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

[olindacat]

To @olindacat and @elmarjazz:
Please read my post 2115 in this thread for a start. Here is the relevant part again:

My upgrade steps (as recommended elsewhere in this thread):
1) Make a bootable USB stick with a Mojave installer (I already had Mojave on the Macbook)
2) Make a full (bootable) backup with Carbon Copy Cloner to an external HD
3) Replace the original Apple SSD with Sintech-Intel 760p combo
4) Boot from USB, initialise the new SSD with Disk Utility, then install Mojave
5) Boot from external HDD with Carbon Copy Cloner
6) Restore full system with Carbon Copy Cloner

With the long black Sintech adapter and the 2TB Intel 760p I didn't notice extraordinary battery drain nor other issues. The process as outlined above was straightforward. Later, I only changed the time to go to deep sleep state down to 10 minutes, even for full battery. You could use the following commands:
sudo pmset -a standbydelaylow 600
sudo pmset -a standbydelayhigh 600

Hey whg, thanks, but I am o stupid even these step-by-steps are not obvious to me:

1. Exactly where does one download Mojave onto a USB thumb drive? Apple? If I go here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12 It seems to want to install right to my machine. I feel like an idiot asking you this, esp since I've been using Macs since they were practically invented!

2. Back-up CCC: "Bootable". Now, again, I feel like a moron. If I carbon copy my current SSD, the one inside the MBP I am tying on right now, isn't that "bootable"? Confusing.

3. Simple enough, but I am reading people saying the Sintechs are generating kernel panics. Then I read it was a pice of tape. Then long not short. Then it's all good, then it isn't. I need this to work as it is all I have except for two iMacs three flights upstairs!

4. If I have an installed for Mojave on a USB, then it is an installer, not an OS, so how can I initialize? Doesn't the OS have tp be working for Disk Utility to appear in Applications? Again, feeling dumb here, sorry.

5. All of this booting. Am I rebooting after step 4? Do I initialize then install (4), then remove the Mojave USB and connect the external? Am I shutting down after 4?

6. Am I overwriting the whole Mojave USB install? Totally lost here.

Thanks for the tip, and I can't recall if I read your post since I read so many, but my reason for posting my apparent;y dumb question is because... well, apparently I am dumb.
[doublepost=1563638126][/doublepost]

To @olindacat and @elmarjazz:

You have nothing to worry about regarding sleep. You "may" encounter long boot times ( forced TRIM at boot) with certain 3rd Party SSD's and you may see a decrease in battery runtime dependant on the SSD fitted.

I looked long and hard at the SSD list in the Wiki, and read many conflicting reports on which are best. Any thoughts, avdo, on an exact SSD that will not have long boot or forced trim or decreased battery time?

 

[whg]

Hey whg, thanks, but I am o stupid even these step-by-steps are not obvious to me:

1. Exactly where does one download Mojave onto a USB thumb drive? Apple? If I go here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12 It seems to want to install right to my machine. I feel like an idiot asking you this, esp since I've been using Macs since they were practically invented!

2. Back-up CCC: "Bootable". Now, again, I feel like a moron. If I carbon copy my current SSD, the one inside the MBP I am tying on right now, isn't that "bootable"? Confusing.

3. Simple enough, but I am reading people saying the Sintechs are generating kernel panics. Then I read it was a pice of tape. Then long not short. Then it's all good, then it isn't. I need this to work as it is all I have except for two iMacs three flights upstairs!

4. If I have an installed for Mojave on a USB, then it is an installer, not an OS, so how can I initialize? Doesn't the OS have tp be working for Disk Utility to appear in Applications? Again, feeling dumb here, sorry.

5. All of this booting. Am I rebooting after step 4? Do I initialize then install (4), then remove the Mojave USB and connect the external? Am I shutting down after 4?

6. Am I overwriting the whole Mojave USB install? Totally lost here.

Thanks for the tip, and I can't recall if I read your post since I read so many, but my reason for posting my apparent;y dumb question is because... well, apparently I am dumb.
[doublepost=1563638126][/doublepost]
I looked long and hard at the SSD list in the Wiki, and read many conflicting reports on which are best. Any thoughts, avdo, on an exact SSD that will not have long boot or forced trim or decreased battery time?

Seems like we opened a can of worms here . If the MacBook Pro 15" you want to upgrade is your only machine, just don't do it! Nobody can guarantee that you won't encounter some issues along the way. If I would have to give you a more detailed step by step guide, I had to do it from memory now and couldn't guarantee that it is error free. If you know somebody with more technical experience that could help you for a dinner (as an example of a small fee), the risk of failure could be very small. If your MacBook qualifies for the free battery exchange it would certainly be worthwhile to get the SSD upgraded!

 

[Earl Urley]

Ok folks, for those of you who got the Phison E12 based SSDs, guess what:

There's a ECFM 12.3 firmware update out now. Supposedly non-destructive and increases (yes, you read that right) speeds.

 

[markintosh13]

Ok folks, for those of you who got the Phison E12 based SSDs, guess what:

There's a ECFM 12.3 firmware update out now. Supposedly non-destructive and increases (yes, you read that right) speeds.

Did a search - from the very first result:

 

[avdo]

Hey whg, thanks, but I am o stupid even these step-by-steps are not obvious to me:

1. Exactly where does one download Mojave onto a USB thumb drive? Apple? If I go here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12 It seems to want to install right to my machine. I feel like an idiot asking you this, esp since I've been using Macs since they were practically invented!

2. Back-up CCC: "Bootable". Now, again, I feel like a moron. If I carbon copy my current SSD, the one inside the MBP I am tying on right now, isn't that "bootable"? Confusing.

3. Simple enough, but I am reading people saying the Sintechs are generating kernel panics. Then I read it was a pice of tape. Then long not short. Then it's all good, then it isn't. I need this to work as it is all I have except for two iMacs three flights upstairs!

4. If I have an installed for Mojave on a USB, then it is an installer, not an OS, so how can I initialize? Doesn't the OS have tp be working for Disk Utility to appear in Applications? Again, feeling dumb here, sorry.

5. All of this booting. Am I rebooting after step 4? Do I initialize then install (4), then remove the Mojave USB and connect the external? Am I shutting down after 4?

6. Am I overwriting the whole Mojave USB install? Totally lost here.

Thanks for the tip, and I can't recall if I read your post since I read so many, but my reason for posting my apparent;y dumb question is because... well, apparently I am dumb.
[doublepost=1563638126][/doublepost]
I looked long and hard at the SSD list in the Wiki, and read many conflicting reports on which are best. Any thoughts, avdo, on an exact SSD that will not have long boot or forced trim or decreased battery time?

Well,

My 11,5 just came back from the battery recall and with the 970 EVO fitted and WIFI off, iStat is reporting a runtime of over 12 hours. A more realistic runtime would be in the order of 7+ hours. I'm away from my mbp at the minute but the new cell capacity is approx 9300mah.

People say the 970 EVO is power hungry but to be honest, it's not that bad.

Forced trim is part of Apples NVMe implementation. Doesn't matter if it's a genuine Apple blade or 3rd party, TRIM is enabled by default. Trimforce Disable won't make any difference.

To be honest I've just managed to get my cold boot time down to a repeatable 38 seconds but a 10 second chuck of that is down to a forced TRIM.

The only way to bypass TRIM and let your 3rd party SSD handle it "internally" is to stick with High Sierra but on a HFS+J volume and not APFS.

I've no idea if Mojave supports HFS+J as that OS seems to have its own set of issues ( epic battery drain during sleep being one of them).

 

[Dagoth Nik]

Hi everyone.
MacBook Air 2015, bootrom 188.0.0.0.0, NVMe SSD Toshiba, macOS 10.15 beta 4.
MacBook freezing after some time inactivity. It happens every time.
On beta 1 - beta 3 everything was fine. Has anyone came across with it?
P.S. My English is very-very bad.

 

[markintosh13]

Hi,

Looking for a hibernate / pmset review

Recently upgraded from a 13" Macbook Pro Late 2013 11,1 (i5 2.6ghz 8gb ram 512ssd) , in which I had upgraded to an Adata X8200 1TB drive to a 13" Macbook Pro 12,1 (i7 3.1ghz 16gb ram) in which I have installed a 2TB Sabrent Rocket.

Generally happy with sleep and battery.

I have had a few overnight "Your Mac has restarted due to an error" screens, I think they're happening when left overnight and unplugged.

I suspect it has something to do with the pmset brought over from the time machine restore.

Here's the current settings - what can be improved?

Maybe I should just reset them to defaults?

Thanks

System-wide power settings:

Currently in use:

lidwake 1

autopoweroff 1

standbydelayhigh 86400

autopoweroffdelay 28800

standbydelaylow 10800

standby 1

proximitywake 0

ttyskeepawake 1

hibernatemode 3

powernap 1

gpuswitch 2

hibernatefile /var/vm/sleepimage

highstandbythreshold 50

displaysleep 22

sleep 22 (sleep prevented by sharingd)

halfdim 1

acwake 0

tcpkeepalive 1

disksleep 10​

 

[frogfeet]

Hello all.
Not really a Mac guy, but picked up a new MBA 7.2 mid-2017 (Model A1466) on Amazon prime day for cheap and thought I'd install a bigger HD and give it to my sister who loves Mac but has no money and no working computer. Have spent the last couple days reading the posts here - Thanks for that!

Here's the plan:

- Go with Sabrent 1TB. Looking for best price/battery duration/heat/performance, in that order. Decided to stick with the Phison E-12 quad core controller, and may do the firmware upgrade to 12.3 recommended by Earl Urley before the install. Sabrent looks to be cheapest this week, or almost, cheapest for 1tb. (Inland stick is $5 less; Silicon Power and Corsair MP510 sticks are $15 more.) From what I've read here, silicon motion quad core controller 2262EN run too hot and drains too much battery for my purposes (SX8200-Pro and HP950) . The SM 2262-based NVMe's appear to run cooler and more battery friendly but are dual core (SX8200, HP920, Intel 760p). Also looked at the Kingston A-1000 recommended by Liberace. It sounds like what I want in terms of low battery drain and low heat, but the Phison e-8 controller in the Kingston has only two PCIe lanes and my MBA is new enough to support four. WD, and Samsung sticks are out of my price range. Decided to stay away from the QLC sticks like Intel 660p since I can get TLC sticks for about the same price. It looks like Gen4 sticks are now coming out now, so I guess all the Gen3 sticks will only get cheaper. May wait a week or two to pull the trigger.

- The Sabrent 1 TB is double sided so I'll use the short black Sintech adapter.

- Probably throw some thermal pad on the controller and maybe on some of the memory modules to help with heat as a couple posters have recommended.

Got the MBA Friday. It came with Mojave already installed. Set up my apple account and updated the OS to latest version. Don't plan to use the MBA much until the new SSD arrives so I'll just do a clean install to the Sabrent stick and keep the OEM stick in case Murphy's Law kicks in. Will post my speeds before and after. If all goes well I may decide to keep her when I'm done.

 

[Audit13]

@frogfeet, adding thermal pads may not help much as the Air has poor airflow in my opinion.

I run an HP ex900 256 GB in an early 2015 Air, short Sintech adapter, and I honestly can't feel any difference in everyday use between the stock 128 and the HP.

 

[Earl Urley]

Did a search - from the very first result:

View attachment 849197

Works for me on a Sabrent 1 TB and a MicroCenter Inland Premium, no destruction observed.

Maybe don't use the updater the guy you quoted used?

 

[frogfeet]

Works for me on a Sabrent 1 TB and a MicroCenter Inland Premium, no destruction observed.

Maybe don't use the updater the guy you quoted used?

Do I need an external enclosure to flash the Sabrent NVMe stick? Or can I flash the firmware after it's inside the MBA? If so, can you tell me how? Thanks...

 

[replicon1]

Update regarding the endless kernel panics I have been experiencing since upgrading the SSD
MBP - Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015. Sintech short adapter (ordered direct from Sintech several weeks ago) with 1TB Sabrent

I took the drive out again and inspected the Sintech adapter closely. I could see where they had stuck across the contacts a piece of black insulation tape/material but there were contacts left exposed at each side which I had initially thought was nothing to be concerned about as I had not found any mention of problems with recently purchased adapters. So I used some kapton tape and covered these areas and then installed it with the Sabrent Rocket into another test MBP which had been working without any issues. The kernel panics did not occur after sleep-wake which they had been doing routinely in my own one. I then installed the drive from the test MBP into my primary MBP using the fully insulated Sintech adapter. No kernel panics, several test later I replaced both drives into the correct Macs and ran sleep-wake tests. My MBP which had been suffering endless kernel panics on battery after sleeping has been going strong since this afternoon without any further incidents. If these kernel panic issues are all down to the bloody Sintech adapter not being properly insulated I am both annoyed and ecstatic as I thought that I would have to pay for a new drive but their quality control must be pretty poor as it was obviously not covering the metal contacts. If anyone else is having these problems then try the thin roll of kapton tape you get from Amazon as it seems to have worked a treat!

 

[fatchapsticks]

Hello, I am thinking of getting sintech adaptor + adata sx8200 combo/crucial P1 or intel 660p. I am using a MBP early 2015. Does anyone have any experience with these combos or any recommendations?

 

[frogfeet]

Hello, I am thinking of getting sintech adaptor + adata sx8200 combo/crucial P1 or intel 660p. I am using a MBP early 2015. Does anyone have any experience with these combos or any recommendations?

I don't have any personal experience since I haven't upgraded my mid 2017 MBA yet, but if you read through the 194 pages of this thread you'll find plenty of feedback on those combos. The SX8200 (not the Pro version) was recommended by a number of the posters, see posts #3672, #4328, etc. It seems the controller is a big factor in heat and battery drain. The SX8200 uses the SM 2262 controller (not the newer SM 2262EN) which is favored in this thread. I see lots of positive comments about the Mac compatibility of the Crucial P1 and Intell 660p NVMe sticks (they use the same controller and QLC NAND flash memory), but you'll also find plenty of negative comments about the QLC NAND performance and durability (with just as many comments that say the QLC vs. TLC NAND issue really doesn't matter for the average user.) Sintech is definitely the recommended adpater. But be sure to check that the metal leads on the Sintech adapter are well covered with tape. It sounds like usually they are, but if you just scroll up a couple posts you'll see a poster who had to add kapton tape to avoid kernel panics. Again, you can search the thread to find pictures of what needs to be covered by the tape to avoid shorts. In sum, based on what I've read in this excellent thread, you'd be ok with any of those combos.

 

[fanfzero]

Guys, what's the procedure with the matt card to update the bootroom?

 

[frogfeet]

Works for me on a Sabrent 1 TB and a MicroCenter Inland Premium, no destruction observed.

Maybe don't use the updater the guy you quoted used?

Looks like some folks have downloaded the Phison controller 12.3 firmware update for the Sabrent, Corsair, Silicon Power, Inland, and other NVMe sticks.
see here: http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=188547
and here (use google translate if you don't read german): https://www.hardwareluxx.de/communi...thread-diskussion-bitte-lesen-666902-695.html
The Germans provide a link to the firmware update.
Results seem positive, including one which says it was a non-destructive update (no guarantees, etc.)

 

[omawnakw]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the wiki post - very useful. I've just upgraded my Late 2013 MBP Retina 13'' with 1TB Intel 760p (it's the best I can buy in my local store) from the original 256GB one. Everything running fine, except hibernation of course. Adapter is M.2 NGFF TO MAC BOOK 2013-2017 SSD AIRNVME-002 VER006S from Aliexpress. Seller states it's only for AHCI but looks like it's pinout is fully suitable for NVME. R/W speed is 1470/1350 according to Blackmagic speed test. Boot time looks about the same.
Random read/write using fio is 200/150 MB/s separately and 150/50 in simultaneous test with 4k blocks.

Also I upgraded to Catalina dev beta yesterday and I can say that hibernation is not fixed yet. Or maybe there is some problem with firmware update on my mac. Here is my eficheck report:

$ /usr/libexec/firmwarecheckers/eficheck/eficheck --integrity-check
EFI Version: MBP111.88Z.F000.B00.1904162148  (Boot ROM Version: 153.0.0.0.0)
Matching allowlist not found in EFIAllowListShipping. Searching in EFIAllowListAll.
Fetching allowlist data update.
Waiting for allowlist data download to complete.
Allowlist data update failed with error = 102.
Primary allowlist version match not found for version MBP111.88Z.F000.B00.1904162148  (Boot ROM Version: 153.0.0.0.0).

On Mojave there was the same Boot ROM (153.0.0.0.0) and SMC (2.16f68) versions in system information.

 

[wawon]

Did a search - from the very first result:

View attachment 849197

As I had a MacBook Pro 13 2015 (MBP 12.1) with Sabrent 512GB Rocket SSD (Phison E12 firm 12.2), I tried to update the firmware.
First, I started Windows on the Rocket SSD and tried to update the SSD firm, but it failed (download failed, is the boot disk protected?), So I started Windows from the external Disk and updated it. The update is working instantly and without problems. There was no difference in access speed.

 

[subliming]

About two months ago I tried using an HP EX920 in a 2015 13" Macbook Pro and experienced repeated kernel panics multiple times a day. I switched the stock SSD back in to stabilize the system.

A couple weeks ago I backed up the Mojave installation with time machine and then upgraded to the Catalina public beta on the apple SSD. The bootrom changed from 180.0 to 186.0. I then swapped the EX 920 back in, restored the time machine backup and have not experienced any kernel panics at all for the past two weeks. The only issue I seem to have is less battery runtime but it's a fine trade off to get increased space and performance.

edit: I am using the short black sintech adapter purchased directly from their website

 

[Trunkz]

A little tip to get rid of the long boot up times. Install rEFInd - its a different EFI boot manager. Cold boot to login screen now takes just under 5 seconds instead of the usual 60seconds+ boot time for NVMe drives. Might be worth adding this to the OP

 

[gilles_polysoft]

Hi evryone,

I have tested some new NVMe drives and added them to the comparison tables :

• Transcend 110s and 220s
• Nmicro Extreme (which is a taiwanese Phison E12 based NVMe SSD)
• Corsair MP510

I tried to update the tables the best I could do, I updated prices based on Amazon prices, and also reported as "discontinued" the SSD not sold anymore

 

[Earl Urley]

Thanks for updating those tables, gilles.

It looks like the Phison E12-based SSDs are leading the pack in all of the categories.. interesting how each of the E12 SSDs differ somewhat in performance, guess it's the components? Same controller.. And even then, those differences are small between them.

By the way, some people may have noticed that even with the enhanced performance of their E12 SSDs, there is still one issue that is somewhat annoying- updates like the latest Security Update 2019-004 for Sierra / High Sierra and the 10.14.6 update won't update your Mac's BootROM.

If you don't want to open up your laptop / desktop every time to swap in an Apple OEM SSD to do the firmware update, just hook up a plain hard drive, doesn't matter what brand, to a fast USB 3.0/3.1 or Thunderbolt dock, boot from a prepared, latest 10.14.6 flash key, wipe the hard drive to the usual HFS+ default, and tell the installer to install to the hard drive instead of your SSD.

After a while your Mac will boot from that hard drive after doing its usual self-install, and it will have its BootROM updated to the latest version! You can save that hard drive and boot from it the next time there is an upgrade / security patch that updates the firmware.

SSDs where you don't need to use the hard drive trick: OEM Apple SSDs (some come from Samsung, some come from SanDisk, others from Toshiba), Samsung SM 951, EVO 960 and 960 PRO

SSDs where you need to use the hard drive trick: all other third party SSDs so far as I can tell. Only tried Sabrents, Inland Premiums, and Microns myself.

It appears that the BootROM installers do a check of the SSD and depending on what it finds, either runs the firmware update or doesn't. Can't imagine that Apple puts a callable command in the OEM SSD firmware from three different vendors, so IMHO it's only looking for a particular SSD ID or something, as the Samsung SM 951 / 960 EVO and Pro seem to work okay.

To check if your Mac is running the latest EFI firmware, run this great program called SilentKnight, available here:

https://eclecticlight.co/lockrattler-systhist/

It will check your firmware against an updated list kept online, and also tell you if there's anything that needs to be updated with your basic macOS.

SilentKnight also has other useful info, it can tell you if you have SIP enabled/disabled, your Mac's exact model number, and other misc. system info.

 

[frogfeet]

Thanks for updating those tables, gilles.

It looks like the Phison E12-based SSDs are leading the pack in all of the categories.. interesting how each of the E12 SSDs differ somewhat in performance, guess it's the components? Same controller.. And even then, those differences are small between them.

By the way, some people may have noticed that even with the enhanced performance of their E12 SSDs, there is still one issue that is somewhat annoying- updates like the latest Security Update 2019-004 for Sierra / High Sierra and the 10.14.6 update won't update your Mac's BootROM.

If you don't want to open up your laptop / desktop every time to swap in an Apple OEM SSD to do the firmware update, just hook up a plain hard drive, doesn't matter what brand, to a fast USB 3.0/3.1 or Thunderbolt dock, boot from a prepared, latest 10.14.6 flash key, wipe the hard drive to the usual HFS+ default, and tell the installer to install to the hard drive instead of your SSD.

After a while your Mac will boot from that hard drive after doing its usual self-install, and it will have its BootROM updated to the latest version! You can save that hard drive and boot from it the next time there is an upgrade / security patch that updates the firmware.

SSDs where you don't need to use the hard drive trick: OEM Apple SSDs (some come from Samsung, some come from SanDisk, others from Toshiba), Samsung SM 951, EVO 960 and 960 PRO

SSDs where you need to use the hard drive trick: all other third party SSDs so far as I can tell. Only tried Sabrents, Inland Premiums, and Microns myself.

It appears that the BootROM installers do a check of the SSD and depending on what it finds, either runs the firmware update or doesn't. Can't imagine that Apple puts a callable command in the OEM SSD firmware from three different vendors, so IMHO it's only looking for a particular SSD ID or something, as the Samsung SM 951 / 960 EVO and Pro seem to work okay.

To check if your Mac is running the latest EFI firmware, run this great program called SilentKnight, available here:

https://eclecticlight.co/lockrattler-systhist/

It will check your firmware against an updated list kept online, and also tell you if there's anything that needs to be updated with your basic macOS.

SilentKnight also has other useful info, it can tell you if you have SIP enabled/disabled, your Mac's exact model number, and other misc. system info.

Thanks. It looks like this may be the best way to update the firmware to 12.3 on my Sabrent drive as well. According to this thread, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/updating-samsung-850-evo-firmware-via-usb-enclosure.2088540/, it is not possible to update SSD firmware over USB (external enclosure)
So install Mac OS to and external drive, add SSD firmware update application, boot from external drive, update NVMe drive on laptop. I'll try that tomorrow when my NVMe drive arrives in the mail.

 

[Earl Urley]

Thanks. It looks like this may be the best way to update the firmware to 12.3 on my Sabrent drive as well. According to this thread, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/updating-samsung-850-evo-firmware-via-usb-enclosure.2088540/, it is not possible to update SSD firmware over USB (external enclosure)
So install Mac OS to and external drive, add SSD firmware update application, boot from external drive, update NVMe drive on laptop. I'll try that tomorrow when my NVMe drive arrives in the mail.

I was talking about updating the BootROM on the Mac laptop/desktop, not the firmware on the SSD.

What I know is that you can update the Phison E12-based SSD by hooking it up to a supported NVMe to USB adapter such as the M2X from MyDigitalDiscount or Plugable USB 3.1 Tool-Free NVMe Enclosure (I've done with both.)

I have a Windows 7 machine available to me (with the NVMe patches from Microsoft installed) that I download the 12.3 firmware updater to; I just plug in the enclosure with the Phison E12 based SSD installed, wait a few seconds, run the updater. hit 'power on,' current firmware level pops up in upper window, then update the SSD by clicking on.

 

[paultman]

Hello Everyone,
First thanks so much for all the contributions here. I've spent a lot of time reading/researching and I've got a bit of a conundrum with my late2013 15" mbp.
A while back, there was an issue with the SSD and Apple replaced it. I'm not sure what model 500GB was there before, but the they replaced it with the "APPLE SSD SM0512G"

From all I've read, the old version is the SM0512F which was x2 lane, while the "G" is 4 lane. I know my 15" macbook late 2013 (11,2), itself is capable of x4 link width from the research here, and from plugging in a smaller ssd which was twice as fast (x4 link width, so around <1400mbps vs <800mbps).

Ok, now the question. Is there some way to get the drive working at x4? I've read various reports of it working at x4, and others saying it's and x2 part. If it's firmware, I looked into the samsung firmware program, but that just runs on windows. I'm running High Sierra now, maybe putting the Catalina beta will help? upgrade efi from 153.0.0.0.0 to 156.0.0.0.0?

Obviously if I could get it to work, it would be a huge boost in read speeds, practically free.

Any ideas?

Grateful,
Paul