The installation of SSD’s in MacBook Pro’s happens on a daily basis here at the hardwrk office. Therefore we have been playing with the idea of building the world’s fastest MacBook Pro with an SSD-Raid-0 for some time. We wanted to know how fast you could get the machine by using only standard components. After initial tests with different Raid setups and some failed attempts we bundled our know-how and built the ultimate killer machine: the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo. The monstrous power of a 13″-MacBook Pro combined with 16 GB DDR3 RAM and a 1 TB-Samsung 830 SATA III SSD as the biturbo’s heart bundled in a Raid-0. To put it short: the ultimate rocket machine! And the best thing about it? You can win the world’s fastest MacBook Pro!
Pictures of the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo
All 5 images ►
Building the fastest MacBook Pro really isn’t complicated at all. You just have to buy a few MacBook Pro’s, a whole bunch of SSD’s and a hardwrk adapter kit to test it. After a few weeks of investigation and research, drinking coffee / Club Mate by the gallon and unnumbered installations of Mac-OS-X you finally get the SSD-Raid-MacBook Pro rocket! The biggest obstacle in all this was the unclear SATA III compatibility in Apple’s MacBook Pros on the DVD drive’s SATA port. Since the use of this port is not intended by Apple we needed to painfully test this out and came to some interesting conclusions during this process (See info box SATA III in MacBook Pro).
hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo specs:
- Currently fastest Apple MacBook Pro 13″ as base (2,8GHz i7, Status as of 04/2012)
- Currently maximum possible RAM (2x 8GB Samsung Dimm = 16GB)
- SSD-RAID-0 for maximum data throughput and access times (the Samsung 830 series already are within the range of the fastest SSD’s on the market – in a Raid-0 the speed while cutting videos or other bandwidth-intense processes is intergalactic!)
- Engraving plus decent branding (matt black cover with white type labeling)
- Absolutely suitable for the everyday grind (Battery and heat development on standard level → no dirty hacks / over-clocking,…)
- Proudly manufactured by German nerds
Part list
| Quantity | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple MacBook Pro 13″, Intel Core i7-2640M, 2,8GHz, 4GB RAM | 1385 EUR |
| 2 | Samsung 830 512GB SATAIII-SSD (Big Thanks goes to Samsung for sponsoring these nice SSDs!) | 1227,98 EUR |
| 2 | Samsung 8 GB DDR3-1333PC3-10600 SO-DIMM | 310 EUR |
| 1 | hardwrk SSD/HDD Adapter Kit | 79 EUR |
| TOTAL: | ~ 3000 EUR |
Performance
| Action | Speed |
|---|---|
| Mac OS X complete boot up | 19,7 sec |
| Mac OS X reboot | 16 sec |
| MacBook Pro wakeup | 3,2 sec |
| App: Eclipse start | 4,3 sec |
| App: Photoshop start | 1,7 sec |
| Finder: 1GB zip-file decompression | 4,9 sec |
| Finder: 1GB zip-file compression | 38,7 sec |
Some numbers from our Xbench test:
Memory Test (System)
| Allocate | Fill | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| 8.91 Malloc/sec | 22,348.95 MB/sec | 14,347.55 MB/sec |
Disk Test (Sequentiell)
| Uncached Write | Uncached Read | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 4k blocks | 256k blocks | 4k blocks | 256k blocks |
| 951.25 MB/sec | 495.57 MB/sec | 33.95 MB/sec | 564.11 MB/sec |
SATAIII and the MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro generally supports SATA III on the HDD SATA port since version 8.1 (early 2011). The port of the optical drive supports SATA III since the „late 2011“ models (same version number). The peculiarity though is that SATA III only works stable on the optical drive’s port in the 13″ MacBook Pro. The 15 and 17′ models have significant problems with SATA III SSD/HDD on the optical drive’s port. For the time being, it is not clear if this malfunction will be resolved by a firmware-update by Apple or if this is even caused by a cable which does not specify for SATA III.
| Modell | SATA-III on HDD-Port | SATA-III on DVD Port |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 15′ (early 2011) | x | - (SATAIII devices run at SATAII speed) |
| MacBook Pro 13′ (early 2011) | x | - (SATAIII devices run at SATAII speed) |
| MacBook Pro 15′ (late 2011) | x | o (possible in theory, many problems in practice) |
| MacBook Pro 13′ (late 2011) | x | x (fully working! *yeah!*) |
See it in action!
How to win the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo
In order to win the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo, you have to at least write a comment at the bottom of this blogpost about why you want to win this badly and in addition share our campaign (Twitter, facebook, Google+). Everybody who participates will take part in the drawing of the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo.
Attention:
Please attach the link to your social media share and a valid email address that we will be able to contact you -> otherwise you will not participate!!
Deadline is April 20th 2012, so be fast!
We’re looking forward to your extroverted statements!
A special thank you goes to Samsung who were so kind to provide us with the SSDs to make this happen.
UPDATE – April 21th 2012
Thanks for participating! Our contest is closed now!!
We will publish the winner of the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo during the next week and update this blogpost soon.
The hardwrk team
Dear hardwork team, this computer looks awesome and you must be looking for a truly awesome post to give away such an amazing tool. I’ve always liked the story of underdogs who people don’t expect to win coming to the top, like Rocky. If you gave your hardwork to me, hardwork team, you would prove that a beginning computer programmer can have just as nice of a computer as someone with a lot more money. Finally, hardwork team, if you have named this computer Anworten Auf which means ‘to reply to” then giving me this computer would do more than that, it would eine Erklärung abgeben, “deliver a statement”.
Hello
You are the best change a macbook pro to a super fast! and improved
Hardwrk by what I see you are very good with computer technology.
I think with that you will put this macbook pro
can move the top games.
I am 12 years old and me and my 2 friends are making an app called flat man. Having this computer would help us soooooooooooooooomuch. I want this computer so bad i want to put programs on it that would help make our app the best i can be, a computer this fast would increase our work speed boy over 50%. This computer we want so bad soooo bad. you have know idea we will do most anything for this computer.
i would like to win this computer because i cant afford it.
To be honest… I had a laptop for a good year or so. It was a Toshiba Satellite model. I had used some of my tuition funds to cover it’s cost. Sadly, in February of 2012 ( this year ) my laptop was stolen and never recovered. Now, I’m with very few options when i need to utilize a computer for educational purposes. I do not mean to make a pity case, for that is not my intention. I just feel that if i received this macbook pro, it would be the blessing that I’ve been asking and praying for the longest. I’m also a nerd when it comes to technology. I like to keep up with the latest and upcoming technology, along with in-depth research of their specs. Recently, I began renting books on how to become an IT technician and how to become Certified. That is another dream I have to accomplish. Although times are hard for my mother and I, I do my best to keep my dreams in sight, for its what drives me to strive more in life until I’m finally successful.
-Thank You
This is the best thing that could ever happen to a macbook pro 13” . I too want to experience this amazing piece of work.
i would love to have one.
круто)
This is amazing!
This is how a computer should run. Congratulations!
I don’t use Mac yet,but i realy would like to have this one- to make some videos and etc.
it’s amazing
I like knowing that there are people like you, a born creator hardware future in the world of computer, I like this laptop, I’m a musician, composer, I love doing trabajor in photoshop, and edit music, I have no shame, a laptop fast, as this would be a dream come true to have the laptop in my hands, and I would get in a lot of trouble. feñicidades genius, a hug, and that God fill you wit to make new inventions in the field of computer-bye
I have always favored and preferred PC computers until about when Windows 8 came out. Apple products have become more appealing to me these last couple of years, including the MacBook Pro, iPhone 4 and iPad mini. I am a college student that is going for a degree in Information Technology. I came across this HARDWRK blog by pursuing my new found interest in MacBook Pro’s and found this epic configuration with maximum RAM, maximum storage, with maximum performance is exactly the specifications that I could only dream of.
A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. -Colin Powell
I really want this
What a insite site this is. Look forward to seeing this again shortly.
that is a wonderful and powerful tool for work, like architecture or graphic design, I’m a student of architecture, in fact it’s my first semester, and that would be and awesome tool to do my work
i want it ♥ and it want me ♥ = forever happy
I wish one like that but I do not have enough money to buy: c
Highly energetic post, I lоνed that
а lοt. Will there be a part 2?
my web blog :: kaminbauer
That is a work of art on steroids!
When I first saw this title The world’s fastest 13′ MacBook Pro – win the hardwrk SSD 830 biturbo | Blog on google I just whent and bookmark it. Fantastic publish admin! i bookmarked your net blog. i will search ahead if you will have an e-mail list adding.
I am Geophysics student, and a photo and video lover… I would love to use this baby not only for my work but also for photo and specially video editing.
This is a great idea, like the phoenix, a macbook pro reborn stronger from the ashes!!!!
cheers!!!
I upgraded my macbook pro 15 with two ssds and 8gb ram which made it go like lightening for a while but the logic board is on its way out. I’ve been quoted £500 to fix it but I can’t afford that. If I could win this beast it would enable me to stay true to my apple roots and not have to go back to PC with my tail between my legs. I can’t think of anything worse. Plus the black finish looks awesome!!
{
Really well! Dream about MACBOOK. But I was not always as lucky.
I’m no have cancer, i’m haven’t AISD. But i am a poor student of Desing, and i’m from Venezuela. I Really Wish this Mac
On the website it says that apple tv can do simple things like stream video, photos, and music wirelessly but not anything like playing games. That is only for iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone… I think it’s with an hdmi cable but I don’t know what is called. macbook
I would love to win these because I have heard amazing things about them. If I win I would be sure to tell everyone of my great luck!
My boss would want this machine, therefore I must own it. Then I am the BOSS. MUHAHAAHAAA! Seriously, though, save me from the windoze(TM) world I find myself in, please! This beautiful machine would help my illustration and painting career immensely.
I dream to write programs for iOS/MAC OS X. I dream.
a mac to be alive
I should win this laptop because I spend hours every day on my MacBook (not pro) editing videos for my school – Northfield mount hermon – using Final Cut Pro. It takes on average 6 minutes to open Final Cut Pro because of how slow my computer is. My family currently does not have the money to support my interest/talent although I am trying to continue it in college. This would help me to no end.
Thanks,
Robbie
Infinite possibilities to create with this Mac Book
<3 Heart <3 <3
Very many happy hours of lovely work it will surely yield…
*Dreams^^^^^^^
HELLO
plis i want the computer i dont have money and i descompose the mac of my broother
Awesome build!
What’s up, I read your blogs like every week. Your story-telling style is witty, keep doing what you’гe doing!
Hello there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and
look forward to new posts.