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Unibody MacBook Pro Q&A
Update Published August 10, 2021
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How do you replace the optical drive in the "Unibody" MacBook Pro models with a hard drive or SSD? Is it possible?
Apple does not intend for the "Unibody" MacBook Pro models -- which consist of the "Late 2008," "Early 2009," "Mid-2009," "Mid-2010," "Early 2011," "Late 2011" and non-Retina Display "Mid-2012" MacBook Pro lines -- to have the optical drive replaced with a second hard drive or an SSD, but it is quite possible.
In fact, with an upgrade kit and the right tools, it is a straightforward procedure, even.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. ("Unibody" MacBook Pro Models)
Identification Help
If you're not sure which "Unibody" MacBook Pro model you have, many of these systems share Model Numbers, unfortunately. EMC Numbers are not externally listed, either.
However, for the purpose of replacing the optical drive with a secondary storage drive, the Model Identifier in software is sufficiently unique:
MacBook Pro |
Subfamily |
Model ID |
Late 2008 |
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Late 2008 |
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Late 2008 |
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Early 2009 |
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Early 2009 |
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Early 2009 |
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Early 2009 |
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Mid-2009 13" |
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Mid-2009 13" |
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Mid-2009 15" |
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Mid-2009 15" |
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Mid-2009 15" |
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Mid-2009 15" |
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Mid-2009 17" |
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Mid-2009 17" |
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Mid-2010 13" |
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Mid-2010 13" |
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Mid-2010 15" |
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Mid-2010 15" |
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Mid-2010 15" |
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Mid-2010 15" |
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Mid-2010 17" |
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Mid-2010 17" |
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Mid-2010 17" |
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Early 2011 13" |
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Early 2011 13" |
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Early 2011 15" |
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Early 2011 15" |
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Early 2011 15" |
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Early 2011 17" |
||
Early 2011 17" |
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Late 2011 13" |
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Late 2011 13" |
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Late 2011 15" |
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Late 2011 15" |
||
Late 2011 15" |
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Late 2011 17" |
||
Late 2011 17" |
||
Mid-2012 13" |
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Mid-2012 13" |
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Mid-2012 15" |
||
Mid-2012 15" |
||
Mid-2012 15" |
More details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
Optimal Replacement Drive Details
All of these MacBook Pro "Unibody" models can hold a 9.55mm tall 2.5" SATA hard drive or SSD instead of the optical drive. All can accommodate a SATA 3.0 (6 Gb/s) drive, but as first noted by site sponsor OWC, in many models, it is better to use a SATA 2.0 (3 Gb/s) drive because these models will run a SATA 3.0 drive at the much slower SATA 1.0 (1.5 Gb/s) speed.
Consequently, note that all MacBook Pro "Unibody" notebooks with these Model IDs should use a SATA 2.0 (3 Gb/s) drive to maximize performance:
- MacBookPro5,1
- MacBookPro5,2
- MacBookPro5,3
- MacBookPro5,4
- MacBookPro5,5
- MacBookPro8,2
- MacBookPro8,3
- MacBookPro9,1
- MacBookPro9,2
Most curiously, note that the 13" Late 2011 MacBook Pro (MacBookPro8,1) is capable of running a SATA 3.0 (6 Gb/s) drive at full speed whereas its larger 15" and 17" counterparts are not.
Optical Drive Replacement & Storage Installation Instructions
The easiest way to swap out the optical drive with a second hard drive or an SSD is to use a bracket like the Data Doubler from site sponsor Other World Computing.
OWC provides step-by-step instructional videos for each compatible model:
15" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Late 2008 (MacBookPro5,1)
17" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Early 2009 (MacBookPro5,2)
13" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2009 (MacBookPro5,5)
15" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2009 (MacBookPro5,3)
13" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2010 (MacBookPro7,1)
15" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2010 (MacBookPro6,2)
17" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2010 (MacBookPro6,1)
15" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Early 2011/Late 2011 (MacBookPro8,2) & Mid-2012 (MacBookPro9,1)
17" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Early 2011/Late 2011 (MacBookPro8,3)
13" MacBook Pro Optical/Storage Swap Upgrade Video
Mid-2012 (MacBookPro9,2)
After watching the video for your specific model, you should be able to determine whether or not this is an upgrade you would feel comfortable performing yourself or if you would prefer to hire a professional.
In addition to the Data Doubler, OWC sells a wide variety of hard drives and SSDs and external optical drives compatible with this MacBook Pro.
Also see: Are SD Card storage expansion options available for the "Unibody" MacBook Pro models? Which are compatible? Is this type of storage a good idea for these models?
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