Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple SSD vs Aftermarket

D

dmax35

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 21, 2012
447
6
I'm in the process of ordering a new Mac Pro 3.3 6 core, and was advised by a G-Tech to make sure to get the SSD from Apple vs aftermarket due to the fact Apple has it's own SSD firmware revision that will effectively run the Mac Pro more efficient.

Based on the information that I've found within this site, Apple tends to throttle back it's drive controller operations to reduce fan speeds.

Obviously going with an aftermarket drive would end up being around a $400.00 savings as it's well known about Apple and it's up-charge towards memory and disk drives.

I would greatly appreciate some feedback if it's fact or fiction.

Thank You.
 
Last edited:
Here is the short version:

DON'T DO IT! If you buy from Apple, you will pay high price where OWC sells similar and possibly even more powerful and stable at a lower price. No one buys drives or memory from Apple - Thats where they get to bankrupt you.

Try www.macsales.com and save some $$$

Hope this helps.


dmax35 said:
I'm in the process of ordering a new Mac Pro 3.3 6 core, and was advised by a G-Tech to make sure to get the SSD from Apple vs aftermarket because Apple has it's own SSD firmware revision that will effectively run the Mac Pro more efficient.

Based on the information that I've found within this site, Apple tends to throttle back it's drive controller operations to reduce fan speeds.

Obviously going with an aftermarket drive would end up being around a $400.00 savings as it's well known about Apples up-charge towards memory and disk drives.

I would greatly appreciate some feedback if it's fact or fiction.

Thank You.
Click to expand...
 
Save your money. Don't buy an Apple SSD. Or HD. Or memory.

I am using two Intel 330's... $99 for 120GB, and they work perfectly. I've got one in an OWC drive sled and the other double-sided-foam-taped to the top of the optical drive, connected to the second SATA port available there.

There is now a 240CB in the Intel 330 range; I saw it today for $188 on Amazon.

By the way, the 330's are Sandforce drives, like the OWC ones, but have proprietary Intel firmware that, from all I've read, has proven to be quite reliable.
 
OWC is high priced at this point. Just saw Intel 520 240GB (faster than 330) for 239.00. Better, more reliable, faster SSD.
 
The hardest part of loving OSX is knowing that under no circumstances should you ever purchase any hardware from apple. Prices were a bit better back in 2007-2008 when i purchased my pro... but even then i knew i was paying too much. Frankly, the only way i would ever buy hardware (iphone withstanding) from apple anymore is if they cut their prices literally in half. After this, i'm gonna have to figure out how to make a hacintosh. Most egregious is the graphics card prices. Its insulting to the customers honestly.

oh an derbothaus... where did you find the 520 for 239? I went with a crucial m4 for 198... but thats still a good price from what i found recently.
 
Phrygian said:
oh an derbothaus... where did you find the 520 for 239? I went with a crucial m4 for 198... but thats still a good price from what i found recently.
Click to expand...

Start getting the Newegg mailer. They have had 2 separate instances of it for 24hr sales. Usually means we'll see it for closer to that other places soon.
 
ixodes said:
I'm using 512GB Samsung 830 series SSD's in each of my MBP's (3). I've got loads of run time on them now, and they're simply fantastic.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, how or where did you mount your SSD?

I was thinking of using the 2.5 drive sled OWC sells or just putting it in the extra optical bay, thou I don't know what cables to get in order to do that.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
I have an Intel 320 80Gb drive I use as the boot volume. Mounted it on the 2.5" - 3.5" adapter it comes with (with the retail version), then bought a cheap 3.5" - 5.25" adapter, and mounted it in the spare ODD bay.

It's perfect because;

- It doesn't take up a 3.5" sled slot.

- It's the only place you can mount it without having to buy some expensive adapter, or make one.

- You still don't need any cables.

- The screws come with the SSD to mount it in the 3.5" adapter, and the ODD bay has 4 spare screws for a 5.25 drive already installed (which I thought was very nice!)
 
Draeconis said:
I have an Intel 320 80Gb drive I use as the boot volume. Mounted it on the 2.5" - 3.5" adapter it comes with (with the retail version), then bought a cheap 3.5" - 5.25" adapter, and mounted it in the spare ODD bay.

It's perfect because;

- It doesn't take up a 3.5" sled slot.

- It's the only place you can mount it without having to buy some expensive adapter, or make one.

- You still don't need any cables.

- The screws come with the SSD to mount it in the 3.5" adapter, and the ODD bay has 4 spare screws for a 5.25 drive already installed (which I thought was very nice!)
Click to expand...


i heard that if you bootcamp its generally better to be booting it off the sled 1 drive, though i have no personal experience with booting from elsewhere. However I would say that an icy dock only costs 15-20 bucks..
 
dmax35 said:
Just out of curiosity, how or where did you mount your SSD?

I was thinking of using the 2.5 drive sled OWC sells or just putting it in the extra optical bay, thou I don't know what cables to get in order to do that.

Thanks for the feedback.
Click to expand...

I have a drive caddy 2 for my MacPro (1,1) and a pair of OWC 240's:

http://www.transintl.com/store/category.cfm?category=2790

This allows me to go to 6 internal hard drives.
 
Gentlemen, thanks for the information.

My overall savings was $1,045.00 by ordering aftermarket going with a Samsung 512 SSD, 32GB OWC ram & 3x2TB HGST Ultra-star drives and saved almost $200.00 in taxes by ordering the system through B&H Photo. I'll use the savings for backup solution from G-Tech and Apple Care and send the Mrs to the spa to stop her nagging that I didn't buy a RMBP instead.
 
derbothaus said:
OWC is high priced at this point. Just saw Intel 520 240GB (faster than 330) for 239.00. Better, more reliable, faster SSD.
Click to expand...
5 (compared to 3) year warranty, yes, but will the speed difference have any impact given the SATAII bus Mac Pros provide? Me, I'm just enjoying booting from an SSD, and looking forward to loading projects in a jiffy. I haven't had these drives long enough to get jaded.

OP, congrats on the savings; here's to a happy wife!
 
dmax35 said:
Gentlemen, thanks for the information.

My overall savings was $1,045.00 by ordering aftermarket going with a Samsung 512 SSD, 32GB OWC ram & 3x2TB HGST Ultra-star drives and saved almost $200.00 in taxes by ordering the system through B&H Photo. I'll use the savings for backup solution from G-Tech and Apple Care and send the Mrs to the spa to stop her nagging that I didn't buy a RMBP instead.
Click to expand...

smart man.
 
DPUser said:
5 (compared to 3) year warranty, yes, but will the speed difference have any impact given the SATAII bus Mac Pros provide? Me, I'm just enjoying booting from an SSD, and looking forward to loading projects in a jiffy. I haven't had these drives long enough to get jaded.

OP, congrats on the savings; here's to a happy wife!
Click to expand...

You'll feel the extra 4K r/w from the 520 on SATA 3G, yes. I noticed it from OWC 6G to 520. As a boot you'll actually feel that. The NAND is of faster higher quality as well. But maybe slimmer difference than a "test" would show. No need to get jaded:)
 
DPUser said:
5 (compared to 3) year warranty, yes, but will the speed difference have any impact given the SATAII bus Mac Pros provide? Me, I'm just enjoying booting from an SSD, and looking forward to loading projects in a jiffy. I haven't had these drives long enough to get jaded.

OP, congrats on the savings; here's to a happy wife!
Click to expand...

I went with the 520 Intel, but only 240GB, and it cost $50 or so more than the Samsung. But ... I thought the extra capacity of memory used for file management was a benefit to the concept. Also ... 5 years warranty v 3 years means a lot in technology that does have life issues (surprisingly).

I also bought a 6 GB speed PCI card for the SSD, for $39, but haven't installed it. The SSD is so far in the spare DVD bay, and it sure feels quick. But later on, I'll try the faster solution. I might feel the difference when I try, after getting used to this current setuo which still feels like rocket ship.
 
Last edited:
Phrygian said:
i heard that if you bootcamp its generally better to be booting it off the sled 1 drive, though i have no personal experience with booting from elsewhere. However I would say that an icy dock only costs 15-20 bucks..
Click to expand...

I also Bootcamp off of Bay 1; I've tried Bootcamp in other bays and it fails miserably, claiming the hardware doesn't support it (!).
 
So, Mr. Bothaus, where can I pull power from to add the 520 to my rig? :)

My Mac has all four sleds filled, an SSD using the second optical SATA and power connection, and I don't particularly want to have to disconnect my optical drive.

I have the necessary SATA port available on a PCIe card.
 
DPUser said:
So, Mr. Bothaus, where can I pull power from to add the 520 to my rig? :)

My Mac has all four sleds filled, an SSD using the second optical SATA and power connection, and I don't particularly want to have to disconnect my optical drive.

I have the necessary SATA port available on a PCIe card.
Click to expand...

You could get a simple power "Y-adapter" to split off an additional power connector from an existing drive cable. :)
 
Question:

1. With my Samsung SSD, should I enable trim with it. I'm only using it for OS and Applications?

Thanks.
 
Draeconis said:
I also Bootcamp off of Bay 1; I've tried Bootcamp in other bays and it fails miserably, claiming the hardware doesn't support it (!).
Click to expand...

No real need for bootcamp with a Mac Pro,

put a spare drive / ssd in a spare tray, take out the mac boot drive and boot up with windows in the dvd drive.

Windows will install as though it is on a pc. once its finished you can just reinsert the mac boot drive in sled 1 and reboot. you can now use sys pref "startup disc" to select which operating system you want to boot into, osx or windows.

this method worked with my snow leopard because you can install the windows drivers for the mac hardware off the snow leopard disk. not sure about lion or mountain lion as you dont get a disk.

ive got my windows drive in sled 4 and i just pick and choose which one i want to boot into. holding down the option key when you boot also gives you the choices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back