It seems, we’re still a few more years before we can upgrade laptops the same way we upgrade desktops. At the very least, upgrading memory storage has been applied in some devices, including the Apple Mac products.
Transcend introduces the JetDrive 850, an SSD to upgrade your old device to give it an adrenaline rush for life.
The JetDrive 850 is compatible to the MacBook Pro (late 2013-mid 2015), MacBook Air (mid 2013-2017), Mac mini (late 2014), and Mac Pro (late 2013). It supports MacOS High Sierra (10.13) or later.
All the tools you will ever need are found inside the box. This includes a T5 and P5 screwdrivers, which is really convenient. Unlike the 855, which comes with an enclosure, the 850 doesn’t have one. Transcend is banking on the idea that you’re already have an enclosure, which is where the 850 kicks in.
So what we have here is the Transcend JetDrive 850. It sports 480GB SSD, which can make your device run at blazing speeds. Say, if your typical boot up time is 60 seconds with an HHD, expect just about five seconds when using an SSD.
It might be worth pointing out that JetDrive 850 is PCIe Gen 3 x4 NVMe SSD. NVMe is four times faster than SATA SSDs from the past few years. The installation of this into your machine gives it a speed boost that will make you forget what it is ever like to wait.
Read speed kicks in at 1,600MB/s and writes at 1,400mB/s. Now that’s fast, whether you have this in an enclosure or directly installed into your machine. As Transcend likes to put it, the PCIe Gen 3 x4 interface is powerful enough to run the latest 3D NAN flash, giving the 850 real-time performance for video editing and 3D graphics rendering, which are no small feats for machines.
Before you start prying you Mac machine open and start upgrading. It is always recommended that you backup your files. Use Disk Utility or set up a Time Machine.
Use the T5 screwdriver to open the lid underneath the MacBook Pro or Air and you should see the old SSD in there, which can be detached easily, and for you to install the new one. When you boot up your machine, hold “Command” and “R” to enter Disk Utility and retrieve your files.
Finally, Transcend intros the JetDrive Toolbox. It’s designed to help you monitor your SSD, keeping it up-to-date, preventing functional degradation, and predicts problems. It also monitors the SSD’s lifespan and checks for firmware updates. It’s quite handy to have around.
Scan the QR code to watch a tutorial video. Transcend showcased transferring an SSD from an enclosure to a laptop with an 820. It’s practically the same steps with the 850.