MacBook Pro 2018 SSD Upgrade?

[Aphrodites]

I am about to buy a MacBook Pro 2018. I want the 2 TB or 4TB storage, but the cost has kept me at bay. I did some research on the internet saying that it is, or may be possible, to upgrade a MacBook Pro 2018's SSD, but the SSD is proprietary (I'm not sure whether I spelled the word right...) so I cannot get the SSD if Apple doesn't sell it to me and that there would be no reason to buy another Apple laptop's SSD just for this one. There are three questions, I am not sure whether another MacBook Pro's SSD would work on the 2018 version and that is 2 TB, because it might be available, that I can, or someone else (Perhaps Linus ?) could put the SSD into the socket, so how the old SSD is secured, and how to actually get the SSD and put it in the socket without breaking. Cost is why I'm asking this in the first place so please put where I could get the materials needed and be aware of how much they cost (If it takes a 100$ screw set, it's acceptable, but if it takes a 10000$ hydraulic whatever huge gear that takes up an entire room, no.). Thank you.

 

(edit 1)

Just so that you know, flying or taping external drives on the MacBook Pro 2018 is not an option, since it is all of very hot, easy to break, non-portable, and ugly.

(edit-end 1)

[Jz1]

Hi, I have a couple of links that might clear this up for you.

 

https://youtu.be/Xjor24HO2HA?t=196

 

https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/wqbb1Oa2qHaKclIE.huge  (the yellow squares are 64 gb each (128gb) total)

 

With everything being soldered on now, I find it difficult to assume you can upgrade the SSD. 

[Aphrodites]

@Jz1 The video is mostly about the VRM thermal throttling issue, but does say something about iFixit's teardown, it also links to a page that mentions there is no option to just simply connect a drive to another MacBook Pro, though it doesn't mention anything about removing the SSD and putting it in another MacBook Pro, since sources say it's soldered on, it does not seem like an option. Most of these sources all come to one conclusion, that your cannot upgraded a MacBook Pro and that it makes much more sense just to buy the extremely expensive ones from Apple.

 

I will keep this thread open, in case anyone comes up with another solution, but there is one more question: since it is difficult and almost impossible to upgrade a MacBook Pro 2018's SSD, why is there, as counted, at least two sites that gives the list to the best SSDs to upgrade a MacBook Pro 2018? Thank you.

[KrYpToCiD]

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/409612/Is+the+SSD+upgradeable+in+the+2017+version

 

I wouldn't recommend it. There is a big chance to get the same problem as Linus with the iMac screen. Even from 2002 Apple was starting to make their stuff non- modular (I've tear down an iBook A1007 G3 so I know what I mean )

[Aphrodites]

@KrYpToCiD The thread literally says don't do it as it's far from a DIY, so I probably can't do it. The advice is greatly appreciated, but only says what I already know. I'd say it is creative to think to other devices, as I will dig into later thanks to you (not sarcastic) , but sadly it doesn't work either.

[KrYpToCiD]

8 hours ago, Aphrodites said:

@KrYpToCiD The thread literally says don't do it as it's far from a DIY, so I probably can't do it. The advice is greatly appreciated, but only says what I already know. I'd say it is creative to think to other devices, as I will dig into later thanks to you (not sarcastic) , but sadly it doesn't work either.

Ah, okay my bad there. Now I understand what you meant. At my job we have access at BGA soldering machine and I can tell that is pretty hard to get our hands on a template for solder balls. Now, if you are going to upgrade it you might want to do it in an authorized service. If you don't care about warranty you might ask a shop like our or maybe like Luis Rossman's (I think the only difference is the fact that we don't deal so much with MacBooks or iMacs like Luis does) to solder for you the SSDs if they can. If you don't mind, I'll ask  on Monday one of my coworkers if this operation is possible or what you will need to do to make it possible. It is for sure the fact that your bill will have 3 digits. Now the trickyest part is to find what SSD is compatible with the MacBook. 

 

P.S. The soldering machine, even one 7y.o. old it is around $15k so you might want to skip buying this.

[Aphrodites]

@KrYpToCiD I'd say that over 3 digits is good enough for replacing a 3000 dollar SSD with a 1000 dollar one, and finding the 1000 dollar one as you mentioned is the tricky part so I'll try to do some research on people selling MacBook Pro 2018 SSDs. Thank you.

[KrYpToCiD]

@Aphrodites No probs. I'll reach you back when I've got exact details

[KrYpToCiD]

@Aphrodites Good news and bad news. You can solder the SSD on motherboard but it you need a more professional stuff than a generic CPU or GPU BGA soldering station. My guy said that, he could try to solder the SSD with this machine but he is not very confident about doing it, and "many things could go wrong and may damage the board or may not but he wouldn't risk it". 

 

Now it is all on you if you want to do it or not. In our country it is only one place where they can solder everything, even authorize apple services send to them more difficult stuff to solder. Now is about you betting your money to find a human-machine combo to get help you. If one or another fail, you may get something broken or not. 

[Aphrodites]

@KrYpToCiD I already bought it, took a long while to get everything setup, 1 TB SSD because that's the default and I needed the device in like August the 20th...

[KrYpToCiD]

On 9/4/2018 at 3:09 AM, Aphrodites said:

@KrYpToCiD I already bought it, took a long while to get everything setup, 1 TB SSD because that's the default and I needed the device in like August the 20th...

That date being pretty behind, it is safe to say that you already installed the SSD, right? It is working  (I'm dead curious to know how it went(

[togetit]

On 8/7/2018 at 11:41 AM, Aphrodites said:

I am about to buy a MacBook Pro 2018. I want the 2 TB or 4TB storage, but the cost has kept me at bay. I did some research on the internet saying that it is, or may be possible, to upgrade a MacBook Pro 2018's SSD, but the SSD is proprietary (I'm not sure whether I spelled the word right...) so I cannot get the SSD if Apple doesn't sell it to me and that there would be no reason to buy another Apple laptop's SSD just for this one. There are three questions, I am not sure whether another MacBook Pro's SSD would work on the 2018 version and that is 2 TB, because it might be available, that I can, or someone else (Perhaps Linus ?) could put the SSD into the socket, so how the old SSD is secured, and how to actually get the SSD and put it in the socket without breaking. Cost is why I'm asking this in the first place so please put where I could get the materials needed and be aware of how much they cost (If it takes a 100$ screw set, it's acceptable, but if it takes a 10000$ hydraulic whatever huge gear that takes up an entire room, no.). Thank you.

 

(edit 1)

Just so that you know, flying or taping external drives on the MacBook Pro 2018 is not an option, since it is all of very hot, easy to break, non-portable, and ugly.

(edit-end 1)

Better buy an 2tb or 4tb m.2 nvme ssd, use it with an external NVME enclosure & boot from it or use it as an external drive....no pint in spendin 1200$ or 3200$ ssd upgrade from appple....Samsung 970 EVO 2TB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD  is around 678$.......