5 Best SSD for Macbook Pro to Buy in 2022

Apple MacBook Pro is a high-end laptop famous for its ultra-slim design, high-resolution display, long-lasting battery life, and other great features. But all these features will be a waste of money if you have not installed the best internal SSD drive. Without a doubt, you need the best SSD for Macbook Pro to enhance the speed of your MacBook.

 SSD storage drives have been around for a while, but they’ve become popular recently with the advancement of new technologies. And now, a new model of Solid-state drives is much faster in speed and performance than the previous generation.

Also, in comparison, the performance of an SSD is much higher than that of a standard hard drive (HDD) because these types of drives have moving parts that lead storage to perform slowly.

So, that main reason to invest in SSD instead of standard storage hard disk. Because only the best SSD can lead your Macbook pro toward better performance. Because it is a crucial part of your Apple device if you want to maximize the performance and speed to perform demanding tasks efficiently.

 Need to mention, MacBook Pro is a high-end laptop, and with that comes a higher price tag, and SSD is also an expensive one. It means the cost of SSD per GB is much higher than standard hard drives. So both are going to make a big hole in your pocket. However, prices of SSD significantly decrease with time and are now almost affordable for every type of budget.

 But there are many different brands and models of SSD’s, each with its advantages and disadvantages. So, how can you decide which drive is best for all your needs? An ideal SSD for your Macbook pro should be reliable, fast, compatible, durable, and affordable. And in our testing found that WD Blue 3D is the best SSD for Macbook Pro, with almost all the features and quality that SSD must-have.

But there are some other great players that need to look like Samsung 860 EVO, SanDisk Extreme Portable, Crucial MX500, and Transcend letDrive 820.

Best SSD for MacBook Pro

    Western Digital 1TB WD Blue 3D

    The WD SATA SSD is built with 3D NAND technology that is great for higher capacity points to meet your growing storage and performance needs and as well higher efficiency. Meaning this 3D NAND-based SSD has improved performance over the previous generation of Western Digital SSDs regarding reliability and power efficiency.

    Also, need to mention,  as compared to 2D NAND, 3D NAND technology provides much higher performance, speed, takes less space, and is also highly reliable. Besides other features, reliability is the main feature that makes it the best SSD for Macbook Pro.

    This drive can read and write data up to 600TBW, which is quite good but still very low compared to Samsung 870, which claimed 2,400 TBW. Additionally, it can stand up to 1.75M hours that is the impressive lifespan of any storage drive. Moreover, it comes with a five-year warranty, a plus point to invest in WD Blue 3D.

    However, the design and casing are not very stylish and attractive. So, it is not great for Macbook users who like to show off their storage drives. WD advertised Seq. Read and write sped 560 MB/s and 530 MB/s respective, but on our benchmark, it was almost around 470 MB/s for writing, but reading was slightly higher.

    Moreover, the access time was 0.123ms. However, it performs very slowly on 4K videos. For example, on 4k files, it was only 374 MB/s for reading and 331 MB/s for writing the files. Furthermore, if you have already used a WD storage drive and experienced a higher power consumption rate, this is no issue with this drive which consumed 25% less power than the previous generation WD drives.

    Additionally, this storage comes with free official software for backup, cloning, and monitoring drive health. This SSD has a capacity of 1TBGB which can be increased to 4TB if you need more space. So, you can store all your all critical files, including videos, high-quality images, and other documents, on this highly reliable and fast drive.

    However, this drive is only compatible with an older model of MacBook Pro and does not work with a new model like Macbook pro-2014.

    Pros
    • Highly reliablenLower price per GBnExcellent bundle of utility softwaren5year of warrantynGood Seq reading and writing speednQuite good TBWnConsume less powern
    Cons
    • Very old fashioned designnSlow performance on 4K videosn

    Samsung 870

    The Samsung brand is best known for its storage drives with the familiar green box Iconic to tech enthusiasts/techies worldwide. Its popular 850 EVO, 850 Pro, and 860 EVO series have stood at the top of their class, especially in the gaming community and running other high-end applications for years for a good reason.

    Although, these SSDs series have great features, including a five-year warranty and excellent durability. But last year, Samsung 870 EVO debuted with improvements on all of the strengths of the EVO 850 and 860 add a few more nifty features. Though, the 870 EVO, like 850 EVO, is built on V-NAND technology.

    But this technology has been refined and improved in this drive. For example, EVO 870 is now developed with the 6th gen of V-NAND, which means more powerful SSD storage to handle high computing applications.

    Additionally, capable of handling 8K files and has more TBW (600) capacity. While the previous generation drives as 850 can only read and write data up to 300TBW. Also, the 870 EVO comes with a five-year limited warranty.

    Moreover, Samsung 870 EVO is a 2.5-inch with 3rd SATA interface, making it a good fit for Macbook and other thin computing devices like a notebook. From a cost perspective, it’s designed for cost-conscious consumers who want an excellent balance of performance and price with Samsung storage devices.

    Compared with EVO 850, its price is surprisingly much lower – even it is only $0.12-$0.16 per GB. However, the EVO 870’s prices are not consistent and continuously changing – really puzzling pricing sometimes. Further, need to mention Samsung 870 EVO has proven to be an industry-leading performer in the SATA III SSD segment by delivering class-leading random read and write speeds.

    With sequential read and write speeds up to 560MB/s and 530MB/s, respectively, this fast storage solution offers improved responsiveness, reducing user wait time. Need to say, 870 EVO proofed all things that Samsung advertised.

    And it is the perfect solution for high-end applications, including video editing (up to 8k), gaming, and graphics designing and running other similar high computing apps. Moreover, setup and installation are like a breeze, just a couple of minute’s games.

    Overall, this is the best SSD for Macbook Pro at a low price point that can compete favorably with other high-end drives without sacrificing too much performance. So, if your Macbook is struggling with performance and responsiveness, then give it a try to Samsung EVO, sure it will provide a new life for your device.

    Moreover, an official tool called Data Migration will help you migrate data from the old drive to EVO 870. But, sometimes, this tool does not work correctly.

    Oh, I forget to mention storage capacity. Samsung Electronics 870 EVO comes with different storage configuration including 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 5TB.

    Pros
    • Extreme performancenCapable of handling 8k filesnExcellent TBW ratenQuick installationnExtreme responsivenessnGood storage capacityn
    Cons
    • Inconsistent pricingnSeem complex and horrible data migration processn

    SanDisk 4TB Extreme Portable SSD

    SanDisk is a well-known brand famous for its Flash memory products globally. And the company has promised to provide high-quality flash memory storage for the customers, and that’s why it is becoming more and more popular these days. This product from SanDisk is an Extreme external SSD that is a perfect fit for MacBook pro if you would like to keep your data on an external storage device.

    This ultra-fast, ultra-portable storage device will keep all your photos, videos, games, and other files safe and secure, mainly when featured with hardware-based encryption, and provides an option to secure storage with a password. However, to enable this feature for Mac, you have to download the required software from their official website to protect the drive with a password.

     Additionally, the design is eye-catching and premium-looking, and the weight is just ‎1.76 ounces. Moreover, a handy Carabiner loop on a drive is easy to hold with a finger and easy to belt with a backpack on innovation. Likewise, this drive is enclosed with an aluminum casing that provides high protection from any physical damages.

    For example, it offers excellent resistance against drop and dust. Even, it can survive more than three minutes underwater. So you can take them wherever you go and enjoy them whenever you want.

    SanDisk Extreme NVMe SSD provides a much faster speed than most SATA SSD drives in performance and speed. It gives higher reading and writing speed than top rivals like WD Blue 3D and Samsung EVO 870. SanDisk quoted 1050MB/s and up to 1000MB/s read and write speeds, respectively.

    But in our experience, this figure was not identical. For example, read speed only crossed 900MBs figure while writing speed was little good but still not satisfactory from advertising perspective like around  924MB/s.

    However, this speed is still pretty good to do heavy computing tasks. But its pricing model of 1TB is costly than Samsung EVO 870 and WD Blue 3D. However, its price deserves this money because it offers double speed and performance than both of these.

    Need to mention, this external storage SSD has a USB 3.2 port and a USB Type C port for easy connectivity. And also, 2nd gen of USB 3.2 provides a max of 10 Gbps to deliver much faster data backup capability. However, the data cable that comes with the drive is very short in length.

     Furthermore, this external storage drive is compatible with Mac devices and compatible with a wide arrange of other devices. Even you can connect with your smartphone. Moreover, this SSD has a storage capacity of 500 GB, 1TB, 2TB, and even 4TB, which is enough to store your photos, videos, and much more.

    So overall, SanDisk is the best external SSD drive for MacBook Pro that will deliver much more than your money.

    Pros
    • Solid performancenExcellent speednExtremely portablenBuilt-in resistancenHigh secure and reliablenSolid design with Aluminum casingn5year of warrantynDurable and easy to gripn
    Cons
    • Expensive per GB compared to top rivalsnPoor quality and short cablen

    Crucial MX500

    Crucial MX500 is always the best performer for an average level of computing task and is compatible mainly with significant devices. This cheap drive is like a piece of cake for those who don’t want to invest in premium devices. And I am sure you will fall in love with MX500.

     With Max500, you can bring back your old MacBook to be just like new again. Max500 is the best way to upgrade your Mac device and get a fresh new life for your device that will include faster boot time, quick loading files, and fast file access.

    It supports 3NAND technology which ensures stability over an extended period. From a cost perspective, it is very affordable as it’s around $0.5 per GB for one TB storage model, which is one of the lowest costs per GB on any solid-state drive in its class.

    MX500 is likely the first drive Crucial has produced with TLC NAND instead of MLC. But TLC technology doesn’t compete well against MLC in performance speed or reliability. Still, it works very well compared to QLC.

    Furthermore, it includes an integrated setup protector against sudden file loss by preventing power failures. For instance, if you’re using a MacBook laptop and the power suddenly cuts out, causing your machine to shut down without warning unexpectedly.

    There’s a possibility your current open files will be corrupted or damaged in some way. The good news is that MX500 includes built-in features called Power Loss Immunity that essentially helps the SSD drive endure unexpected power cuts.

    Besides other feature, MX500 also include 5years of warranty. Additionally, it has Aes 256-bit encryption to keep your data safe and secure. Moreover, crucial quoted 560MB/s reading and 510 MB/s writing Seq will provide excellent performance to your old MacBook.

    While on the one hand, Crucial MX500 offers reliability and fast performance But it has less than stellar endurance compared to other models at just 360TBW when most competitors offer 600TBW or more like WD Blue 3D. So, MX500 is not a great option for heavy reading and writing operations.

    However, overall, if you need the best energy-efficient SSD drive at a lower price with good performance, then Crucial MX500 is an excellent choice.

    Pros
    • Lower pricenPlenty of storage capacitynAdequate warrantynExcellent TBW ratingnPower loss data protectionnExcellent performancenSolid hardware encryptionn
    Cons
    • The design needs some changesnNot premium performancen

    Transcend JetDrive 820

    Transcend JetDrive SSD drive price is much higher than above mentioned. But this drive deserver for that price because it comes with PCIe Gen3 x2 interface. Till now, we have only discussed SATA SSD drives which are 3times slow in performance and speed than PCIe.

    This means that it will provide your MacBook with faster read/write speeds than any other SATA SSD t. You will enjoy outstanding system speed and fast boot-ups never like before. Additionally, it works with most Apple MacBook models from 2015 and macOS Yosemite-based devices. However, you cannot use this drive on any other Host other than Mac-based systems.
    Transcend JetDrive offers 950 MB/s speed for both read and writer. That is plenty compared with WD Blue 3D, Samsung 870, Crucial MX500. Furthermore, this drive comes with a pretty awesome software package. That Toolbox will help you monitor storage health, reaming lifespan of drive, and other valuable features.

    Pros
    • Extreme performancenExcellent reading and writing speednGood software packagen
    Cons
    • Much costlynOnly compatible with Mac devicesn

    SSD vs HDD for Macbook pro – Which is one is best?

    Solid-state drives are the wave of the future; they’re quicker, more energy-efficient, and smaller than their mechanical counterparts. At the same time, traditional hard drives offer larger capacities and are far less expensive per gigabyte of space provided.

    Since solid-state drive prices have come down in recent years, many users are now opting to use them as boot drives and for high-demand applications such as video editing. However, does it make sense to shell out the extra money for an SSD when you could get a comparably sized mechanical hard drive at a fraction of the cost?

    Here are some features to look for in an SSD:

    Good storage

    Solid-state drives come in several different capacities ranging from 250GB to 5TB. While anyone can use a smaller SSD for basic computations, others may require more storage capacity like the ones used for video editing or gaming. If you only need the storage to store data and save backups, the best option is to get an HDD. However, some companies also offer cloud storage services if you want extra flexibility with your storage capacity.

    Price

    Of course, price is the main factor that makes and changes the mind toward purchase since each SSD has a different pricing range for each storage mode like 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. So, it depends on your budget which price is best for you. However, WD storage drives are cheaper than others.

    Low power consumption

    Besides other advantages of solid-state storage drives, they also help to reduce energy consumption. This means solid state drive consumes less energy than standard hard drives. But this case is not the same with all SSD drives; it depends on integrated chips and which technology is being used, which determines how much power one device may consume. Therefore, go for a solid-state brand drive that takes low power for output like WD Blue 3D.

    High speed

    It would be best to look for an SSD drive that provides high Seq—reading and writing speeds for good performance and speed. For example, WD provides sequential 560 MB/s reading and 530 MB/s writing speed while Samsung EVO 860 has read and write speeds up to 560MB/s and 530MB/s.

    However, buying a drive with super-fast sequential read and write speeds is not mandatory. You can get just as good performance from a solid-state drive with slower sequential speeds if it has high random 4K read and write IOPS.

    Compatibility with Macbook Pro

    Make sure to check whether or not you’re purchasing an SSD drive compatible with your Mac laptop or desktop computer before hitting the buy button. Some drives may require 3rd party adapters and compatibility to work correctly, whereas others will be compatible straight out of the box.

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