[BeastMode]

I'm planning on buying a Macbook Pro and I want to use an SSD, but I'm not sure if I should let Apple install one for around $700 or buy one myself and install it when I get the laptop. I hear that Apple uses crappy Toshiba SSDs so I don't want to waste my money like that, I would prefer to know the performance of my SSD. The thing is, OS X and all the software comes preinstalled on whatever drive comes with the Mac, so how would I transfer all of that to the separately bought SSD?

 

[slothfish]

The MBP you are buying will come with an OSX installation CD, so once you pop in the SSD all you need to do is run that. Installing an SSD is pretty easy, I would never pay Apple to do it for you.

 

[I_dalder_I]

They have "belkin os transfer" cables that transfer all your information from HDD to HDD im not sure how they work tho :/ you should look into it. Also apple should give you a OS / Program recovery disk so that you can reinstall all that stuff by yourself.

 

[Blindrage606]

Install it yourself, find DIY videos on youtube how to do it, step by step instructions. Also, it does come with a CD with defaults and leopard.

May I recommend the Gskill Falcon SSD line.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...falcon&x=0&y=0

You can find reviews here
http://www.guru3d.com/article/gskill...gb-ssd-review/

Best SSD that is not an intel on the market IMO @ the moment, as I do have a macbook outfitted with this as well.

 

[BeastMode]

I read in an article that OCZ made a Mac edition SSD line that is slower than their normal SSD line because normal SSDs are too fast for OS X. Can I get an SSD that is as fast as I want or do I need to get them made for the mac? Supposedly, fast SSDs cause some sort of damage or something (I'll look for the article.) And will the installation disk include all of the software that comes preinstalled or just the core OS?

 

[BeastMode]

I found the article. http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news...the-speed.aspx Is it ok to get the fastest SSD I can find or does anyone know what SSD I should get?

 

[lilraver018]

install the os yourself. Or buy the mac with the os. on a regular platter drive. Then clone the drive onto the ssd. therefore you dont need to go through installing all the drivers. software, etc.

 

[Blindrage606]

Yes it comes with an installation disk that has all the included software+OS. And no, there is no "Mac" SSD, because of the SATA II standard that even apple must follow. So any SSD will do, and Leopard is can handle speeds of an SSD, probably even more efficiently since it is unix based. And with the future release of snow leopard which adds the 64bit capability of the OS, and under the hood tweaks that are supposed to streamline leopard, in this case SSD usage. But w/e, thats what Apple says anyways...

The damage you speak of is the degenerative nature of SSD's being that its a a giant flash drive with MLC memory. In that case, with every progressive write it shortens the lifetime of the drive, but as you can see it is not an valid argument, in that you can get 300,000+ hours out of the drive. Long after the effective usage of your MBP, because you'll get rid of it for an upgrade or a larger SSD.

Why clone the drive? Just install a fresh copy onto the newly bought SSD and you're finished! It's just more hassle the other way.