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bf109k4

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 12, 2018
7
3
Hi everyone,

I got a good deal on a 13.3" Macbook Pro from 2012. It has the i5 3210M processor, the stock 500GB 5000rpm HDD, and the stock 4GB of 1600MHz ram.

I am planning on upgrading both the hard drive and ram.
I already have a 128GB M.2 drive at home, and I was thinking of buying a M.2 to SATA adapter and installing that inside the Macbook.

For example, I was looking at this adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/M-2-Converte...F8&qid=1523583298&sr=8-3&keywords=sata+to+m.2

I have this 42mm M.2 drive:
https://www.amazon.com/MyDigitalSSD...&qid=1523583874&sr=1-4&keywords=m.2+128gb+ssd

Has anyone done this before? Is it advisable? If it is possible, what are the performance comparisons between the M.2 drive and SATA SSD?

Thanks!
 

Kingcr

macrumors member
Feb 1, 2018
86
75
UK
Haven’t done it, but those adaptors won’t attach nicely in the existing hdd bay. You’ll need to tape it in or find another bracket or something.

That M.2 drive is a SATA drive and obviously the adaptor is to the Mac’s SATA connection. So M.2 is no advantage over a 2.5” SATA drive here.
 

bf109k4

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 12, 2018
7
3
Thank you all for the advise. I will try the adapter with my M.2 drive.
 

meboy

macrumors 6502
Apr 12, 2012
409
323
You won't get the m.2 speeds in a 2012 so I don't know why you wouldn't just buy sata for cheaper
 
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duervo

macrumors 68020
Feb 5, 2011
2,476
1,248
Hi everyone,

I got a good deal on a 13.3" Macbook Pro from 2012. It has the i5 3210M processor, the stock 500GB 5000rpm HDD, and the stock 4GB of 1600MHz ram.

I am planning on upgrading both the hard drive and ram.
I already have a 128GB M.2 drive at home, and I was thinking of buying a M.2 to SATA adapter and installing that inside the Macbook.

For example, I was looking at this adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/M-2-Converte...F8&qid=1523583298&sr=8-3&keywords=sata+to+m.2

I have this 42mm M.2 drive:
https://www.amazon.com/MyDigitalSSD...&qid=1523583874&sr=1-4&keywords=m.2+128gb+ssd

Has anyone done this before? Is it advisable? If it is possible, what are the performance comparisons between the M.2 drive and SATA SSD?

Thanks!

That depends. Is it an NVMe M.2, or a SATA3 M.2 SSD? If the former, it would be slower as it would be limited by the SATA connection to your system. If latter, then no difference.

... So, I looked at your Amazon link. You have a SATA3 M.2 SSD.
 
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