Upgrade SSD, Mid 2015 MacBookPro 15" (final solution Samsung 970 Pro NVMe M.2)

[mikzn]

Am looking at upgrading my Mid 2015 MacBookPro11,4 with a 500g or larger SSD and there does not seem to be a lot of options.

Looking for feedback on choices of 500gb upgrade - presently comparing the Trancend 825 and OWC Aura Pro upgrade kits with thunderbolt enclosures (for the old drive).

Seems like the OWC is only compatible with High Sierra which is going to leave behind some of my software or at least have to purchase an update.

Anyone have any experience - tips - thoughts upgrading the mid 2015 MBP to 500g or larger?

Edit - Update - For anyone interested- I finally settled on the Samsung 970 PRO NVMe M.2 512g SSD - it worked great for me and is very fast - this is an old thread and the first pages were posts searching for info - if you want to go to the results of my upgrade - go to my Post #36 for this thread, and Post 62 for a quick review of the results after 2 years of use - hope that helps anyone looking for info for a Mid 2015 rMBP "SSD Upgrade"

Edit - Battery failure and replacement aug 2020 - update here post 64

Edit - 2nd SSD Upgrade 500g to 1TB - update here post 68

 

[ISKOTB]

I was about to do that a while ago for the MAX SSD but I took this option for less and it may work for you

 

[mikzn]

yeah - cool - have been looking at that too - could keep may data files on that - are you happy with it?

Does it remember folder paths if you leave it in? I have an external drive I am using now but it does not remember folder paths to folders and sub-folders in the finder favorites side bar.

 

[Fishrrman]

The problem with the 3rd-party upgrades is that they can run hotter and -slower than- the factory-installed drive.

If you're drive is filling up, then it's time for some critical thought:
Do you really, really need everything that's on it, "on it"?

Or... can you offload seldom-accessed stuff to another drive -- either an external drive, or perhaps an SD flashcard drive (as mentioned above), etc.?

 

[Audit13]

I used this thread to upgrade the ssd on a 2015 Macbook air: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ssd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/page-46#post-25967005

 

[Stygma]

You could always go with this but it is expensive:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Apple-...c65c692:g:ltQAAOSwImRYLgug&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

 

[mikzn]

The problem with the 3rd-party upgrades is that they can run hotter and -slower than- the factory-installed drive.

If you're drive is filling up, then it's time for some critical thought:
Do you really, really need everything that's on it, "on it"?

Or... can you offload seldom-accessed stuff to another drive -- either an external drive, or perhaps an SD flashcard drive (as mentioned above), etc.?

Thanks, I am moving the other way - am presently using an external drive for data - trying to move my data back onto the MBP - tired of connecting the external drive and searching for the info.

the OWC Aura and Trancend 825 upgrade kits seem to have positive reviews and the claim is they are faster than the original apple ssd's

I used this thread to upgrade the ssd on a 2015 Macbook air: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ssd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/page-46#post-25967005

Thanks for the link - I have also been watching that thread - most of the comments are about adapting drives with cables and comments about drivers that sometimes don't work - I am hoping the OWC and Trancend versions do not involve any adapting connectors or configuration of drivers and firmware. Am leaning toward the Transend since I have not found any comments that it needs to be "High Sierra" or above and would like to remain on Sierra

 

[treekram]

I've been looking for some time now for in-depth reviews, particularly of the OWC Aura Pro X, but also of the Transcend JetDrive 820 (or 825 if you get the kit with the enclosure). I still don't see reviews from a website that I recognize. There was a poster here a while back who bought the Aura Pro X and said it was pretty slow and felt (literally) that it ran hotter than the original Apple SSD. The poster returned it. I know there are claims that it's faster than the "stock" SSD. But I've also seen people say otherwise and that's why I'd like to see an in-depth review from somebody I recognize as doing good un-biased work.

As for the Transcend JetDrive 820, it uses 2 PCIe lanes vs. the 4 on the Apple SSD in the 2015 MBP. I've also seen cursory benchmarks and it's definitely slower than the Apple SSD.

In past posts that I've done on this topic, I questioned whether the Transcend required High Sierra but in that "big thread" on the topic they point out that with a 4K block (sector) size, you don't need High Sierra so that's probably how the Transcend is able to work in Sierra.

 

[Audit13]

Thanks for the link - I have also been watching that thread - most of the comments are about adapting drives with cables and comments about drivers that sometimes don't work - I am hoping the OWC and Trancend versions do not involve any adapting connectors or configuration of drivers and firmware. Am leaning toward the Transend since I have not found any comments that it needs to be "High Sierra" or above and would like to remain on Sierra

There are no cables involved, only an adapter.

High Sierra is required for drives that cannot be formatted in 4k such as the Samsung drives but there are other drives that will work with Sierra and High Sierra.

The final choice is up to you but the Samsung 960 evo and 960 pro will crush almost all drives in read/write speeds from reviews I have seen.

I wish you the best of luck your search for a drive. Please update the thread with your final choice.

Thanks.

 

[nigelbb]

Assuming that 1TB storage is enough for you the simplest & most reliable solution is to buy a used 1TB Apple SSUBX drive on eBay. I just upgraded my late 2013 MBP from 512GB to 1TB & it was easier than when I upgraded my old 2008 17” MBP to an SSD. The genuine Apple part will be slightly more expensive than a Samsung 960 but it’s worrh it for the ease & peace of mind.

 

[Audit13]

How much was the 1 TB OEM Apple drive? How long is the warranty for the drive?

Thanks.

 

[Stygma]

How much was the 1 TB OEM Apple drive? How long is the warranty for the drive?

Thanks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Apple-...mRYLgug&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

 

[Audit13]

Wow, that drive is even more expensive for me after the exchange as the Canadian dollar is so low at the moment.

$899.00 USD = $1,128 CAD at today's rate of exchange. A new 1 TB 960evo with a 3 year Samsung warranty is $688 CAD.

I know that the 960evo will only work with High Sierra but that's fine with me since I run HS on my 13" MBP and 13" MBA.

 

[Stygma]

What adapter do you need to make the 960evo work in a 2015 MBP?

 

[Audit13]

I used the large, green Sintech adapter in an early 2015 MBA 13".

People are now recommending using the large, black Sintech adapter.

 

[ISKOTB]

Yes, I been using it for couple of years and I now have an 256GB SD card in the adapter

yeah - cool - have been looking at that too - could keep may data files on that - are you happy with it?

Does it remember folder paths if you leave it in? I have an external drive I am using now but it does not remember folder paths to folders and sub-folders in the finder favorites side bar.

 

[nigelbb]

How much was the 1 TB OEM Apple drive? How long is the warranty for the drive?

Thanks.

It cost me £450 with a 90 day warranty.

 

[Audit13]

450 pounds will cost me $807 CAD plus shipping and import duties.

I would love to have that drive in my machine but the cost difference is too high for me.

Which drive did you replace?

 

[nigelbb]

450 pounds will cost me $807 CAD plus shipping and import duties.

I would love to have that drive in my machine but the cost difference is too high for me.

Which drive did you replace?

512GB which I can now sell to help defray the cost of the 1TB drive.

 

[Audit13]

512GB which I can now sell to help defray the cost of the 1TB drive.

Nice!

Did you notice any speed difference? I wouldn't think so since both drives are plenty fast

 

[mikzn]

The final choice is up to you but the Samsung 960 evo and 960 pro will crush almost all drives in read/write speeds from reviews I have seen.

I wish you the best of luck your search for a drive. Please update the thread with your final choice.

Thanks.

Thanks for your info

Been holding off the SSD update because I did not want to move to High Sierra (software and App Updates), meanwhile I have my older MacBook 2012 on Mojave since it was a backup MBP and and very happy with Mojave so far. SO why not jump strait to Mojave?

Here goes - finally went with the EVO 970 since it had a very very good price and ordered the JSER adaptor and finally got it after 6 weeks - lol

Am hoping to update strait to Mojave from Sierra now that I have the SSD and adaptor - hopefully it will not have any heat issues and the Mojave update will recognize the drive. I will know shortly and will update when all is done - from what I have found others have had pretty good results with the 970

 

[Audit13]

Thanks for your info

Been holding off the SSD update because I did not want to move to High Sierra (software and App Updates), meanwhile I have my older MacBook 2012 on Mojave since it was a backup MBP and and very happy with Mojave so far. SO why not jump strait to Mojave?

Here goes - finally went with the EVO 970 since it had a very very good price and ordered the JSER adaptor and finally got it after 6 weeks - lol

Am hoping to update strait to Mojave from Sierra now that I have the SSD and adaptor - hopefully it will not have any heat issues and the Mojave update will recognize the drive. I will know shortly and will update when all is done - from what I have found others have had pretty good results with the 970

You should install Mojave to the original apple SSD before changing to the Samsung. Installing Mojave to my early 2015 updated the bootrom from the high Sierra bootrom.

 

[mikzn]

thanks - i want to keep the original SSD on sierra until I can check all software, and logins etc work - if not I can put the original SSD back.

I wish I could have found a cable or "Caddy" to pre install / migrate on the EVO970 before swapping the SSD - but I could not find - strange

 

[Audit13]

thanks - i want to keep the original SSD on sierra until I can check all software, and logins etc work - if not I can put the original SSD back.

I wish I could have found a cable or "Caddy" to pre install / migrate on the EVO970 before swapping the SSD - but I could not find - strange

Even if you had a caddy, you still need to install high Sierra on the Samsung because it can only be formatted in 4k.

I believe the high Sierra bootrom is need for its nvme support.

 

[mikzn]

Even if you had a caddy, you still need to install high Sierra on the Samsung because it can only be formatted in 4k.

I believe the high Sierra bootrom is need for its nvme support.

thanks - yes i believe you are correct

FYI - am replying from the new install - Samsung 970 Pro NVMe M.2- so far so good

I created a partition on an external drive and installed HS there first and hoped for the firmware update during that process - then moved on to install Mojave on the internal 970 once it was recognized - this seemed to work -= did not migrate any info in between. The challenge is to get the EVO 970 recognized?

Any way - all seems good "so far"

Edit : to clarify the model of SSD