Can I update the 2017 MacBook Pro 15" SSD?

Everything in the new models is soldered or glued on. Unless you order it with the upgrade, no one will do it (you can ask a third party service place, but since apple did not intend for it to be upgraded, you might void the warranty. Here are the specs and remarks for a 2017 MBP:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i7-3.1- 15-mid-2017-retina-display-touch-bar-spe…

But, you can buy an SSD and put it in an external enclosure, format it, clone your system to it, and use that as a bootup drive.

The OWC parts have bad reputation

Really?

I have quite a few OWC "parts" - external hard drives, burner/player, RAM in several devices - and I have done business with that vendor for many years. They are also highly recommended here, so I'd like to know what you are basing your statement on.

FWIW, buying another computer just to use the SSD is absurd - not only because of cost, but replacing any part at all by anyone but an AASP will void the warranty - see here:

(f) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (“AASP”); (g) to an Apple Product that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of Apple

from the US warranty:

https://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/products/embedded-mac-warranty-us.https://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/products/embedded-mac-warranty-us.htmlhtml

Csound1 wrote:

As Apple have publicly said APFS is not supported on rotational drives or external drives of any type, it is for internal SSD's. The problem you speak of is exactly what is expected.

Huh? I've formatted an external hard drive in APFS. Back when my HD failed at the end of last year I decided to get a WD Black 750 GB drive and formatted it in APFS, then cloned from a backup (in HFS+). I did it in an external USB enclosure, booted from it externally, and transferred it to my mid-2012 MBP. I also reformatted my backup external drive in APFS and then did backups to it.

It's not necessarily recommended, but I've used APFS both on an external and a rotational drive.

https://www.macworld.com/article/3230498/storage/apple-file-system-apfs-faq.html

Should I upgrade my external volumes to APFS?

You can upgrade external drives that use either SSDs or hard drives, but not Fusion drives. However, there are no advantages for hard drives, so I would recommend against it.

If you have an external SSD that is only used for storage, the advantage is likely not high enough to give up compatibility if you ever think you would want to remove that external SSD and use it with a pre-Sierra Mac. See our instructions on using Disk Utility to upgrade an external SSD.

This is what Apple says:

How to choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended when formatting a disk for Mac - Apple Support

Which format should you choose?

When you install macOS High Sierra on the Mac volume of a solid-state drive (SSD) or other all-flash storage device, that volume is automatically converted to APFS. Fusion Drives, traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), and non-Mac volumes aren't converted.

Disk Utility in macOS High Sierra can format most storage devices using either file system.

Huh? I've formatted an external hard drive in APFS.

That does not change the fact that it is unsupported by Apple.

It is the reason why Apple don't automatically convert it, you can of course do anything you want with your drive. I just don't tell people to ignore Apples instruction not to.

How to choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended when formatting a disk for Mac - Apple Support

Csound1 wrote:

Huh? I've formatted an external hard drive in APFS.

That does not change the fact that it is unsupported by Apple.

It is the reason why Apple don't automatically convert it, you can of course do anything you want with your drive. I just don't tell people to ignore Apples instruction not to.

How to choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended when formatting a disk for Mac - Apple Support

But how is that "unsupported"? They note that hard drives, non-Mac, and Fusion drives aren't automatically converted, one needs High Sierra and that APFS is optimized for SSDs. It does suggest that HFS+ might be a more universal choice. They say nothing about external drives. It's obviously supported, or else APFS would be locked out as a format for external and/or hard drives. Whether or not it's recommend is another matter.

Except for warranty, the question is what would be the sort of the upgraded SSD. The OWC parts have bad reputation, one way would be to buy a destroyed model with higher SSD and transfer the memory, but it will be expensive with considerable risks.

Hi,

Bottom line is you can't upgrade the SSD or anything on that model as RAM and storage are both soldered onto the logic board.

"(you can ask a third party service place, but since apple did not intend for it to be upgraded, you might void the warranty."

If you could find the part (Apple will not sell it to you) and someone with the equipment and expertise to do it, and who would actually take a one time job, you WILL void the warranty. This is not a realistic option. You need to buy the amount of storage you want when you purchase the Mac from Apple.

Several Users have already tried to explain this to you, but let me be a bit more blunt:

The SSD in the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models in NOT a subassembly or a component. There are NO connectors or sockets. The chips that make up the SSD are directly soldered to the board using Surface Mount technology. They are not replaceable in any normal way.

Even removing the components without Trashing the board requires expensive equipment and substantial training -- it is not a job you can do at home with a soldering iron.

"There are NO connectors or sockets. The chips that make up the SSD are directly soldered to the board using Surface Mount technology. They are not replaceable in any normal way."

This answer is excellent if it is true. ;-)

Hi all and not much of this was very helpful, but I did just come across this iFixit teardown that answers all of the SSD questions. While it is not soldered in the MBP2017/Two Thunderbolt 3 port models, it is proprietary and so nobody manufactures a compatible replacement (as far as I know) yet. REALLY sorry I went with the 120GB model even though it did save me some cash... thanks for nothing, Apple. As usual.

With a proprietary connector and form factor, that very special SSD may as well be soldered to the board in that 'Function-keys' model as well. There is nowhere to obtain a replacement of any description, and since later models have the components soldered in place, no one is likely to develop a compatible part.

I just got a new 2017 (no touchbar) macbook pro and when I got it the person told me it is not upgradeable. So I would recomend an external hard drive, I'm thinking about getting one. That would probably be the closest to an upgrade on storage. Also if you open up the computer in any way, it will void the warranty. I hope this helps.

You could add an external SSD drive in an enclosure so small, you could tape it to the cover of your MacBook and maintain its portability.

Or you could use a somewhat larger "regular"drive on your bench at home, and just keep stuff that does not need to be completely portable on there.

OWC is an excellent company with a great reputation. Their extensive tear down video library is a godsend allowing many of us to do advanced upgrades with confidence. Their DataDoubler brackets for Minis and iMacs are ingenious.

You could consider getting a very small SSD "stick" in a tiny bus-powered enclosure, and taping it to the lid or the side somewhere. This one is 0.4 in thick, by 2-in by 4.5In. 0GB for US$100:

OWC Envoy Pro - SSD Enclosure for 2013-Current Macs