Solid-state drives are fast but expensive. And high-capacity SSDs are very expensive, which is why many of us opt for the bare minimum when we purchase a MacBook. But here’s how you can add more storage.
Upgrade Your SSD
The most radical option to expand your MacBook’s storage is to upgrade its SSD. Unfortunately, you can’t upgrade all MacBooks because Apple changed the manufacturing process on its newest models.
However, you can upgrade the following models:
- MacBook Pro non-Retina up to late 2016
- MacBook Pro Retina up to 2015
- MacBook Air up to 2017
- MacBook up to 2010
If you’re unsure which model you have, our guide on how to upgrade your Mac includes a section on how to find out and more. If your model isn’t supported, then, unfortunately, you can’t upgrade the SSD. If you have a supported model, the easiest way to upgrade is to purchase a kit.
Other World Computing sells MacBook (and other Mac) SSD upgrades in two flavors: drive only, or as a kit. If you opt for the kit, you get the SSD upgrade, required tools, and an enclosure into which you can place your old drive to transfer data.
You might be able to source the correct drive for your machine elsewhere. In that case, you can follow the guides over at iFixit. Just search for your MacBook model, and there should be a guide complete with photos to help you. iFixit also sells tools to perform this task and other maintenance.
If you decide to go to all this hassle, make sure the upgrade is worth it. Get a big enough drive that you’re sure to notice the difference. In terms of cost, it’s around $300 for a 1 TB upgrade as part of a kit, or $250 for just the drive. Most MacBooks can handle volumes up to 2 TB, while others are restricted to 1 TB. Make sure your machine is compatible with your chosen upgrade before you buy.
If your Mac is old and still has an optical drive (like a pre-2012 MacBook Pro), you might be able to upgrade your drive and add a second or third one if you replace the optical drive to create space. That’s a pretty old machine, though, so consider whether the upgrade is worthwhile. You might be better off just buying a new MacBook.
If you do buy a new MacBook, opt for a larger, solid-state drive rather than the bare minimum. You might wince at the cost, but you’ll be thankful for the years of use you get out of all that space.
