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I bet MBP Retina owners would love to upgrade their machines with this SSD. Oh wait, they can't, because Apple came up with their own butchered SATA interface

I bet MBP Retina owners would love to upgrade their machines with this SSD. Oh wait, they can't, because Apple came up with their own butchered SATA interface instead of using the standard one.

Einherji 14y ago
Why do you say butchered? I don't think it's any worse (or better) than standard mSATA. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
- bitcartel 14y ago
  The physical connector is different, so you can't plug in a standard mSATA drive. "Keep in mind that although the interface is electrically SATA, it is not physically SATA or mSATA or any other standardized interface - this is entirely Apple's own creation." http://www.anandtech.com/show/6005/apples-new-ssd-its-fast http://www.anandtech.com/show/6005/apples-new-ssd-its-fast
  - zdw 14y ago
    Don't blame Apple too much for this. mSATA's reused mini-PCIe card form factor was physically too small to contain all the chips needed for a high capacity SSD, given the capacities per chip that were available when the MacBook Air/Retina were released. There is a new "NGFF" standard that basically apes Apple's longer form factor with a standardized connector, but I haven't seen any devices that use it yet: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6293/ngff-ssds-putting-an-end-to-proprietary-ultrabook-ssd-form-factors http://www.anandtech.com/show/6293/ngff-ssds-putting-an-end-...
  - jfb 14y ago
    In exchange for "butchering" the connector, the drive is significantly smaller. As an rMBP owner, I feel that that's a perfectly cromulent trade-off to make. Somebody has to be first; since Apple is invested in improving their hardware in ways unconstrained by the requirements of "bolt 'em together" OEMs, it makes perfect sense to me.
    - DanBC 14y ago
      As long as people know, it's fine for Apple to use weird connectors. Asus soldered the (tiny) SSD into the EEE PC and that's worse.
- rosser 14y ago
  Incompatible with the rest of the world is a pretty good, if non-standard, definition of "worse" in my book.
saturdaysaint 14y ago
I bet Chromebook Pixel and Surface Pro users would love it too...
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
  - jsnell 14y ago
    Are you sure? All sources I've seen say that on the Pixel the flash is soldered on, and that the apparent mini-PCIe port doesn't work with a mSATA card.
- bcoates 14y ago
  Surface Pro has a standard mSATA interface in there if you don't mind tearing it apart. It won't take the part in the OP, but there are lots of them on newegg in sizes up to 480GB.
  - spartango 14y ago
    A fair point, although it seems that Microsoft has designed the Surface Pro in such a way that it is particularly difficult to take apart and put back together. iFixit gave it a repairability score of 1/10. It seems similar--one manufacturer restricts modification by changing the connectors, the other by changing the casing. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+Teardown/12842/3 http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+Teardow...
    - sliverstorm 14y ago
      Honestly, none of that looks particularly intended to make it difficult to disassemble. It looks like design choices intended to make it as compact and light as possible.
rayiner 14y ago
I bet the 98% of rMBP owners who will never upgrade their SSD appreciate the size reduction instead.
- bitcartel 14y ago
  The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook has a standard mSATA connector, while the larger Dell XPS 14 Ultrabook accepts 7mm SATA drives. Both laptops are smaller than the rMBP.
  - wtallis 14y ago
    69Wh vs. 74 Wh and 95 W*h. There are tradeoffs to consider.
- lukifer 14y ago
  I forget: what does the P stand for again? Also, you're off by 2%.
  - to3m 14y ago
    It stands for "Pro". That means it's used by professionals. You know - lawyers, doctors, salespeople, sportspeople, professors of ancient history. That sort of thing. Most are unlikely to need to upgrade the SSD.
    - serf 14y ago
      is that meant as a serious reply? Pro is a badge. Just like "Super Deluxe", "Extra Special", "Custom Ordered".. We don't go around saying that a super deluxe cheeseburger is only for the super deluxe among us.
      - to3m 14y ago
        Well, it's sort of serious. A lot of people seem to think that "Professional" implies something about the target market that means the computer should be upgradeable/have a firewire port/use compact flash/sport a replaceable battery/etc. But it could actually imply exactly what the word suggests, and yet still mean none of this. In actual fact, of course, it implies nothing, and that's why it means none of the above. "Pro" is just a badge, as meaningless as the "Sport" that adorns my car (4 doors, diesel engine).
sequoia 14y ago
Yes, Apple is very sinister & cunning, but I have devised a defense to even their most devilish hardware-standard-defying scheme: 1. Don't buy one. I wanted to add an SSD in my DVD slot & upgrade the RAM, so I bought a Lenovo and put Ubuntu on it. I know it sounds crazy, but it just might be crazy enough to work.
- batiudrami 14y ago
  Unfortunately if the 2880x1800 resolution is important to you, at this stage the MBP is the only option. I agree though, you can't purchase a MacBook under the assumption that it'll be upgradable. I didn't buy one and I am quite happy with my 1080p 13" laptop until high resolution Windows laptops are available.
  - kibibu 14y ago
    I was under the impression that the Chromebook Pixel has a slightly better screen than the rMBP? http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebook-pixel/ http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebook-p... edit: other commenters are saying the Chromebook Pixel doesn't have an upgradeable SSD at all.

I bet MBP Retina owners would love to upgrade their machines with this SSD. Oh wait, they can't, because Apple came up with their own butchered SATA interface instead of using the standard one.

Einherji 14y ago

Why do you say butchered? I don't think it's any worse (or better) than standard mSATA. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

bitcartel 14y ago
The physical connector is different, so you can't plug in a standard mSATA drive. "Keep in mind that although the interface is electrically SATA, it is not physically SATA or mSATA or any other standardized interface - this is entirely Apple's own creation." http://www.anandtech.com/show/6005/apples-new-ssd-its-fast http://www.anandtech.com/show/6005/apples-new-ssd-its-fast
- zdw 14y ago
  Don't blame Apple too much for this. mSATA's reused mini-PCIe card form factor was physically too small to contain all the chips needed for a high capacity SSD, given the capacities per chip that were available when the MacBook Air/Retina were released. There is a new "NGFF" standard that basically apes Apple's longer form factor with a standardized connector, but I haven't seen any devices that use it yet: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6293/ngff-ssds-putting-an-end-to-proprietary-ultrabook-ssd-form-factors http://www.anandtech.com/show/6293/ngff-ssds-putting-an-end-...
- jfb 14y ago
  In exchange for "butchering" the connector, the drive is significantly smaller. As an rMBP owner, I feel that that's a perfectly cromulent trade-off to make. Somebody has to be first; since Apple is invested in improving their hardware in ways unconstrained by the requirements of "bolt 'em together" OEMs, it makes perfect sense to me.
  - DanBC 14y ago
    As long as people know, it's fine for Apple to use weird connectors. Asus soldered the (tiny) SSD into the EEE PC and that's worse.
rosser 14y ago
Incompatible with the rest of the world is a pretty good, if non-standard, definition of "worse" in my book.

saturdaysaint 14y ago

I bet Chromebook Pixel and Surface Pro users would love it too...

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
- jsnell 14y ago
  Are you sure? All sources I've seen say that on the Pixel the flash is soldered on, and that the apparent mini-PCIe port doesn't work with a mSATA card.
bcoates 14y ago
Surface Pro has a standard mSATA interface in there if you don't mind tearing it apart. It won't take the part in the OP, but there are lots of them on newegg in sizes up to 480GB.
- spartango 14y ago
  A fair point, although it seems that Microsoft has designed the Surface Pro in such a way that it is particularly difficult to take apart and put back together. iFixit gave it a repairability score of 1/10. It seems similar--one manufacturer restricts modification by changing the connectors, the other by changing the casing. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+Teardown/12842/3 http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+Teardow...
  - sliverstorm 14y ago
    Honestly, none of that looks particularly intended to make it difficult to disassemble. It looks like design choices intended to make it as compact and light as possible.

rayiner 14y ago

I bet the 98% of rMBP owners who will never upgrade their SSD appreciate the size reduction instead.

bitcartel 14y ago
The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook has a standard mSATA connector, while the larger Dell XPS 14 Ultrabook accepts 7mm SATA drives. Both laptops are smaller than the rMBP.
- wtallis 14y ago
  69Wh vs. 74 Wh and 95 W*h. There are tradeoffs to consider.
lukifer 14y ago
I forget: what does the P stand for again? Also, you're off by 2%.
- to3m 14y ago
  It stands for "Pro". That means it's used by professionals. You know - lawyers, doctors, salespeople, sportspeople, professors of ancient history. That sort of thing. Most are unlikely to need to upgrade the SSD.
  - serf 14y ago
    is that meant as a serious reply? Pro is a badge. Just like "Super Deluxe", "Extra Special", "Custom Ordered".. We don't go around saying that a super deluxe cheeseburger is only for the super deluxe among us.
    - to3m 14y ago
      Well, it's sort of serious. A lot of people seem to think that "Professional" implies something about the target market that means the computer should be upgradeable/have a firewire port/use compact flash/sport a replaceable battery/etc. But it could actually imply exactly what the word suggests, and yet still mean none of this. In actual fact, of course, it implies nothing, and that's why it means none of the above. "Pro" is just a badge, as meaningless as the "Sport" that adorns my car (4 doors, diesel engine).

sequoia 14y ago

Yes, Apple is very sinister & cunning, but I have devised a defense to even their most devilish hardware-standard-defying scheme: 1. Don't buy one. I wanted to add an SSD in my DVD slot & upgrade the RAM, so I bought a Lenovo and put Ubuntu on it. I know it sounds crazy, but it just might be crazy enough to work.

batiudrami 14y ago
Unfortunately if the 2880x1800 resolution is important to you, at this stage the MBP is the only option. I agree though, you can't purchase a MacBook under the assumption that it'll be upgradable. I didn't buy one and I am quite happy with my 1080p 13" laptop until high resolution Windows laptops are available.
- kibibu 14y ago
  I was under the impression that the Chromebook Pixel has a slightly better screen than the rMBP? http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebook-pixel/ http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromebook-p... edit: other commenters are saying the Chromebook Pixel doesn't have an upgradeable SSD at all.