Amidst all of the ongoing hoopla regarding Apple’s upcoming notebook overhaul, not much attention has been given to the possible inclusion of Solid State Drives, which would cement the need for the custom chipsets we’ve recently been hearing about.
We’ve already seen various third parties install Solid State Drives into Macs where Apple doesn’t offer the option. But when will we see the option come straight from Apple? We already know that Apple offers a 64GB SSD option in the Macbook Air, but even after the recent $500 price cut, the SSD equipped Macbook Air runs $2,598.00 at the bottom.

This past February Gizmodo reported that the “…price of flash memory is plummeting, with it dropping 75% in the last 5 months alone. In fact, 1GB chipsets are selling for as low as $2.23, with 4GB chipsets going for as low as $12.30.” While these drive capacities are simply too small for general computing purposes, the price drop is expected to make 128GB SSD’s more accessible on the consumer level.
Typically, top-of-the line professional level notebooks benefit most from solid state drives, needing faster load speeds, skip-proof protection, more secure storage, and increased boot times. At this point, drive manufacturers like Samsung can manufacture a 128 GB solid state drive for less than 64 GB drives have cost in the past.
Offering an SSD option in each and every Mac, doesn’t seem completely out of the question for Apple in its upcoming notebook overhaul.
For example, if you can only afford a $1,500 computer, and you really want a Solid State Drive, then perhaps you could buy the low-end Macbook with the optional SSD upgrade.
This seems like a legit option that Apple could include in each notebook for an additional cost. I can think of many people who this option would send over the edge in their computer purchasing decisions. Being able to sell a product for $1,500 with a solid state drive will be very difficult for competitors to defend against. Aside from the software, Apple would continue to set a new standard in the industry with hardware.
Additionally, recent reports have given light to the possible inclusion of non-Intel chipsets. Not the core CPU, which would continue to be supplied by Intel, but primarily chipsets that would be focused on decreasing power consumption in Apple’s upcoming notebook line. If true, an SSD option in each new notebook could integrate perfectly with the cutting edge chipsets that Apple could be planning to use.
Some Advantages of Solid State Drives listed on Wikipedia:
Apple continues to set itself apart from its competitors. If the trend is to continue, we need to see Solid State Drives, or an option to have them built-to-order directly from Apple.
3 Comments to “Is Apple Planning a Solid State Drive Option in All Upcoming Notebooks?”
HI THERE APPLE NOW HAS A 128 GB SOLID STATE DRIVE FOR ALL LAPTOP MODELS MACBOOK AND MACBOOK PRO AS WELL MACBBOK AIR APPLES 128 GB SSD DRIVE IS STILL $500 FOR DOUBLE CAPACITY SOO ITS A GOOD TIME TOO JUMP ON THE SOLID STATE DRIVES
[Reply]
HI THERE WOW HOW COME APPLE IS OFEERING A 256 GB SSD FOR $900 ON THE 17 INCH MACBOOK PRO WITH THE 2.93 GHZ AND 4 GB OF RAM THATS GOING TOO COST $3,900 AND WITH THE 8 GB OF RAM WILL TOTAL $5,200
[Reply]
It’s amazing just how fast SSD’s are evolving. There’s just non-stop announcements and new shipping products with speed and capacity increases left and right. The Apple Store’s build-to-order pricing on laptop SSD’s is really inconsistent: the more the laptop costs, the cheaper per GB the 128 or 256GB SSD option is.
Apple’s pulling a pretty good squeeze-play: The SSD’s are (of course) way overpriced. But it’d cost $100-200 above and beyond the cost of a retail SSD to have a competent tech install an SSD and clone your files on it – so it’s kind of a wash.
I see SSD’s aren’t listed as a BTO option for the Mini, nor any 3.5″ drive form-factor model like iMac or Pro tower.
[Reply]