Upgrade Options for My MacBook Pro?

I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009). I recently purchased a game and noticed it lags a lot. I was wondering what options there are for upgrading my mac. Can I upgrade processors, graphics cards, add more RAM? And if not, are there any other options to get my game to play properly without having to buy a new macbook? All comments are much appreciated

OWC are reputable suppliers of memory and hard drive upgrades to the Mac community.
Just find your model MacBook Pro on their website and select the upgrades you need/want.
Both RAM and hard drive upgrades are user serviceable parts and easy to perform. Just need a Philips-00 screwdriver and T6 Torx tool.
OWC has detailed installation videos to guide you.
OWC also have toolkits for use with your Mac.

Similar Messages

What are the upgrade options for 2008 MacBook Pro A1260

I am curious to see what my options are to upgrade my hard drive compared to upgrading completely to an entirely new computer.
Any suggestions?

Reliable ram: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade. Very well known vendor, very reasonable prices, and ram comes with a lifetime guarantee. As far as reliable hard drives, I can give you brands that I have had no problems with. Hitachi (still running strong 5 years + in a pc laptop), Samsung, and Western Digital. Here are some reviews on hard drives: http://www.storagereview.com/best_drives

Is there no external power option for new MacBook pro with dual core?

Is there no external power option for a MacBook pro 17 with dual core. Apparently apple doesn't offer one and I can't ind any who does

Courcoul wrote:
Given that the stumbling block to more flexible power options is the infamous patent-protected MagSafe connector
The funny thing is, I've seen loads of cheap "replacement" MagSafe adapters on eBay, Amazon and in local shops. On eBay, they cost (new) about $26, on Amazon I've seen them as cheap as $17!!, against the $80 that Apple charges. And apparently, it's not worth it to pursue the matter, it's been going on for more than a year now.
made of pure unobtanium and guarded by packs of rabid lawyers, someone is shooting themselves in the foot by making the power bricks so frail that the secondary damaged goods recovery market grows without bounds...
I really dig that unobtainium reference :-)
What I've found is that the bricks aren't so frail but the DC cord is! Apparently that's difficult to make resilient, with the characteristics that Apple wanted them to have. Out of every ten broken MagSafe adapters I've seen, only two actually have failed electronics, five have frayed DC wiring and three have a broken MagSafe connector.

Options for new MacBook Pro 17"

I am considering upgrading to the new MacBook Pro. However, I hate the standard look and feel of the system compared to my current (all aluminum) MBP. In comparison, the system looks cheap and tacky.
Worse, the black glass monitor has so much glare in a side-by-side comparison to my current display, that it can be an eye strain to use. Can that glass front-plate be removed or an older style display be ordered?
The black keyboard also has a horrid cheap keyboard feel compared to my current MBP keyboard. Can the black plastic keys be replaced with the older style aluminum keys?
I really like the power and battery of the new system, but Apple appears to have -- for the first time in years -- taken a major step backwards in the usability and human factors of this new system compared to the one previous MBP model. I am greatly disappointed and VERY torn as to whether I should spend my money to get a more powerful, but much less usable system. If I could replace the display and keyboard with the older style, the upgrade would be a no-brainer.
So, are there any options available as to style of display and keyboard?
THANKS!
Jon K

' Whew! ... Er... Okay... Let me address your two primary and more specific concerns first:
' Regarding the screen: You're in luck - there is a Built-to-Order option for an "anti-glare" display which essentially gives you basically the same panel as the standard model, but ends up looking almost IDENTICAL to the previous (older) model aesthetically. In other words you get the aluminium bevel, no glass panel in front, and a matte-screen.
' The keyboard is another matter... As another poster mentioned there is no possible way for that to be changed due to the manner of construction. It is, however, really a non-issue to almost everyone that's spent some time with it! I've worked on the previous model's keyboard and honestly the newer keyboard is far more responsive and better for touch-typing die to the key-seperation etc. etc. Additionally, while it may take time to acclimatise, I honestly believe you'll come to prefer it aesthetically as well - the contrast to the rest of the box - all the aluminium - is quite pleasant! Methinks this is just a case of you being used to the system you've been using and struggling with the different look.
' Now... Moving on... I have to ask whether or not you've actually spent any time working with the new systems...? Honestly, while the older models were sturdy and had good build-quality etc. I genuinly feel that you can't compare the two - the Unibody MBPs are a cut-above - and one can feel it almost immediately once you actually work with them - opening and closing the clamshell, moving the system about, typing, adding and removing peripherals - the quality and sturdiness of these systems is unrivaled!
' Seriously - unless you have some strange attachment to the old Firewire 400 port (and assuming you get the anti-glare option considering your comments) - I cannot see you possibly being dissapointed with the Unibody 17-incher once you acclimatise!!!
' Anyways. My thoughts - given by an EXTREMELY picky person with ridiculously high standards.
' Looking forward to hearing back from ya!
~Menageryl
-Jack of All Trades, Master of Some!-

Help Determining Best Option for a MacBook Pro

I will be purchasing a new MBP, and I am having some challenges determining my best option. I have researched quite a bit, but the more I research the more I get lost. I was hoping that the support community here would be able to assist in my decision. I am very price consious so I am looking at the refurbished models from the Apple store. I am also a Web Developer so I need to be able to run Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustator plus have a few browsers going with multiple tabs in each. Speed (both working with files and browsing the web) is of the utmost importance to me as I need a computer that can keep up with me. Basically I need a fast computer so I can get my job done quickly. I would love to purchase a new Mac and max it out, but cost is a very important issue which is why I am looking at these two models.
I am torn between two models in the Apple Refurbished section:
Option 1.
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Dual-core Intel i5
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1280-by-800 resolution
4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Intel HD Graphics 4000
with this model I would max out the RAM to 16GB and switch the HD to an 128GB SSD that I have.
Option 2.
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.6GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 with Retina Display
Originally released February 2013
13.3-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch 
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
 256GB Flash Storage
 720p FaceTime HD Camera
 Intel HD Graphics 4000
What it comes down to is that I like option 1 as the cost is much lower and I can upgrade, but I am nwondering if option 2 would be a faster than option 1 even after I upgrade the RAM and HD. I'm just hesitant about the retina model as I cannot upgrade. To me most of the numbers look the same, but I do not know much about what is under the hood and what is overall a better machine for my purposes above. To the retina screen isn't all that important as I plan on connecting the MBP to a larger external monitory.
Thanks in advance for any help. If anything needs clarification please ask and I will provide more details.

Another advantage to the non-Retina MB/Pro with optical drive is the possibility
of upgrade with a kit, to install a second SSD in place of that drive; as per a
part number kit that macsales OWC site has listed. That kind of upgrade does
come up on occasion; however an SSD in that location has a slower data rate
than one on the hard disk drive bus. 'Data Doubler' is their name for it; a kit
could include a suitable SSD, too. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/
About wireless connectivity differences between Retina MB/Pro and non-Retina,
could vary the results if one were to use a newer Time Capsule wireless base
station; as these can use two bandwidths of wi-fi. However I am not sure if one
or both models can utilize this feature when connecting to the base station &
wireless backup function of the time capsule. The faster speed could be a little
helpful if using wireless; yet I'd be sure to make a backup clone and directly
use a wired connection of dependable speed and quality for its use.
So to read up on the newer specs for the Time Capsule with built in wi-fi base
station to see if that matters; I doubt there would be an issue as the newer is
supposed to be compatible with the older.
Hopefully this helps somewhat. I've found an older AirPort base station can
affect the internet speed when the source is higher than the base thoroughput.
This can be an issue, at least with wireless backups or internet access. For
best connection speeds, it also helps to have a wired network, to fall back on.
Ethernet is faster and more reliable as a local & internet network path; and a
wired network is more secure than a wireless one.
If you have a different question, be sure to ask; you could also start a new thread.
Good luck & happy computing!

Which 8GB RAM upgrade chips for 2011 Macbook Pro?

I purchased my 2011 MBP with 4GBs of RAM because it seemed to me that I could eventually upgrade to 8GB for under $100. It's time to start shopping for the upgrade and I need your advice. These modules from Corsair, for example, seem to be ideal:
Corsair 8 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory Kit CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9
There are also several other options from Crucial, Kingston, and G.Skill, all in the $80-$90 range. I have the following question:
1. Which brand do you recommend?
2. Are there any compatibility issues with the brands I have mentioned?
3. Is it true that upgrading the RAM yourself doesn't void AppleCare warranty?
IMO, Corsair and Crucial make terrific RAM. I have used them in my Win PCs for years and have had no issues.
Thanks in advance for your replies!

I am getting these sticks
KINGSTON HYPERX 8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 1600 NON-ECC CL9 SODIMM (KHX1600C9S3K2/8G)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104253
for my MB Pro 2011 15".
Read good stuff about them. They run at 1600 MHz, which OSX should recognize, and i7 will support it too.
This Corsair ram would work too, though it's only 1333 MHz.
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-DDR3-Laptop-Memory-CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9/dp/B002YUF8ZG /ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
If you buy the Kingston, be sure to NOT buy the XMP model - (model number ends with 8GX) buy the model that ends wth 8G. XMP is an Intel Memory Profile thing, that you'll need access to BIOS to utilize. (you can't on your mac )
Kingston should be the fastest though, with lowest CAS latency (in short, faster memory access times)
Enjoy

Is it possible to upgrade ram for a MacBook Pro Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013

I own a MacBook Pro 13- inch late 2013 model and wanted to upgrade my memory, but i have read online that this is not possible as the ram is soldered onto the board . Could someone please give me a clarification on this?

Manamee_9umood wrote:
I own a MacBook Pro 13- inch late 2013 model and wanted to upgrade my memory, but i have read online that this is not possible as the ram is soldered onto the board
This is correct...
MacBook Pro with Retina display comes standard with 4GB of 1600MHz memory. Please note that the memory is built into the computer, so if you think you may need more memory in the future, it is important to upgrade at the time of purchase.
From here
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=ME864LL/A&step=config

Hard drive options for New Macbook Pro 17 inch

I'm interested in purchasing a new MAcbook Pro 17 inch. I'll be using it primarily for work in Adobe Illustrator. I'm wondering if the speed difference of the 500GB 7200 drive will be noticeable compared to the standard 750GB 5400 hard drive. Are there any bench tests out there?

I'm interested in purchasing a new MAcbook Pro 17 inch. I'll be using it primarily for work in Adobe Illustrator. I'm wondering if the speed difference of the 500GB 7200 drive will be noticeable compared to the standard 750GB 5400 hard drive. Are there any bench tests out there?

Can anyone make a recommendation on the purchase of an external hard drive for my Macbook Pro? I am currently using OS 10.6.8 because I can't upgrade until I clean out my start up disc space. I have a ton of pictures to transfer. Thanks!

Can anyone make a recommendation on the purchase of an external hard drive for my Macbook Pro? I am currently using OS 10.6.8 because I can't upgrade until I clean out my start up disc space. I have a ton of pictures to transfer.Thanks!

best options for the price, and high quality HD:
Quality 1TB drives are $50 per TB on 3.5" or $65 per TB on 2.5"
Perfect 1TB for $68
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-Hard-Drive/dp/B005J7YA3W/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379452568&sr=8-1&keywords=1tb+toshiba
Nice 500gig for $50. ultraslim perfect for use with a notebook
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B009F1CXI2/ref=s r_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1377642728&sr=1-1&keywords=toshiba+slim+500gb
2.5" USB portable High quality BEST FOR THE COST, Toshiba "tiny giant" 2TB drive (have several of them, LOT of storage in a SMALL package) $117
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Connect-Portable-HDTC720XK3C1/dp/B00CGUMS48 /ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1379182740&sr=1-4&keywords=2tb+toshiba
*This one is the BEST portable external HD available that money can buy:
HGST Touro Mobile 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive $88
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Mobile-Portable-External-0S03559/dp/B009GE6JI8/ref=sr _1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383238934&sr=8-1&keywords=HGST+Touro+Mobile+Pro+1TB+USB+3.0+7 2 00+RPM
Most storage experts agree on the Hitachi 2.5"
Hitachi is the winner in hard drive reliability survey:
Hitachi manufacturers the safest and most reliable hard drives, according to the Storelab study. Of the hundreds of Hitachi hard drives received, not a single one had failed due to manufacturing or design errors. Adding the highest average lifespans and the best relationship between failures and market share, Hitachi can be regarded as the winner.

Internal HD upgrade or external HD for my Macbook Pro (Late 2008)

Hello,
I am finding the 250gb internal hard drive not enough and want to upgrade to a 500gb/1tb hard drive for my macbook pro (late 2008 edition).
What I am wondering is whether to change the internal hard drive OR buy the fastest possible external hard drive for my mac which I believe is one that works with firewire 800 as my late 2008 macbook pro does not come with USB 3.0.
The external hard drive I have found is £110 and my macbook would be using the Firewire 800 connection:
LaCie Rugged Triple 301984 1TB USB 3.0 and Firewire 800 5400 rpm Portable Hard Disk Drive
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rugged-Triple-301984-Firewire-Portable/dp/B005C2BNJI
I dont necessarily need the portability of a external hard drive. I work with large files (photoshop, illustrator files mainly) and would would be concerned that I would not be able to work directly on the hard drive for this type of work so an internal hard drive may be better/
Can anyone suggest a good, fast, cheap, popular internal hard drive compatible with my computer and whether you would suggest changing the internal HD or buying an external.
I am running Mavericks and the only other change I have made is by upgrading my RAM from 4gb to 8gb. Thanks so much for your help
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP51.007E.B06
SMC Version (system): 1.33f8
Serial Number (system): W8******1G0
Hardware UUID: *****
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
<Edited By Host>

For both convenience and speed, I'd recommend replacing the internal hard drive. Your MacBook Pro can handle nearly any internal SATA 2.5" HD on the market, including 7200rpm models. For what it's worth, I'd recommend a Western Digital Black WD7500BPKX or similar or Hitachi HGST 7K1000 although in my experience Hitachi drives run hot and that's the reason I don't use them as internal drives.
FW800 is fine, but then you have an external hard drive to lug around plus the connection is considerably slower than the internal SATA connection used by the internal hard drive.
Note that you will have to either 1) clone your existing drive to the new drive or 2) completely reinstall OSX and all your apps from scratch to the new drive when you replace the internal drive. If it were me, I'd take the opportunity to reinstall everything from scratch.
btw, I have done this myself on a number of 2008/2009 MacBook Pros and it's not hard at all. iFixit has tutorials on how to do this. (Here is a link to the one that I believe is your model.

I want to upgrade my Hard Drive to 1TB and more. What is the maximun Hard Drive I can install for a MacBook Pro 2009 Yesterday, I tried a SEAGATE SSHD but my screen was always a showing a QUESTION MARK (?). It's not the cable because when I put back

I want to upgrade my Hard Drive to 1TB and more.
What is the maximun Hard Drive I can install for a MacBook Pro 2009
Yesterday, I tried a SEAGATE SSHD but my screen was always a showing a QUESTION MARK (?). It's not the cable because when I put back the old original version, everything works...Any sugestion of brabnding or procédure to upgrade my hard drive?

The largest 2.5" dia SATA drives available are 2 TB in capacity.
Have you tried the Seagate SSHD connected externally to the MBP via USB? The drive itself may be faulty.
Ciao.
Here is a good place to start looking for a replacement drive:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/

Which model of memory upgrade should I get for my MacBook Pro early 2011 model? I now have 2 - 2GB modules.

Which model of memory upgrade should I get for my MacBook Pro early 2011 model? I now have 2 - 2GB modules.

Installing RAM in a 2011-2012 MacBook Pro
There is really only one way to install RAM into a 2011-2012 MacBook Pro and while there are hundreds of DIY videos online, I just like this one, found on YouTube, by “macmixing”.
Note that there is a difference in the RAM that should be used in 2011 and 2012 models.
2011 models must use:
•204-pin PC-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM
And 2012 models must use:
•204-pin PC3-12800 (1600 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM
So here's the video:
Remember that the 13", 15" and 17" 2011 models (early or late) and the 13" and 15" mid-2012 non-Retina models can handle 4GB, 8GB or (unofficially, but, believe me, it works) 16GB of RAM. There are, in my opinion, only two 100% Mac-compatible vendors out there: Crucial and OWC. I really can't recommend any other brands, even though it may work, as these are the only brands that I've personally used in quite a while. Also remember to stay away from any RAM that is a “value” brand - Macs are picky about RAM and often these value RAM modules just don’t work very well.
Good luck,
Clinton

Can i upgrade OS X Mavericks for my macbook pro laptop

can i upgrade OS X Mavericks for my macbook pro laptop ?

Check your Mac here to see if it can Upgrade to Mavericks....
http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/

Can I upgrade my RAM from 4GB to 8GB for my MacBook Pro 13(early 2011 2.7GHz)? And how much would it be?

Can I upgrade my RAM from 4GB to 8GB for my MacBook Pro 13(early 2011 2.7GHz)? And how much would it be?

you can upgrade to 16GB if you wish to do so...
average price for 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 is around $50 - $75 depending on the brand.
why not spend $100 and go with 16GB 1333MHz from Crucial or Corsair.
you can get them from Amazon.com or newegg.com
see image below with 16GB Patriot Mac Series 1333MHz for $100.

I have new iMac with Lion installed; can I get a free upgrade for my MacBook Pro?

Hello
I recently bought a 27" iMac with Lion installed. Should I be able to download the upgrade for my MacBook Pro without paying. If so what should I do. If I go to the App Store I'll end up paying £20.99
Any help gratefully received
margaret

Margaret,
No you will need to purchase the upgrade. However if you own other Macs you want to upgrade once you have purchased Lion then you can upgrade the additional machines. Of course the additional machines must be using the same Apple ID. As long as the additional machine's meet the minimum system requirements listed below you are all set.
General requirements
Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor
2GB of memory
OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)
7GB of available space
Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

Upgrade Options for My MacBook Pro?

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