OWC: Internal SSD for 2012 MacBook Pro With Retina

Other World Computing (OWC) announced the Mercury Aura Pro and Envoy Pro, an internal and external SSD solution for 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina display (rMBP) computers.

Available in 480GB capacity, the 6Gb SandForce Driven Mercury Aura Pro offers rMBP owners up to nearly 3x more storage and/or backup capacity than the factory base model 128GB flash module. The Envoy Pro offers continued use of the factory flash module after upgrading with the Aura Pro. OWC highlighted the Mercury Aura Pro and Envoy Pro along with its line of SSDs during the Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas, NE.

Eliminates ‘Factory Locked’ Storage Configuration,
Offers Savings Over Factory Upgrade
Instead of being ‘factory locked’, the Aura Pro gives rMBP owners the freedom to upgrade internal capacity to meet storage needs. When first introduced, the MacBook Pro with Retina display base model offered a 256GB SSD configuration with no upgrade option. Current 13- and 15-inch base model SSD configurations range from 128GB to 256GB. The 480GB Mercury Aura Pro offers a $220 savings over the comparable sized 512GB factory capacity upgrade costing $800. And just like other OWC upgrades, all required installation tools and a free ‘how-to’ video are included to make the Aura Pro an easy and money-saving DIY upgrade.

Envoy Pro Offers Continued Use of Factory Flash Module
A benefit for Apple notebook owners when choosing an OWC SSD is the retention of the original factory flash module. When upgrading directly with the factory, consumers pay for the base flash capacity module, but do not get that original base flash module returned to them for re-use. Thanks to the Envoy Pro portable enclosure, rMBP owners upgrading with a Mercury Aura Pro SSD can re-task the original factory flash module as a USB 3.0/2.0 bus-powered external drive for additional storage and/or backup duty.

Expert Tested and Reviewed
Several technology sites have noted the Mercury Aura Pro’s performance advantage compared to the Apple factory SSDs.

• Electronista.com pointed out "new and improved" Apple SSDs reach read speeds of 461MB/s and write speeds of 364MB/s, while the Mercury Aura Pro is rated at up to 500MB/s.
• SSD industry source TheSSDReview.com found SandForce driven based SSDs offer "excellent performance" over 500MB/s and that these SSDs "excel in highly compressible data testing which is the bread and butter of typical consumer use."
• The Mac Observer performed benchmark testing and declared:" The Aura Pro SSD outperforms the Apple SSD in nearly every way. For rMBP owners (or soon-to-be-owners) who ordered a model with the stock SSD, the upgrade to the Aura Pro is a no-brainer if you need more capacity, speed, or both."

Pricing, Availability
The Mercury Aura Pro for the 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina display computers is available as a drive only for $579.99 and value priced bundle with the Envoy Pro for $629.99. Additional capacity models will be announced later in 2013.

"We’re thrilled to offer the only complete, high-performance internal and external SSD-based storage solution to owners of the most advanced Apple MacBook offered," said Larry O’Connor, founder and CEO, OWC. "With the base Retina models offering as little as 128GB capacity, our mission was to create a SSD with greater capacity, but with significant cost savings versus comparable-sized factory options. Our second challenge was to design an external enclosure that could handle the power requirements of the factory flash module. Envoy Pro is an exceptional feat of engineering and Retina owners will find it was certainly worth the wait."

Continues First-to-Market Upgrade Streak
The Mercury Aura Pro for the 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina display computers continues OWC’s two-year streak as being a manufacturer offering an SSD upgrade for the latest Apple notebook computers. There’s an Aura Pro/Envoy enclosure bundle offering up to 480GB capacity and continued use of the factory flash module for 2010, 2011 and 2012 MacBook Air computers starting at $179.99. OWC also supports legacy MacBook Air machines back to 2008 that require an IDE/ATA (PATA) type drive.

In addition to offering upgrades for the latest Apple machines, OWC also offers 3Gb and 6Gb Mercury SSDs for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade in capacities from 30GB to 1TB with prices starting from $45.