Need Help!! Trying to figure out Fusion Drive option for Macbook!

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Smitty88

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I have a Macbook Pro 13" Mid 2012 Non Retina.
Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory: 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Two 2GB

I will be upgrading the laptop to two hard drives and trying to combine them into a fusion drive. I would like to get a Samsung 850 Evo 500GB SSD to replace my stock hard drive and use as a boot drive. I am looking at taking out my Optical Superdrive and replacing it with a new 7200rpm 2.5" SATA III capable 500GB HDD. I will be using this more for storage, music, videos, photos etc...

My question is, is the cable connection for the Optical Superdrive slot SATA II or is it SATA III capable. I have looked at tons of forums and some people say it is SATA II some say it is SATA III...I also contacted Apple and they did not even have a clue about their own laptop! Can someone with experience with this exact laptop and knowledge please help me out? I do not want to waste money purchasing a SATA III capable HDD if I can only use SATA II where the optical drive is located.

I am trying to upgrade my Macbook to be quick as possible, run smooth and be efficient. I have noticed my battery has started to get worse overtime as well. Does anybody know about a power source/battery upgrade for this mac book as well?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!
 
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Nope, it doesn't say it only supports those types and sizes. What's explicitly cited are Configurable options, meaning the original hardware upgrades available at the time the model was being sold. For example, by default your model ships with a 500 GB 5400 HD. However, you may upgrade for a modest fee (well, not so modest) to a 750 GB HD, 128 GB SSD, 256 GB SSD, or a 512 GB SSD. Notice, likewise, that the RAM can be officially upgraded to 8 GB, though in this case 16 GB is the technical limit.

The end result? Yes, you can use a 1 TB SSD and 16 GB of RAM, if you so choose.
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itmoba

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No, your MBP model cannot use a SATA III HD in the optical bay. However, the SSD you're swapping in for the main HD will NOT have Trim by default -- Trim can only be enabled by third-party software.
 
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Smitty88

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I just researched you answer I found out in my system report my Superdrive is running on an Intel Series 7 Chipset with a link speed of 6 Gigabit. So it seems it is capable of SATA III speeds, I guess I answered part of my own question. Thank you for responding though!
 
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itmoba

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{1} Nope, SATA III isn't really supported and there're a lot of compatibility issues which tend to surface.

{2} If you're running OS X 10.10.4, then, included with it is the command "trimforce" to enable Trim support on third-party hardware. If, however, you don't have OS X 10.10.4 running, then, you'll need to use third-party software. There're several to choose from, but most cost money. I do know of one, however, that's free: "Chameleon SSD".

{3} My advice is that you don't go with a Fusion drive and instead buy a decent Samsung SSD with a 1TB capacity. Here's why: First, let's take into account the amount of money you'll end up spending on (i.) a bay converter, (ii.) the tools necessary to open up the MBP, and (iii.) the new HD. Once that's said and done, it becomes quite apparent that you'll end up spending just as much in buying the 1TB model SSD when compared to the other steps necessary to make a Fusion drive.

If you really want a backup drive, I'd go with a portable USB pocket drive (not to be confused with USB dongles).
 
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Smitty88

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Thanks for responding again. I wish I could do a 1TB SSD. I would pick up the 1TB in a second, my issue according to Mac's technical specifications.. my MBP will only support up to 512GB SSD. I called Newegg, spoke to a technician and they confirmed this was the case. I think I will have to end up going with the 500GB Samsung 850 Pro. Are they wrong? If I can actually install a 1TB SSD in my laptop I will do that in a second, change my RAM out and call it a day.
 
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itmoba

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Aug 14, 2015
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Nope, it doesn't say it only supports those types and sizes. What's explicitly cited are Configurable options, meaning the original hardware upgrades available at the time the model was being sold. For example, by default your model ships with a 500 GB 5400 HD. However, you may upgrade for a modest fee (well, not so modest) to a 750 GB HD, 128 GB SSD, 256 GB SSD, or a 512 GB SSD. Notice, likewise, that the RAM can be officially upgraded to 8 GB, though in this case 16 GB is the technical limit.

The end result? Yes, you can use a 1 TB SSD and 16 GB of RAM, if you so choose.
 
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