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A Solid-State Drive or SSD is a device storage made for computers. It replaces the traditional hard disks and is significantly faster. They are lighter, quieter, and more reliable than the HDDs.
Best Internal SSD For MacBook Pro in 2021 1. SAMSUNG 860 PRO SSD 1TB First of all, I have the SAMSUNG 860 PRO SSD 1TB. The Transcend JetDrive is a fast PCIe SSD for MacBook Pro models from 2013 to 2015. It offers very fast read/write speeds of 950MB/s. Check Price on Amazon If. The Transcend JetDrive is a fast PCIe SSD for MacBook Pro models from 2013 to 2015. It offers very fast read/write speeds of 950MB/s. Check Price on Amazon If you own a MacBook Pro from 2013-2015.
Installing an SDD is one of the most common and essential upgrades for MacBook Pros of all versions. It maximizes the utilization of your Mac by expanding the storage space. Choosing the right SDD for upgrading the older MacBook Pro can be difficult as various kinds with similar claiming available in the market.
To solve this problem, we will give you a list of recommendations on the best SSD for MacBook Pro 2011. Without further delay, let's dive into it! Best editing software for beginners.
Best SSD for MacBook Pro 2011
Let's check out the complete reviews of the top five SSD suitable for MacBook Pro 2011.
#1. Crucial MX500- Optimize Performance within Budget
Crucial is a well-known company for manufacturing high quality and reliable memory and flash storage. Crucial MX500 is a great budget-friendly SDD option. It secures your data and enhanced by micron 3D NAND technology.
One of the vital features is its power loss immunity, which helps preserve the saved work in unexpected power cuts. The energy-saving feature in this drive stops overheating and unnecessary battery use. This feature is beneficial for the older MacBook pro users, especially MacBook pro 2011 or earlier.
The installation process is effortless even for a beginner as it comes with easy video instructions. It provides a read speed of 560MB/sec and writes speed of 510 MB/sec, respectively. It is available in various space capacity ranging from 250 GB to 2TB.
Pros:
- Super-fast drive
- Easy installation
- Secure the data from hackers.
- Provides five-year limited warranty
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- May need a spacer to fit inside the MacBook properly
#2. Samsung 860 EVO SSD– Ensures High Endurance Capacity
This SSD from the respected brand Samsung is highly dependable and perfect for heavy users. Built with V-NAND technology and a powerful algorithm-based controller, it smoothly manages heavy workloads of premium PCs, workstations, and NAS. It is a popular choice among gamers, IT, and creative professionals for ensuring lasting assurance.
The remarkable endurance capacity enables storing and rendering 4K videos and 3D data. The MJX controller combined with advanced ECC algorithm produce higher speeds, and the upgraded queued trim improves Linux compatibility. The 860 EVO built with advanced engineering is more compatible with the computing system.
It enhances performance by providing consisted and sustained speeds. 860 EVO fits in almost all kinds of laptops/computers due to its availability in various sizes. It enables supreme data protection. You will get update notifications and can easily install them for better performance and stability.
Pros:
- Offers 5-year warranty
- Sequential read and write speed level up to 550MB/s and 520MB/s
- Easy to install
- Faster drive
Cons:
#3. SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD– Makes Your PC Faster and Saves Energy
SanDisk is a famous company for producing reliable and effective SSD. This SSD helps your drive works well under extreme pressure. It offers a unique caching method that enhances performance and also keeps the operation cool and quiet.
It is an excellent choice for gamers as it ensures fast gaming and graphics and enables quicker boot-ups. The nCache 2.0 technology allows more rapid burst speeds, and the advanced 3D NAND technology increases drive endurance. It lowers power usage and prolongs battery life.
This SSD ensures the safety of your data by resisting shock and vibration. Up to 560MB/s read speeds improves the overall performance of the system. It also saves your time by enabling faster loading of applications, games, etc.
Pros:
- Durable design
- Makes drives efficient
- Provides limited warranty for five years
- Reduce load time
Cons:
#4. Western Digital Blue SSD– Ensures Enhanced Stability
Western Digital or WD is a well-trusted brand in the storage options market. It is suitable for running high-end applications such as gaming, creative software, HD media playback, etc. 3D NAND technology allows sequential read and writes speeds up to 560 MB/sand 530 MB/s. It enables transfer speeds swifter, faster boot-ups, andapplication responses.
This SSD ensures the safety of data by offering data loss protection in case of accidentally dropped, several error amendment technologies, and 1.75M hours MTTF. It provides up to 4TB storage capacity.
It passes WD FIT Lab™ certification, so it is compatible with computers from different ranges. It also provides up to 600 terabytes written and a five-year warranty for boosted reliability. It comes with free downloadable software, which helps monitor the drive status, clone a dive, or create a backup of essential data.
Pros:
- High Capacity
- Maximize Performance
- Ensures reliability
- Affordable
Cons:
#5. OCZ Vertex 3– A Cheaper Option Ensuring Enhanced Durability
OCZ is a well-reputed storage device manufacturing company. This SSD helps to utilize the full potential of the 6Gbps SATA3 interface. If you need to upgrade your older MacBook pro within a limited budget, it is the right one.
This SSD significantly improves overall computing experience, including gaming, multimedia, etc. It is much more efficient than regular mechanical hard drives. Upgrade with vertex 3 makes your MacBook more portable as it lowers power consumption and increases durability.
It comes with a 3.5-inch adapter bracket and a 3-year warranty. It makes your PC/laptop perform faster, maintaining a cooler computing environment. This SSD from OCZ is lightweight, so it won't weigh down the MacBook and makes it easy to carry.
Pros:
- Light in weight
- Eliminates distracting noise
- Great Customer Service
- Budget-friendly
Cons:
Things To Consider Before Buying SSD For Macbook Pro 2011
Before buying an SSD for your MacBook Pro, you need to consider the following factors
Storage Capacity
Storage capacity is one of the critical factors to consider when buying an SSD. If you need to use the SSD as an OS drive, you should buy a minimum of 250 GB. The storage capacity ranges from 250 GB to up to 4TB. The price also varies with increasing size.
If you work with heavy applications and have a lot of photos, videos, you should buy at least 1TB storage.
Speed
Speed is an essential factor in measuring the performance level of an SSD. The read speed determines how much time a file takes to open, and write speed decides the time needs to save something on SSD. The higher speed numbers indicate more efficient performance.
The affordable SSD usually comes with lower speeds, but they are still fast enough to provide optimum performance. If you do intensive photo or video editing works, you can choose the expensive and faster ones.
Installation
Installing SSD on an Apple MacBook Pro can be tricky. You can install it by yourself only if you have explicit knowledge of what you are doing; otherwise, you can get help from professionals.
The installation process mainly depends on the type of SSD you are installing and on the version of MacBook Pro. Generally, you will need a screwdriver to access the internal parts. The installation of SSD on older models (before 2012) of MacBook Pro is more comfortable than the new models with m2 type SSD.
Software
Transferring your files to a new SSD is not that simple. You should try to buy an SSD that comes with the software. This software allows you to copy or move files quickly from the old drive to the new one. It also manages the updates of firmware efficiently.
Budget and Trusted Brand
To get the best out of the SSD, you need to buy one that meets your budget limit while providing optimum performance. Buying from a reputable brand is also vital to ensure better service and benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques: What are the signs of SSD failure?
Ans: There are some signs which indicate that you need to replace or repair your SSD. If you get notifications from your Windows or Mac to improve your file system, it can be a sign of SSD failing. You can solve this problem with the built-in repair tool in the macOS or Windows, but you might lose some data.
Besides this, frequent crashes while booting, cannot read or write files, or drive gets read-only are signs of SSD failure.
Ques: Should I replace the SSD of my MacBook Pro by myself or by a professional?
Ans: For an Apple laptop, we recommend you get the help of a professional in replacing the SSD. Apple makes its product's internal design complex, which will be very challenging to open and repair. The screwdrivers use in this process are also specially designed.
Ques: How do I check the health status of SSD on MacBook Pro?
Ans: You can install software to know if the drive is running smoothly and monitor your SSDSSD's health. Visit Smart Reporter Liteto to know the details.
Wrap Up
MacBook Pros comes with fixed storage, but since we use it continuously for education, work, or recreational purposes, the storage space will likely fill up quickly. It is necessary to buy the SSD that suits your device the best and meet your budget requirements.
We hope our article on the best SSD for MacBook Pro 2011 will help you decide which one to select for maximum performance. The perfect SSD will also help you in making your older MacBook Pro work like a new one.
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For those who chose a MacBook over an ordinary laptop must be short for some storage space, right? Well, upgrading storage space through apple is as costly as purchasing a new laptop. In this case, an external hard drive is less expensive and beneficial for storage requirements.
You can switch your external hard drive from a Mac to a pc which makes data transfer for two different OS easier. Furthermore, external hard disks are less likely to get corrupted and are portable in nature.
Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.
Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.
Contents
- 1 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021
- 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
- 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
- 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
- 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
- 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
- 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
- 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
- 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
- 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
- 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021
Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.
1. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.
It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.
Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive
Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.
The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.
3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.
With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.
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Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.
- Affordable price
- Metal body
- Supports USB 3.0
- Comes with an automation backup software
- Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables
4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.
It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.
Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.
- High storage
- Data encryption
- Compatible with the time machine
- Requires power source to work
- Not portable
5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.
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However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.
- USB 3.0 port
- Affordable
- Formatted for Mac
- Not a Solid State drive
Best Ssd For Macbook Pro 1502 Laptop
6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.
The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.
- Metallic body for durability
- High data transmission rate
- USB 3.0
- Should be reformatted for Windows OS
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.
- Lightweight and portable
- Shock resistant
- Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
- 3 years of Warranty
- Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product
8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.
Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.
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In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.
- Durability
- Affordable
- Resistant to water
- Lesser data transmission speed
9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
1tb Ssd For Macbook Pro
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider the encryption feature, the backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costs of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. Hence, if your main goal is to store a huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.