Only a week after Apple announced the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, Other World Computing has already revealed its third-party SSD upgrade. The Mercury Aura Pro can increase your storage to 480GB, while possibly saving you some dough in comparison to the factory upgrades offered by Apple.
The Aura Pro was originally announced by OWC back in August, as a SSD upgrade for the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. But thankfully, you can also use the Aura Pro as a replacement for the standard 128GB flash memory included in the 13-inch model, too.
"When we introduced the Mercury Aura Pro for the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display this past June, we had received significant user feedback that the factory base 256GB flash capacity just wasn't adequate," said OWC's CEO, Larry O'Connor. "Considering that the new 13-inch models offer as little as 128GB standard, the need for greater capacity is quite apparent."
Of course, it's possible to upgrade flash memory directly from Apple when ordering the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. But upgrading from the standard, 128GB model to 512GB means paying $800. The 480GB Aura Pro retails for only $579.99. The 256GB 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display can be upgraded to 512GB for $500.
Additionally, when upgrading directly from the factory, you won't retain the original flash memory. Upgrading with the OWC Aura Pro means you can hang on to that 128GB of memory, and next month, OWC will release a portable USB 3.0 enclosure: the Envoy Pro.
The Aura Pro is available now through the OWC site. And if you're worried about opening up that new MacBook Pro by yourself, there's even a handy how-to video.
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