OWC DIY Kit (Data Doubler + SSD) and SuperSlim USB 2.0 External Enclosure Review

Storage/SSD by stefan @ 2012-10-18

The OWC DIY Kit is compatible with the latest Mid-2012 non-Retina Macbook Pros and helps us install an additional disk drive by replacing the Apple SuperDrive. The kit also incorporates a high-performance SSD from the same manufacturer (SandForce powered) and for $39.99 extra we can also have the Super Slim USB 2.0 Enclosure for the removed SuperDrive.

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Data Doubler Installation Part II

The module which we were talking about before must also be removed and is held two extra Phillips screws (one longer than the other):

 

 

 

 

Finally, we have to remove the remaining two Torqx screws residing on the left side; then we can lift carefully the optical drive assembly, without touching any other components:

 

 

The SuperDrive has some components pre-attached which must be removed and re-mounted onto the Data Doubler; we are talking about the SATA Data + Power adapter and a small metallic adapter held with two black screws:

 

 

 

 

After removing the metallic piece from the optical drive, we can install it, along with the SATA connector, onto the Data Doubler:

 

 

 

Carefully, we will have then to slide the assembly into place, not to damage any data transmission wire:

 

 

 

We will fix then the Data Doubler with the two screws on the side, but not with the original ones, but the longer screws located into the package. These screws must not be tightened at first, because we'll see that the Data Doubler tends to lift on the opposite side and it will be a little hard to fix the third (and final) screw:

 

 

 

 

The third screw we mentioned earlier will be fixed with the help of the small metallic piece we have installed on the Data Doubler:

 

 

 

The final step would be to fix the rest of the data cables onto the motherboard:

 

 

 

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Comment from jmke @ 2012/10/18
bit of a markup for the Mac Superslim drive swap, as most SSD are now sub $1 per GB, still a nice kit, much more useful than a DVD drive.

Excellent installation pictures and benchmarks.

Can you use this drive as boot drive for Mac OS X? (while in the new superslim enclosure) ? or do you need to swap the internal HDD?
the Sata speed is 3Gbps on the DVD port?
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/10/18
Of course you can use the drive as bootable for OS X. This is the best use for it basically in my opinion. My benchmarks done in OS X show SATA 6Gbps speeds for the SuperDrive bay interface.
Comment from jmke @ 2012/10/18
that's pretty awesome, most OEM systems have no 6Gbps for their DVD drives
Comment from Stefan Mileschin @ 2012/10/18
From what I have read, 6Gbps works well since the 2011 Late versions of Macbook Pro on the SuperDrive interface. This is why Mac Pro Unibody is still awesome compared to Retina or Air regarding possible internal storage space .
Comment from jmke @ 2012/10/23

 

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