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

[Charbs20]

As long as the MacBook isn't connected with the charger and any running app won't allow to go into stop, this behavior is normal. If you want to keep it running, you have to enable Power Nap, but it will drain the battery pretty quickly.

But it disconnects almost instantly.

I have it set for the screen to turn off after 5 minutes of inactivity….screen goes off, 20 seconds later I’ll hit a key to wake screen back up, wifi disconnected and takes about 5 seconds to reconnect.

Sometimes there is even a quick slash through the wifi icon like it was disabled.

What sucks is that I’m connected to work through Citrix and if I let the screen go off it boots me off Citrix because there is no wifi.

It’s not the end of the world. I just don’t remember this type of thing happening with my 2011 MacBook while on battery power.

 

[TOM1211]

I thought I would put update in here after not posting in this thread for several years I put a SK Hynix P31 1TB in my MacBook Pro mid 2014 feels like 2 years ago maybe and it’s been nothing but reliable no issues solid lots of usage and holding up well I just thought I would say how easy it’s been with this upgrade to the Mac currently running Ventura with OCLP and Big Sur perfectly fine and obviously better performance than the original drive it replaced can’t see it failing at all any time soon would still recommend this drive.

 

[Charbs20]

I thought I would put update in here after not posting in this thread for several years I put a SK Hynix P31 1TB in my MacBook Pro mid 2014 feels like 2 years ago maybe and it’s been nothing but reliable no issues solid lots of usage and holding up well I just thought I would say how easy it’s been with this upgrade to the Mac currently running Ventura with OCLP and Big Sur perfectly fine and obviously better performance than the original drive it replaced can’t see it failing at all any time soon would still recommend this drive.

I have the same 2014 MacBook with Ventura. Does your wifi disconnect every time the screen turns off when idle?

 

[TOM1211]

I have the same 2014 MacBook with Ventura. Does your wifi disconnect every time the screen turns off when idle?

Never noticed that issue myself try asking in the macOS 13 Ventura on Unsupported Macs Thread but I do quite alot to be honest use a coffee buzz app or keep Mac awake app which is on auto start up that only turns off when the battery is low .

 

[KoulaK]

hello I recently installed a 1TB NVMe SSD (Crucial NVMe SSD: P1) on my MacBook Pro Mid 2014 and installed Windows 10 with bootcamp.... and correct the error WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE explained on page 1.... everything works but when I'm on Windows and I remove the power it does not hold on the battery ... who are detected and loaded... The error WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE back and the computer restarts....

Thank you for your help

 

[htcmda]

Hello everyone, I had a question about the apple factory ssd in my mid 2015 15 inch. I see lots of posts online about QLC, SLC, TLC in relation to nvme ssd's. With QLC being the lower end cheap stuff. Does anyone know what the factory apple ssd is, that's used in the mid 2015 15 inch macbook pros? I'm trying to figure out which 2TB ssd to buy, and the Q,S AND TLC stuff throws me off.

 

[pete1]

Another success story here, WD 1TB SN 570 and this adapter working without a hitch on a Mid 2015 MacBook Pro 15".

Isn't it fortuitous that the length of the SSD with the adapter is exactly the same length as the OEM SSD?

 

[aderribo]

Totally, he was very clear. I'll be trying that next!
Thank you all

Little update: after installing Windows, doing a firmware update and testing yet another adapter with absolutely no response or advance of any kind, I managed to get the famous Sintech and voilà, the MBP booted right up on the first try.
Moral of the story: Sintech FTW

Many thanks for your help
@otosan
@macpro_mid2014
@DeltaMac

 

[htcmda]

Why would you not get the sintech from the start, when 90%+ of the people here recommend it.

 

[pete1]

Why would you not get the sintech from the start, when 90%+ of the people here recommend it.

It’s more expensive and most of the other ones work just fine. It’s just a straight-through adapter so not really complex in any way. The ones that cause problems don’t have all the pins/wires connected but I think most of the ones currently on sale have fixed this - things have moved on since the first post here.

 

[MariannValentinn]

Hello,

I am planning to upgrade my MacBook Pro 13'' Mid 2014 with an NVMe SSD(512GB is ok for me).
For now I am ok with BigSur but maybe in the future I will update it on Monterey/Ventura with OCLP(maybe Windows with BootCamp, but not mandatory, as I can run it in Parallels also).
So I am searching for an SSD that will be ok for now with BigSur and also for the future with Ventura let's say.
And also, which one would be better to avoid battery life problems? The laptop should have the latest firmware as it's now running BigSur, for the problems wiht hibernation.
Here are the options in my country(also checked them on the first page of the post and they seem to be compatible):
Intel 660p
Intel 670p
Adata XPG SX8200 Pro
WD Black SN750
WD Black SN750 SE

Thank you very much

 

[htcmda]

It’s more expensive and most of the other ones work just fine. It’s just a straight-through adapter so not really complex in any way. The ones that cause problems don’t have all the pins/wires connected but I think most of the ones currently on sale have fixed this - things have moved on since the first post here.

Ah, I have the sintech adapter, it's in the bag it came in collecting dust. I'm just stuck on which ssd to purchase. because prices keep going down on both 1TB and 2TB drives.

 

[D49]

Ah, I have the sintech adapter, it's in the bag it came in collecting dust. I'm just stuck on which ssd to purchase. because prices keep going down on both 1TB and 2TB drives.

I bought today the Crucial P3+ 4 terabyte nvme, it took a Mojave install on my mid 2015 MacBook Pro nicely. Currently copying large volume of files to it, working fine so far. $225.00 at Microcenter.

 

[D49]

inserted into a mid 2015 MBPro. Crucial P3+

 

[vaalbara]

Hello everyone, I had a question about the apple factory ssd in my mid 2015 15 inch. I see lots of posts online about QLC, SLC, TLC in relation to nvme ssd's. With QLC being the lower end cheap stuff. Does anyone know what the factory apple ssd is, that's used in the mid 2015 15 inch macbook pros? I'm trying to figure out which 2TB ssd to buy, and the Q,S AND TLC stuff throws me off.

Those older Apple branded SSDs are most probably TLC drives by Samsung and others. If I'm not mistaken QLC-based SSD drives became available much later (2018?). It's pretty sad that Apple is not giving out important info like the type and TBW of the NAND that they use.

 

[Berlinsky]

inserted into a mid 2015 MBPro. Crucial P3+

Good post thank you, I'm trying to upgrade my mid 2015 15 inch MBP and it won't recognise the P3 4TB, so it has to be the +/plus I suppose. For additional info, I'm on the latest Firmware/Bootrom, tried recovery and external booting. No luck so far.

Controller chip seems to be slightly different, the T is missing. :

P3+ controller: Phison PS5021-E21T, 4 channels

PS: Its also not recognised by the MBP late 2013 13 inch.

 

[D49]

Good post thank you, I'm trying to upgrade my mid 2015 15 inch MBP and it won't recognise the P3 4TB, so it has to be the +/plus I suppose. For additional info, I'm on the latest Firmware/Bootrom, tried recovery and external booting. No luck so far.

Controller chip seems to be slightly different, the T is missing. :

P3+ controller: Phison PS5021-E21T, 4 channels

PS: Its also not recognised by the MBP late 2013 13 inch.

I stood there at Microcenter yesterday with BOTH in hand but only wanting to purchase one. I chose the + because of future proofing. Got lucky I guess. Thanks for that information. Today is the second day of usage, MBPro mid 2015 is sleeping nicely and took the 5 hours of copy over data last night as expected.

 

[D49]

 

[vaalbara]

P3+ is a QLC drive, right?

 

[aderribo]

Why would you not get the sintech from the start, when 90%+ of the people here recommend it.

I live in a country where the import of electronic goods is heavily regulated, so it is not so easy to get components and devices through the mail.
I was lucky that a friend was traveling abroad and we were able to buy it there.

 

[otosan]

Why would you not get the sintech from the start, when 90%+ of the people here recommend it.

Because, unless you are really using old adapter that was designed for AHCI, or get one that physically broken - bad solder/elses - (which not even happen 10 times out of 1000 installation) , then there's no point in using sintech. Most of current/recently manufactured adapter will work just fine.

It's fine if you want to go for sintech, but it will give no extra benefit in term of performance, stability nor longevity compared to generic one, asumming both are physically pristine.

 

[aderribo]

Because, unless you are really using old adapter that was designed for AHCI, or get one that physically broken - bad solder/elses - (which not even happen 10 times out of 1000 installation) , then there's no point in using sintech. Most of current/recently manufactured adapter will work just fine.

It's fine if you want to go for sintech, but it will give no extra benefit in term of performance, stability nor longevity compared to generic one, asumming both are physically pristine.

Thanks otosan, very insightful.
I'm still not sure why the previous two adapters I was able to try didn't work. I'd like to have more knowledge in microelectronics to be able to verify differences and similarities with the Sintech device, but I'm not even close to do so.
Both three came sealed and the non-Sintech ones seem to be of recent production. Here's a picture of the ones that didn't work for reference:

 

[rollsroy69]

I've had ongoing crashes due to movement (always resolves after pressing on the SSD) so I'm thinking of changing to the Sintech long adapter.

Does anyone know the difference between these:

Sintech NGFF M.2 nVME SSD Adapter Card for Upgrade 2013-2015 Year Macs(Not Fit Early 2013 MacBook Pro)

NOTICE:because too many customers can use it,I suggest you to try it again if your MAC can't detect nVME SSD. Pls notice to insert card fully into SSD slot and you must prepare bootable USB disk(see third point) with High Sierra to format M.2 SSD first, it can't support recover from internet. mai...

www.amazon.com.au

Which I assume is ST-NGFF2013-C

sintech Electronic shop

sintech Electronic shop

eshop.sintech.cn

Sintech M.2 nVME SSD Adapter Card Upgrade Kits,Compatible for MacBook Air(2013-2017 Year) and MacBook PRO（Late 2013-2015 Year,iMac

NOTICE:because too many customers can use it,I suggest you to try it again if your MAC can't detect nVME SSD. Pls notice to insert card fully into SSD slot and you must prepare bootable USB disk(see third point) with High Sierra to format M.2 SSD first, it can't support recover from internet. mai...

www.amazon.com.au

Which I assume is ST-NGFF2013-D

sintech Electronic shop

sintech Electronic shop

eshop.sintech.cn

 

[pete1]

I've had ongoing crashes due to movement (always resolves after pressing on the SSD) so I'm thinking of changing to the Sintech long adapter.

Probably bad solder joints on the connector.

 

[mba2017]

I upgraded Macbook Air 2017 with the Sintech adapter and WD Bluse SB570 500GB. The laptop is heating up and I believe the fan isn't turning on.
Running on Monterey 12.6.4
Any fixes for it?