3rd party SSD swap??

[peestandingup]

Anyone know of any 3rd party SSD (solid state drives) available that will fit the Air?? I was hoping to get a 32GB SSD for a good price & do the swap myself.

I dont need much internal space & use my server for all my big files over 802.11n, so I cant justify paying Apple $1K just for the option of the SSD.

 

[jjahshik32]

http://www.dvnation.com

 

[bluedoggiant]

I believe its possible, it must be PATA though.

 

[ExcelonGT]

I believe its possible, it must be PATA though.

ZIF compatible SSD's are available at DVNation. I got a 64gb Samsung (same as the factory model). The swap took less than 15 minutes for me to do.

 

[clayj]

ZIF compatible SSD's are available at DVNation. I got a 64gb Samsung (same as the factory model). The swap took less than 15 minutes for me to do.

I looked at that DVNation site... the same 64 GB SSD for which Apple charges $999 is almost $1300 at DVNation.

Tell me how that's a good deal?

 

[ExcelonGT]

I looked at that DVNation site... the same 64 GB SSD for which Apple charges $999 is almost $1300 at DVNation.

Tell me how that's a good deal?

let's just say I have some corporate connections. I'm performing a long term research trial on solid state technology.

 

[NC MacGuy]

ZIF compatible SSD's are available at DVNation. I got a 64gb Samsung (same as the factory model). The swap took less than 15 minutes for me to do.

Wow! $1,300 bucks... For once Apples prices don't seem ludicrous.

 

[ExcelonGT]

Wow! $1,300 bucks... For once Apples prices don't seem ludicrous.

agreed. The SSD prices are expected to drop significantly over the next few months. this time next year, we will be seeing 256gb SSD on the market.

 

[NC MacGuy]

agreed. The SSD prices are expected to drop significantly over the next few months. this time next year, we will be seeing 256gb SSD on the market.

Exactly why I got the HDD model. Did your drive come w. 55G usable like Apples? I think Anandtech did a swap and got close to 59G which I would expect.

Prices will come down, just hope we see the ZIF PATA continued.

 

[ExcelonGT]

Exactly why I got the HDD model. Did your drive come w. 55G usable like Apples? I think Anandtech did a swap and got close to 59G which I would expect.

59.31GB usable.

 

[NC MacGuy]

59.31GB usable.

So, where did Apple lose 4GB?

 

[PStamatiou]

let's just say I have some corporate connections. I'm performing a long term research trial on solid state technology.

I'm not doing research but I should have a pretty fast SSD on the way in the next month or so.. if everything works out alright. I hope the install isn't too bad. I don't mind taking it apart.. I just hope it isn't too much of a PITA.

 

[NC MacGuy]

I'm not doing research but I should have a pretty fast SSD on the way in the next month or so.. if everything works out alright. I hope the install isn't too bad. I don't mind taking it apart.. I just hope it isn't too much of a PITA.

It's the easiest laptop to disassemble I've ever done. If your good with a wee screwdriver and patient, no problem.

Good luck and let's hear how it goes. I want one too....

 

[PStamatiou]

thanks for the reply. I'll be sure to post pics etc when it goes in.

 

[peestandingup]

This SSD wont work will it??

 

[PStamatiou]

This SSD wont work will it??

90% sure it will. It's PATA and 1.8-inches. What else does it need?

 

[Cybergypsy]

the spped is not worth it, I had both and ended up selling the ssd.....

 

[peestandingup]

90% sure it will. It's PATA and 1.8-inches. What else does it need?

Not sure really. Its just so hard finding info on this subject right now & confirmation of what drives people are using. I'd hate to get the wrong type.

the spped is not worth it, I had both and ended up selling the ssd.....

When moving files on/off the SSD through the air to a network server, I heard it does make a difference. And thats what I'll be doing a lot of. I cant have the machine locking up during transfers.

 

[clayj]

90% sure it will. It's PATA and 1.8-inches. What else does it need?

Well, one thing it needs is to be no more than 5mm thick. A lot of PATA 1.8" drives are 8mm thick, and they will not fit in the MBA. The MBA's 80 GB HD and 64 GB SSD options are both a 5mm form factor. (Which is why you can't stick a 160 GB PATA drive in there. 160 GB drives are double-platter, and therefore thicker. The MBA's 80 GB single-platter drive is thinner.)

I see that the drive you were referring to is described as 0.2" thick. That's 5mm, basically. (One inch is 25.4mm, so .2, one-fifth of that, is roughly 5mm.) So it should fit the drive cavity.

 

[edwardjung]

Make sure it is the ZIF interface

This SSD wont work will it??

Unclear. Make sure it has a ZIF interface, the Samsung 1.8" PATA SSD comes with either ZIF (40 pin) or IDE (50 pin). I'm guessing based on the feedback on the Newegg site that theirs is the IDE one.