Q: Need help for my Macbook 13" late 2008 for RAM & SSD Upgrade
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Aug 22, 2015 3:24 AMby Mike Sombrio,Get everything from a Mac specialist http://eshop.macsales.com/ They'll offer a quality product at competitive prices and excellent customer service before and after the sale.
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Aug 22, 2015 4:18 AMby OGELTHORPE,Your Mackbook will accept 8 GB RAM. The best sources of Mac compatible RAM are OWC and Crucial.
In regards to the SSD, there will be a performance improvement but note that your Macbook, which has SATA2 connectivity, will not permit the SSD to achieve its full potential. I can recommend OWC and Crucial SSD's. Avoid Samsung at this time. There are too many problem discussions posted on these forums with Samsung SSDs.
Ciao.
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Aug 22, 2015 10:06 AMby OGELTHORPE,If you do a search of these forums you will find many success' with the Samsung EVO 850 and many with problems. The final choice is yours. What I find telling that the last time I looked, the Samsung web site has no mention of Mac compatibility. Until Samsung offers Mac support, I simply would stay away from them.
I recommend Crucial SSDs because of personal experience with them (3 of my MBPs have them installed). Based on my observations on these forums, the SSDs offered by OWC are 'bullet proof' and I have not seen any negative posts regarding them.
Ciao.
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Aug 22, 2015 1:06 PMby Mike Sombrio,OGELTHORPE wrote:
In regards to the SSD, there will be a performance improvement but note that your Macbook, which has SATA2 connectivity, will not permit the SSD to achieve its full potential.
An OWC 3g SSD will achieve it's full potential. If he purchases a 6g SSD that uses a Sandforce controller it will only operate at SATA I 1.5g speeds. A 6g drive that does not use Sandforce, like a Samsung, will run at the computers full SATA II 3g speed. The issue is a conflict between Sandforce and the Nvidia MCP79 controller in the computer. I have a Samsung SSD in my early 2009 Macbook and the speed difference is amazing, it feels like a new computer.
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Aug 22, 2015 1:10 PMby Mike Sombrio,If you can purchase from Amazon the correct OWC drive is not out of reach http://www.amazon.com/OWC-240GB-Mercury-Electra-Serial-ATA/dp/B00JJ4YSWY/ref=sr_ 1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1440274122&sr=8-7&keywor…
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Aug 31, 2015 3:53 PMby madeofmetal,I have a 13" Macbook 2.1 (mid 2007). It originally came with either 1GB or 2GB of RAM and a 160GB Serial ATA 5400rpm hard drive.
I recently installed 4GB of RAM (2x2GB) (this kind, although yours may need something different) and a 128GB SATA SSD (this kind, although once again, you might need something else).
Even on an older Macbook model than yours, the upgrades resulted in SIGNIFICANT improvements. It was like night and day. I would recommend trying it out.
I upgraded the RAM before putting the SSD in, and although the SSD improved the performance, it was the RAM that made the real difference. If you only pick one thing, pick the RAM.
As for the SSD, I've read recommendations for the Samsung 840 SSD, but any 2.5" SATA SSD *should* be compatible.
Total, I spent less than $100. But as your machine is newer, it might be a bit more expensive.
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Sep 2, 2015 1:28 AMby oceanixz,Thanks guys. Now I'm encouraged to upgrade more of my MB. I think I'll go for the RAM upgrade to 2x4GB OWC first then. After a while seeing the performance, maybe I'll go to SSD upgrade. However, the SSD I'd require would be SATA2 or SATA3? Is there a way that I can check on my MB what SATA I'm using now?
Appreciate is guys!
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Sep 2, 2015 3:21 AMby Mike Sombrio,If you use a SATA 3 SSD that uses a Sandforce controller it will conflict with the Nvidia MCP79 SATA controller in your Macbook and reduce to SATA 1 speed. The issue is the Sandforce controller, either get a SATA 2 SSD with or without Sandforce or a SATA 3 without Sandforce. Adding an SSD to both my Macbook and my iMac have been the best upgrades I've ever done. I recommend OWC and Samsung SSD's.
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Sep 2, 2015 8:48 PMby oceanixz,Hi Mike. Thanks for the info. I double checked again between OWC and Crucial and it seems that OWC is more pricey than Crucial. I think I'll go for Crucial. As for the Samsung SSD, you got no problem with it? I'm looking at the differences between Crucial MX200 250gb vs Samsung 850 Evo 250gb. Which one has better performance and speed?
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Sep 3, 2015 3:10 AMby Mike Sombrio,I've had good success with a Samsung 840 in my early 2009 Macbook. I'm also very pleased with the OWC Mercury 3G in my 2009 iMac. OWC uses Sandforce controllers so if you buy from them make sure to get a 3G SSD, Samsung does not so their 6G SSD's should work fine. I don't know what kind of controller Crucial uses. One word of advice.....don't let a few dollars be the driving force behind your decision, you'll almost always regret it.
