Upgrading 2013-2015 Macbook Pro SSD to M.2 NVMe

[flusher]

hello, sorry a bit offtop but still kinda fits
i have late 2013 15" and a few years ago i upgraded to SSUBX 512GB from mid2015 model.
the OS was Yosemite and speed were around 1500/1500 with blackmagic. lanes x4 5.0GT/s
i didnt test it through the years but now i have the latest mac os Mojave and today i run the test and got 1400read/400write
lanes 4x 5.0GT/s
what's wrong any hint? the drive performs well and have no errors in smart info

 

[wawon]

Hi,

I have a mid-2015 15" MacBook Pro Retina, which allegedly has the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface. However, after installing a Sabrent Rocket 1TB (via this Amazon link), I am only seeing PCIe using x2 channels and speeds to reflect only x2 channels. I'm working off a fresh install of Mojave and using the Sintech Long adapter (via this Amazon link). I've tried reseating the SSD a few times and resetting the SMC.

Any other ideas?

Do you read this?

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/page-178#post-27406200

 

[TaterSalad]

Do you read this?

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/page-178#post-27406200

Thanks! A little extra tape around the adapter got me to x4.

 

[ste12100]

What are you getting for temperatures? Idle and browsing/YouTube?

Hi Screen shot added, doesn't look like i'm getting much of a temperature difference.

I've added a screen shot of the system info, seems to be running over x4 pci-e x3

I just wanted to add to this, i also tried this with a small adapter and had the same issue.

could it actually be the drive?

 

[Tardegard]

This is what I get after my MacBook Air 11" 2015 upgrade with adata sx8200 and short Sintech adapter
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1uj4rabugm6qm1f/Screenshot 2019-06-02 12.20.21.png?dl=0
is 1400 write and read speed all I can get?
is one third of battery life lost normal?

 

[Colin0317]

Hi Screen shot added, doesn't look like i'm getting much of a temperature difference.

I've added a screen shot of the system info, seems to be running over x4 pci-e x3

I just wanted to add to this, i also tried this with a small adapter and had the same issue.

could it actually be the drive?

Thanks, what app are you using to check the temperatures?

 

[ste12100]

Thanks, what app are you using to check the temperatures?

I was just using the Istats menu app for mac.

 

[Tardegard]

On my MacBook Air 11" 2015 upgraded with adata sx8200 and short Sintech adapter
I get 1400 in both write and read speed and link speed: 5.0 GT/s against 8.0 most of you get.
Is anything wrong in my system?
[doublepost=1559476511][/doublepost]

hello, sorry a bit offtop but still kinda fits
i have late 2013 15" and a few years ago i upgraded to SSUBX 512GB from mid2015 model.
the OS was Yosemite and speed were around 1500/1500 with blackmagic. lanes x4 5.0GT/s
i didnt test it through the years but now i have the latest mac os Mojave and today i run the test and got 1400read/400write
lanes 4x 5.0GT/s
what's wrong any hint? the drive performs well and have no errors in smart info

those are the same values 4x 5.0GT/s and speed 1400 mb/s that I get after my 2015 MacBook Air upgrade

 

[liberace]

Is the Corsair Force MP510 similar/identical to the Sabrent Rocket?
I'm mostly worried about power usage and the corsair has better availability in the Netherlands.

I guess it has more power consumption than rocket from what I have found around

This is what I get after my MacBook Air 11" 2015 upgrade with adata sx8200 and short Sintech adapter
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1uj4rabugm6qm1f/Screenshot 2019-06-02 12.20.21.png?dl=0
is 1400 write and read speed all I can get?
is one third of battery life lost normal?

yes, that is a payment for speed )

 

[Tardegard]

I guess it has more power consumption than rocket from what I have found around

yes, that is a payment for speed )

Same amount of energy payment with a Sabrent disk?

 

[liberace]

Same amount of energy payment with a Sabrent disk?

from what I have seen from 1st post, sabrent is much more battery friendly
for example I have tried sx8200pro and my mbp is pre 2015 so with hibernation issue I used parameters from topic to avoid it and I tried to leave it in usual laptop sleep during night (23 -> 8) every time I switch on I found different % from 100 but never 100 sometimes 96, 94 even more lower (but lower than 90 as I check it happens if something from apps waking app from sleep) anyway never 100%
now I am on Kingston a1000 lets say a lot slower from sx8200 speeds 1500/1000 to 800-500 but every time I wake it up even with bigger distance than 10-12 hours it is still 100%
p.s. problem with battery drain comes as well not only because of idle draining or read/write draining as well coz of the fans they are draining a lot when working more than 2k rpms and with higher speed they are almost always working except you just using word to enter a text etc
even if you don't hear your fans with faster speeds you get your CPU much more higher temps I don't understand a guys from topic who said that I didn't see difference because I have tried one of the most popular drive here sx8200 (pro) and every time you open new tab In safari shortly your cpu temps jumping from 45 to 70+ and if you open tab with just a text with not a lot of js etc its groping down cpu temps if its a video or site with full of js etc its even goes more hot and this is not loads at all lets say
from what I see in topic its noticeable more hot mostly on pre 2015 laptops, guys with good speed on pci-e 3.0x4 not x2 like almost all pre 2015 models didn't notice any temps difference in my opinion because they have bottleneck on 3k write/read so they are at the middle
and we guys who is using near 1500 speeds on pci-e 3.0/2.0x2 getting more hot cpu coz of speeds

 

[Tardegard]

from what I have seen from 1st post, sabrent is much more battery friendly
for example I have tried sx8200pro and my mbp is pre 2015 so with hibernation issue I used parameters from topic to avoid it and I tried to leave it in usual laptop sleep during night (23 -> 8) every time I switch on I found different % from 100 but never 100 sometimes 96, 94 even more lower (but lower than 90 as I check it happens if something from apps waking app from sleep) anyway never 100%
now I am on Kingston a1000 lets say a lot slower from sx8200 speeds 1500/1000 to 800-500 but every time I wake it up even with bigger distance than 10-12 hours it is still 100%

Thank you mate. I am waiting to know from someone else who actually has installed this sabrent on a 2015 machine

 

[liberace]

for those who saying that your NVME ssd in pre 2015 laptop (with 2 pci-e lanes) is not boil your CPU make a short test
(exceptions maybe a persons who already modified his BootROM with drivers from 2015 mbp's as I think)
1. install Temperature Gauge Pro/iStat menu or free analog Macs Fan Control
2. open in fullscreen LIVE video in 1080 from anywhere you want (youtube, twitch etc)
3. look at temps and fan RPMs in just installed app
and really you can try the same with your old AHCI drive as well it will goes hot but with a lot bigger time period and smaller temps
finally in any case you will get more RPM's and the amount of raising CPU temperature will be dependent to your thermal paste (how fresh and good it is) but in any case it will be noticeable higher right now and faster working out your thermal paste in future anyway
that's why as well the "wrong" choice of nvme ssd can bring you bigger battery drain (connected with a drive idle+read/write draining) in most of scenarios it will run your FANS to cool your CPU (not SSD almost all of them is okay with self temperatures except maybe SAMSUNG models they boils as well with CPU) so high or higher RPMs on your fans as well will make a heavy battery drain comparing to stock or "right" model of SSD

Your choice suppose to be dependent from your daily usage and reasons to upgrade
The logic is to understand that as much as you get closer to your limits (I mean 1500 speeds on pci-e 3.0x2) you will get more higher temps on your CPU (we speak about NVME SSD's from what I have seen here 512 AHCI drives with read speeds ~1500 is okay with CPU temps)

So if mostly you are using your laptop connected to charger than for sure your don't care that your fans will mostly always work and faster drain your "on battery time" than you just choose a size and speed that you want and you ready

If your daily usage somehow connected with "on battery usage" than you decide with amount of donation from your on battery time to speed/size of your ssd

 

[Colin0317]

I have the Adata SX8200 Pro installed in my 2014 MacBook Pro with the Sintech long black adapter.

Would there be enough space in the MacBook if I installed the included heatsink on the SSD to help with temperatures?

 

[djangoreinhardt442]

Just installed the Sabrent Rocket. Am I doing something wrong? My speeds aren't looking anything like that's in here. Bigger tests run the same.

Even my 970 Evo was getting 1600/1500 on the first seq test. This was the Sintech adapter I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CWWAENG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No errors, noticeable speed decrease with either drive, nothing heavy in the background. Just these tests.

Run the test x5 times (i.e. on top left, where the pulldown menu says "1" next to the big green square which says "All", change the pulldown menu to say "5", and post your screenshot again)

are you on pcie 2.0 or 3.0 (what is your mbp model?)
[doublepost=1559533229][/doublepost]

Hi,

I have a mid-2015 15" MacBook Pro Retina, which allegedly has the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface. However, after installing a Sabrent Rocket 1TB (via this Amazon link), I am only seeing PCIe using x2 channels and speeds to reflect only x2 channels. I'm working off a fresh install of Mojave and using the Sintech Long adapter (via this Amazon link). I've tried reseating the SSD a few times and resetting the SMC.

Any other ideas?

Probably the adapter. Try opening it up, make sure the SSD to Adapter bond is tight and engages all pins.
Then make sure the adapter pins engage your logicboard pins fully. Double the triple check.

Lastly, you might want to use kapton tape.

User rxs0 shows you how to do this in post #33 in THIS thread. All credits go to user rxs0, I am merely relaying information

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-ssd-upgrade-pitfalls-and-tips.2177812/page-2

 

[Tardegard]

for those who saying that your NVME ssd in pre 2015 laptop (with 2 pci-e lanes) is not boil your CPU make a short test
(exceptions maybe a persons who already modified his BootROM with drivers from 2015 mbp's as I think)
1. install Temperature Gauge Pro/iStat menu or free analog Macs Fan Control
2. open in fullscreen LIVE video in 1080 from anywhere you want (youtube, twitch etc)
3. look at temps and fan RPMs in just installed app
and really you can try the same with your old AHCI drive as well it will goes hot but with a lot bigger time period and smaller temps
finally in any case you will get more RPM's and the amount of raising CPU temperature will be dependent to your thermal paste (how fresh and good it is) but in any case it will be noticeable higher right now and faster working out your thermal paste in future anyway
that's why as well the "wrong" choice of nvme ssd can bring you bigger battery drain (connected with a drive idle+read/write draining) in most of scenarios it will run your FANS to cool your CPU (not SSD almost all of them is okay with self temperatures except maybe SAMSUNG models they boils as well with CPU) so high or higher RPMs on your fans as well will make a heavy battery drain comparing to stock or "right" model of SSD

Your choice suppose to be dependent from your daily usage and reasons to upgrade
The logic is to understand that as much as you get closer to your limits (I mean 1500 speeds on pci-e 3.0x2) you will get more higher temps on your CPU (we speak about NVME SSD's from what I have seen here 512 AHCI drives with read speeds ~1500 is okay with CPU temps)

So if mostly you are using your laptop connected to charger than for sure your don't care that your fans will mostly always work and faster drain your "on battery time" than you just choose a size and speed that you want and you ready

If your daily usage somehow connected with "on battery usage" than you decide with amount of donation from your on battery time to speed/size of your ssd

thank you Liberace, I just checked the first post thermal chart, and you are right, Sabrent disk should work better.
What I don't understand is why I am getting 5.0 gt/s instead of 8.0 on my 2015 Macbook air with this new Adata.
Any idea?

 

[liberace]

thank you Liberace, I just checked the first post thermal chart, and you are right, Sabrent disk should work better.
What I don't understand is why I am getting 5.0 gt/s instead of 8.0 on my 2015 Macbook air with this new Adata.
Any idea?

as i notice few pages before, somebody has meet this as well and it was connected with missing isolate tape on adapter
you miss this as well or not?
i guess its connected somehow with adapter for sure
if its already on
try to check, as well check ssd if its tight inside to adapter -> adapter to port on mba
try to reset SMC controller than

 

[Tardegard]

as i notice few pages before, somebody has meet this as well and it was connected with missing isolate tape on adapter
you miss this as well or not?

I read that post, and I put tape over my adapter (which was not corrupted btw). I my Mac specs I can see 4x lanes though, but only 5.0 speed.

 

[liberace]

I read that post, and I put tape over my adapter (which was not corrupted btw). I my Mac specs I can see 4x lanes though, but only 5.0 speed.

a, now i found Early 11' MBA has an 'old' PCI-E 3.0x2
thats why man

 

[Tardegard]

a, now i found Early 11' MBA has an 'old' PCI-E 3.0x2
thats why man

Argh.
Thanks

 

[danilovitch]

Hello, I am trying to update a mid 2014 MacBook Pro. Ordered from Sintech the short adapter, black one, and bought an Intel 760p/512 GB. Using Mojave 10.14.5. Clean install, Bootroom 149.0.0.etc
Tried to set it up with the settings I got from Sintech but also with the ones found in post #2732 in this forum. Unfortunately with the same problems. Perhaps a little less crashes with settings from post #2732.

So big problems with randomly crashes not only after "sleep". Also I only get X2 speed with this m2 card. As I understod it this Mac should give x4 speed? Or did I buy a not quite compatible card?

Where to start to solve this mess?

 

[lucaros]

Hello, I am trying to update a mid 2014 MacBook Pro. Ordered from Sintech the short adapter, black one, and bought an Intel 760p/512 GB. Using Mojave 10.14.5. Clean install, Bootroom 149.0.0.etc
Tried to set it up with the settings I got from Sintech but also with the ones found in post #2732 in this forum. Unfortunately with the same problems. Perhaps a little less crashes with settings from post #2732.

So big problems with randomly crashes not only after "sleep". Also I only get X2 speed with this m2 card. As I understod it this Mac should give x4 speed? Or did I buy a not quite compatible card?

Where to start to solve this mess?

Try to isolate better the adapter using kapton type and reset PRAM and SMC.

 

[danilovitch]

Try to isolate better the adapter using kapton type and reset PRAM and SMC.

Thanks lucaros! I did reset PRAM and SMC a few times, but it did not help. Finally I found a shop that sells this Kapton and will now try that as soon as possible.

 

[danilovitch]

Hello again, I would like to share this information. In post #4473 I wrote some questions about crashes and speed, and I think it has cleared a bit.
My MacBook Pro, (MacBook Pro 11.1) is a mid 2014, and I was trying to run Mojave 10.14.5 on it.
I discovered that my BootRom was wrong! I had 149.0.0.0.0 but it should be 153.0.0.0.0 on this model and version of OS. I did a misstake there to Clone back on the new m2 card version 10.14.3 and then updated it to 10.14.5. BIG misstake! So back in with the original Apple Card, update to 10.14.5 with the Apple Combo update. And again back to the adapter and Intel 760p card. Now BootRom reads 153.0.0.0.0.
Now I did also put on this Kapton tape, thanks for that tip!

After four hours, still no crashes AND the speed of the card is now X4!

 

[Skypalace]

I'm also seeing slower speeds on a Sabrent Rocket 2TB. I see 4x link, but only 5.0 link speed. Ordered Kapton tape and will give it a shot and of course reseat again. No crashes or errors. Ran benchmark 5 times.

15" MacBookPro11,3 Late 2013 Retina Pro
Boot ROM 153.0.0.0.0