by Earlier this year, Other World Computing (OWC) announced the launch of its 480 GB Mercury Aura Pro solid-state drive for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Some questioned the cost-effectiveness of pursuing such an upgrade, however, given its $579.99 price tag compared to Apple’s $500 charge to boost the standard 256 GB drive to a 512 GB drive, although aftermarket upgrade users can also keep their original drives for external use.
OWC has now announced that it has certified this same Mercury Auro Pro drive for use in the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro released last week, and Apple’s decision to offer a 128 GB drive in the entry-level model may make OWC’s offering a more appealing option for those looking to upgrade storage capacity on their machines.In addition to offering significantly more capacity over the factory base 128GB SSD, the 480GB Mercury Aura Pro offers a $220 savings over the comparable sized 512GB factory capacity upgrade costing $800.While OWC’s aftermarket solid-state drive is currently offered only in 480 GB capacity, the company does note that additional capacities will be coming in November. Apple offers 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 768 GB options in the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, with all but the lowest capacity available in the 15-inch models.
