options for replacement hard disk for old MacBook Air

[barrysummers]

system specs here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bZUq8I6mLAy4umFM4t_HQ3aHG5FUhqLP/view?usp=sharing

I want to replace the hard disk in my super old MacBook Air.Wwas quoted $220 for just the 256gb apple ssd replacement, replacement and cloning aside.

Is there a more affordable option?

for example. a crucial nand 500gb ssd is now less than 80sgd on amazon Singapore...this is like more than double the cost at half the capacity.

 

[szeli]

just google on YouTube

 

[endlssorrow]

There’s a shop specialize in upgrading for Mac right?

Always saw inside Facebook IG etc

 

[firesong]

system specs here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bZUq8I6mLAy4umFM4t_HQ3aHG5FUhqLP/view?usp=sharing

I want to replace the hard disk in my super old MacBook Air.Wwas quoted $220 for just the 256gb apple ssd replacement, replacement and cloning aside.

Is there a more affordable option?

for example. a crucial nand 500gb ssd is now less than 80sgd on amazon Singapore...this is like more than double the cost at half the capacity.

The MacBookAir3,1 is a Late 2010 model. Other than szeli's lovely video guide, here's the iFixit guide: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Air+13-Inch+Late+2010+Solid-State+Drive+Replacement/4505

I think the drives are proprietary, so options are limited. I know it's mini-SATA interface, but I'm not sure if you can just use any drives. Except for a few years using NVMe until they soldered the storage onboard the logic board, Apple's SSDs generally do not follow the industry standards. Before NVMe, it was for performance reasons (cos SATA is really slow), then NVMe when the standards for higher performance blade-style SSDs caught up.

Those few models that accept NVMe are: 2013 to 2017 MacBook Air, 2013 to 2015 MacBook Pro, and 2014 Mac mini. After these years, all were soldered. Before these years, you really need to check, but more likely proprietary.

I think OWC is one of the few entities that make the proprietary drives for Apple, and their prices aren't exactly affordable either.