro.

The Western Digital WD5000BEKT is probably even slightly faster overall than the 7K500, but it wasn't available when I opted for the Hitachi. Low noise means a lot to me, so I would probably still choose the 7K500.

[ironlung]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray That's just a 7K500 in a retail box. Which isn't to say it isn't a good choice: it's certainly the quietest 500 GB, 7200 rpm, 2.5-inch hard drive on the market. I use one in my MacBook Pro. The Western Digital WD5000BEKT is probably even slightly faster overall than the 7K500, but it wasn't available when I opted for the Hitachi. Low noise means a lot to me, so I would probably still choose the 7K500.

Heh you're right. Newegg lists both, and I was fooled by a commentator on newegg. I should've paid more attention, and could have saved another $10. Oh well. I thought about the WD, but some people were complaining about the noise and vibration so decided against it. I was being told to just go with a SSD, but honestly I am quite happy with a 7200 hdrive.

EDIT: Of course lack of TRIM support in OS X also discouraged me from SSD.

[Maciej]

Lack of trim isn't as big of a deal if you get one of the SF-1200 based drives, like the Vertex 2.

[timmmee]

Originally Posted by ironlung Hey timmmee did you end up upgrading your macbook pros hard drive? I just did it today, with a 500 GB Hitachi. It really is not all too hard, I just followed ifixit's guide. The hardest step is taking out all those screws. Definitely worth it. The drive that I am using is different from other 2.5 500 GBs on the market. It is quieter, no vibration, no added heat and definitely fast. Check it out at newegg Link

Nah, I got back into the swing of school things and kind of forgot about it. But wow! That looks like a great price. I'll probably end up springing for this in the coming weeks. Thanks!

[ironlung]

Originally Posted by timmmee Nah, I got back into the swing of school things and kind of forgot about it. But wow! That looks like a great price. I'll probably end up springing for this in the coming weeks. Thanks!

I highly highly recommend it. I was considering upgrading my computer because it had slowed down quite a bit, but just upgrading the hard drive has made my macbook pro quite snappy. I should have done it a while back.

With this hitachi drive I have not felt any increase in heat, or felt any vibrations.