The Mac Pro (Late 2013) has one user-accessible flash storage slot supporting flash storage capacities of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB.

Mce Ships 1tb Pcie-based Flash Storage Upgrade For Mac. April 6 2020 Owners of a 13-inch and 15-inch 2013 – 2015 MacBook Pro with Retina Displays.

Before removing flash memory, make sure your data is backed up. Also, be sure you are planning to use a compatible flash storage device.

Part 1: Remove the enclosure

1. Before you open your Mac Pro, shut it down by choosing Shut Down from the Apple () menu.
2. If the computer is warm to the touch, wait approximately 5-10 minutes for the computer to cool down.
3. Touch the metal enclosure on the outside of the Mac Pro to discharge any static electricity.
   Important: Always discharge static before you touch parts or install components inside your Mac Pro. To avoid generating static, don't move around the room until you finish installing the flash storage device and slide the enclosure back onto the computer.
4. Unplug all the cables and the power cord from your Mac Pro. Do not attempt to install flash storage while the Mac Pro is plugged in.
5. Slide the enclosure latch to the right to unlock the enclosure.
6. Next, lift the enclosure straight up and off the computer and carefully set it aside.

Part 2: Remove existing flash memory

1. The flash storage device (A) is attached to the graphics board by a T8 Torx screw.
2. Using a T8 screwdriver, remove the screw that secures the flash storage device to the graphics board. Do not let the screwdriver make contact with other areas of the graphics board or damage may result.
3. Place the T8 Torx screw in a safe place. You will need it when installing other flash storage.
4. With one hand, gently hold the sides of the flash storage device and gently lift it straight up to disengage it from the flash storage connector located at the bottom of the device.
5. Once disengaged from the flash storage connector, pull the flash storage device away from the graphics board and place it into an electro-static discharge (ESD) protective bag.
6. DO NOT pull the flash storage device away from the graphics board until it has completely disengaged from the flash storage connector or you may damage the connector.

Part 3: Installing flash memory

1. Before reinstalling the replacement flash storage, carefully inspect the connector. The flash storage is keyed with a thin slot that connects with the flash storage connector to prevent incorrect installation.
2. Orient the flash storage so that it will connect with the flash storage connector.
3. While holding the flash storage parallel to the graphics board, place the flash storage contacts into the graphics board flash storage connector.
4. Gently push down until it is fully seated. Do not force the flash storage device into position. If the flash storage device doesn't appear to fit, verify that you are using a compatible device, and that the key on the flash storage device is oriented correctly to connect with the flash storage connector on the graphics board.

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5. With the flash storage device in place, carefully install the T8 screw that you removed earlier. Do not let the screwdriver make contact with other areas of the graphics board or damage may result.

Part 4: Reinstall the enclosure

1. Carefully lower the enclosure over the Mac Pro being careful not to touch any of the circuit boards.
2. You may need to gently push down on the enclosure in order for it to seat fully.
3. Once the enclosure is fully seated, slide the enclosure latch to the left to lock it.
4. If the enclosure latch does not move all of the way to the left, verify that the enclosure is properly installed and fully seated, then try again.
5. You are now ready to connect a power cord, display, and other peripherals.
6. If the drive isn't already formatted with a file system or doesn't have a bootable operating system, start up in Internet Recovery mode by holding down the Command, Option, and R keys. Once started, you can format and reinstall OS X or restore data using a Time Machine backup if you have one available.

Retina Display MacBook Pro Q&A

Revision Published January 31, 2019

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How do you upgrade or replace the storage in the 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models? Is it even possible?

By default, all 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models are configured with either 256 GB or 512 GB of SSD storage.

As originally introduced on June 11, 2012, Apple only offered 768 GB of storage for the high-end MacBook Pro 'Core i7' 2.6 15' (Retina). However, as first reported by C Net, starting on or around August 2, 2012, Apple also added 512 GB and 768 GB storage options for the entry-level model. Via custom configuration, the 'Early 2013' models had 768 GB of storage as a option and all subsequent models have had 1 TB as an option.

Officially, it is not possible for an end user to upgrade the storage in any Retina Display MacBook Pro model after purchase. However, as firstdiscovered by site sponsor Other World Computing, the SSD is installed as a removable module in all of these notebooks, but different lines use different types of proprietary 'blade' SSD modules and it is particularly important to identify the MacBook Pro and the SSD precisely as a result.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro)

Identification Help

The 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models can be quickly identified collectively as they lack an internal optical drive and all earlier 15-Inch MacBook Pro models have one. As of the date last updated (see top), all 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models also share a unique Model Number -- specifically A1398.

However, as the 'Mid-2012' and 'Early 2013' lines use one SSD, the 'Late 2013' and 'Mid-2014' lines another, and the 'Mid-2015' models yet another, the model number is not precise enough identification for the purpose of upgrading the SSD. For this purpose, it will be necessary to use the external EMC Number or the Model Identifier in software.

As always, EveryMac.com has painstakingly hand documented these details for your convenience:

Download sniper elite 1 free. EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- additionally can uniquely identify each of the 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models by their serial numbers.

Upgrade Obstacles & Compatible SSD Details

Apple does not intend for end users to upgrade the SSD in these models themselves. The company even has used uncommon 'pentalobe' screws -- also called five-point Torx screws -- to make the upgrade more difficult. However, access is straightforward with the correct screwdriver, the SSD modules are removable, and Apple has not blocked upgrades in firmware, either. There are two significantly different SSD designs for these models, though.

Specifically, the 'Mid-2012' and 'Early 2013' models use a 6 Gb/s SATA-based SSD whereas the 'Late 2013,'Mid-2014' and 'Mid-2015' models use a PCIe 2.0-based SSD. These SSD modules are neither interchangeable nor backwards compatible with earlier systems.

As a result, third-parties, like site sponsor OWC have released a 6 Gb/s SATA-based SSD upgrade with a compatible connector for the 'Mid-2012' and 'Early 2013' models and another PCIe 2.0-based flash SSD with a compatible connector for the 'Late 2013' and subsequent MacBook Pro models.

By default, from testing the 'Late 2013' and 'Mid-2014' models, OWC discovered that when a 'blade' SSD from a Cylinder Mac Pro is installed in one of these systems, it 'negotiates a x4 PCIe connection versus the stock cards, which negotiate a x2 PCIe connection.' This means that these Retina MacBook Pro provided more than 1200 MB/s drive performance, a huge jump from the standard SSD.

Apple boasts that the 'Mid-2015' systems have 'up to 2.5 times faster flash storage than the previous generation' of 15-Inch MacBook Pro models. In independent testing, OWC confirmed that the stock SSD in these models have read speeds around 2000 MB/s and write speeds around 1200 MB/s. These numbers are in line with Apple's performance claim compared to the SSDs that the company offered with the previous models, but not compared to the maximum speed that the previous systems unofficially can support.

Consequently, all of these models can support larger SSDs than the ones provided by default, but some models can (at least theoretically) support faster SSDs, as well.

OWC additionally sells an Envoy Pro bus-powered external enclosure so the original SSD can be repurposed as an external drive.

Upgrade Instructions (Mid-2012 & Early 2013 Models)

The bottom plate of the 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro is held in place with ten screws of differing lengths, but when the bottom of the notebook is removed, it's simply a matter of disconnecting the battery and removing one more screw to pop out the SSD.

OWC provides this straightforward upgrade video for the 'Mid-2012' and 'Early 2013' models, specifically, and later models have a similar procedure:

This video explains how to install the original SSD from your 15-Inch MacBook Pro in OWC's convenient 'Envoy Pro' housing to repurpose it as an external drive:

By watching these videos, you should be able to determine if you feel comfortable performing this upgrade yourself or if you would instead prefer to hire a professional.

SSD Purchase Options

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computer sells the compatible Mercury Aura Pro 6 Gb/s SATA and PCIe-based SSDs as well as compatible external peripherals.

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In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells 15' Retina Display MacBook Pro compatible SSDs with free shipping. The company provides flat rate shipping to France, Germany, and Switzerland and inexpensive shipping for all of Europe, too.

In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells 15' Retina Display MacBook Pro compatible SSDs with guaranteed compatibility, fast shipping, and no customs.

In Australia, site sponsors Macfixit and Upgradeable sell 15' Retina Display MacBook Pro compatible SSDs with fast shipping, a money-back guarantee and more.

In New Zealand, site sponsor Upgradeable New Zealand sells 15' Retina Display MacBook Pro SSDs with fast delivery to all corners of the country, precise compatibility, a lifetime warranty, and a money-back guarantee.

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