The moment you start wishing to replace the HDD of your MacBook Pro; you’ll probably start by wondering how much the hardware is going to cost you. Well, trying to know about the MacBook Pro hard drive replacement cost isn’t optional, but there’re things prior to reaching this point.
Do You Really Need to a MacBook Pro Hard Drive Replacement?
The question isn’t meant to hurt your judgment, but it’s always wiser to know a few things about the condition of the hard drive. What if you can fix the problem and avoid a costly replacement? To be sure about this, you should check for the following symptoms which will tell you whether it’s time to replace or repair.
- Some errors noticed in Disk Utilities
- Inaccessible partitions/files/folders
- Sudden disappearance of partitions/files/folders
- Abnormal initialization of programs
- Unstable Mac OS
- Unrecognizable hard drive
- The device getting unusually hot
- Strange/Unfamiliar sounds coming from the hard drive
- Smell like that of burning solder/plastic
The first seven symptoms aren’t indicative of a situation where a replacement is the only solution. With the assistance of an expert techie and some luck, you may have them resolved.
However, the last two symptoms indicate that you should find a backup system for your data as soon as possible and then look for a replacement because these issues can’t practically be solved.
There’s another reason to look beyond repairs. If you want to experience speedier operations and aren’t satisfied with the performance of your existing hard drive, you can get something of an upgrade, and that’s where a Solid-State Hard Drive (SSD) is relevant.
Why SSD and NOT HDD?
The most obvious perk of having an SSD is that you’ll see serious increase and improvement of the performance and reliability. The only downside to having an SSD is its price which is a way higher than that of an HDD. For a better understanding of the two, you can check out a full article on SSD vs. HDD.
Now that you’re sure you want to go for a replacement, there’s one more step involved in the process. Are you sure your MacBook Pro is okay with your decision? Let’s check the following table to know if your particular model is up for the desired upgrade or replacement.
| Models That Accept | Models That Don’t Accept |
| MacBook Pro 13″ (2009-2012) | MacBook Pro 13” (2016-2017) |
| MacBook Pro 13″ with Retina Display (Late 2012-Early 2015) | MacBook Pro 13” with Touch Bar (All Models) |
| MacBook Pro 15″ (2008-2012) | MacBook Pro 15” with Touch Bar (All Models) |
| MacBook Pro 15″ with Retina Display (Mid 2012-Mid 2015) | |
| MacBook Pro 17″ (All Models) |
Aren’t you sure which model is yours? No need to feel anything about it. Just locate the famous Apple logo. It’s in the menu bar’s top left corner. Click it and find “About This Mac”. The exact model of your MacBook Pro will be shown on the Overview tab.
Assuming that your device is one of those to accept a greater replacement, we’re about to share the key point of this whole conversation.
MacBook Pro Hard Drive Replacement Cost
Let’s suppose you’re interested in calling a tech guy who knows how to do it. An experienced professional may charge up to $80 per hour. You might just be lucky to have someone being willing to do it at a lower fee.
Is it going to be a simple ‘ripping and replacing’ action? Nope! On average, such a task takes one 3-4 hours to finish, and the typical duties include the following.
- Keeping all files and data in a backup system
- Removing information (from the backup) that might be harmful or useless
- Updating the operating system
- Reinstalling the app system
- Reinstalling all essential data
- Reconnecting a printer to the network (if requested) plus more
So, the above tasks may take anywhere between $120 and $300. So far, you’ve just had an idea about the extent of the replacement matter in terms of cost. There’s still the cost of the hardware component yet to be discussed.
The price might vary in some cases. A 240GB SSD costs $75. You need to spend $260 for a 1TB SSD. Add this cost to the one required for the labor of the professional. So, what’s the total? The replacement cost can be $200 to $550 or even higher depending on the capacity of the drive.
Where to Find the MacBook Pro Hard Drive Replacement?
Try to find out if there’s a local Apple Store in your area. If there’s one and you go there, the hard drive is likely to be replaced by the same type of drive.
If your area has an Apple Authorized Service Provider and you go there, chances are that you’ll have more choices, meaning that you can choose an SSD of your desired capacity from there.