Hardware upgrades for laptops can get expensive. A DIY enthusiast saves a lot of money by attaching an external memory expansion to his device.
Applications, games, and files to be processed can take up a lot of storage space on internal drives of PCs and mobile devices. An easy but sometimes expensive solution is to expand the existing storage or replace it with larger capacities.
A Mac user was looking for a cost-effective alternative to upgrade his MacBook’s storage. An upgrade directly from Apple was not an option for him. Therefore, he opted for his own solution with two SSDs that he attached externally to his laptop.
“Tim Cook hates this trick” – Affordable storage upgrade with special attachment
What kind of device is this? The laptop with the unusual storage expansion is a MacBook. Devices from Apple are not exactly known for their affordable prices. Even with upgrades, the US company tends to reach deep into their pockets.
For this reason, Reddit user ApocalypsePopcorn came up with something special. He attached two Samsung 860 EVO SSDs with a storage capacity of 4 TB each in a RAID 0 configuration externally to his laptop. They are connected to the device via an additionally connected hub.
Since a RAID 0 configuration consists of two drives that are fast but lack redundancy, all data is lost in case one SSD fails. ApocalypsePopcorn reassures the few users who are concerned about his data, explaining that he also has a backup of his files.
How did the DIY enthusiast proceed? For the upgrade, the enthusiast relied on several components. To avoid irreparably damaging his MacBook, he obtained a robust protective case for about 34 euros as a base for mounting the SSDs.
Thick machine screws with cable clamps and a durable artificial resin hold all parts in place. A painting of the attachment in black color completes the cyberpunk look.
The two 4 TB Samsung SSDs were connected via a USB adapter to a 10 GB/s fast hub, which was also attached to the protective case. Through clever cable management, there are no loose cables or the risk of a broken plug.
In the future, he even plans to attach a third SSD with 4 TB to his MacBook. This way, the external storage upgrade would grow to a massive 12 TB.
Community Reactions
What does the community say about this? The majority of users express praise for this original idea. VortexDestroyer99 sums it up perfectly and writes:
“This is total nonsense, but it looks really great!” (via Reddit)
In further comments under his Reddit post, there is also discussion about the costs the DIY enthusiast was able to save. ApocalypsePopcorn himself does not mention any specific amounts but states that he was able to get the two SSDs at a good price.
In Germany, a new Samsung 860 EVO with 4 TB of storage is currently priced between 270 and 500 euros (via geizhals.de). It should be noted that the SSD has been on the market for 6 years.
According to several users, an 8 TB storage upgrade at Apple costs approximately 1800 to 2000 euros. For instance, big-macintosh2 states:
“Apple charges 2000 euros for an 8 TB MacBook upgrade” (via Reddit)
If you add 34 euros for the protective case and a generous 50 – 100 euros for a hub, screws, and synthetic resin, the DIY enthusiast saved a lot of money even at the high price for the SSDs. User vladw1ck also noticed this saving and aptly says about the CEO of Apple:
“Tim Cook hates this trick” (via Reddit)
What do you think of his external storage? Have you had similar ideas? Or do you prefer to rely on a regular hardware upgrade from the manufacturer?
This story shows that hardware upgrades can be expensive, but there are ways and means to reduce costs. In another case, a gamer saved for years to finally play in Full HD resolution. That moment hit him emotionally: Gamer saves for years to fulfill an old dream, cannot believe it when his wish finally comes true
