NewImageAs it has for past versions, Other World Computing has released its aftermarket SSD upgrades for the latest MacBook Air models released last month.

Along with minor upgrades to memory and processor configurations, Apple also included a new SSD connector, likely to accommodate the new 500 MBps SSDs that Apple has built in to the new machines. As a result of this new connector, it took OWC a few weeks to build compatible aftermarket drives.

Other World Computing's Mercury Pro Aura Express drives are available for the 2012 MBA in sizes starting at 120GB at $167.99, running all the way to 480GB for $644.99. These prices are bit cheaper than comparable drives for the 2011 MacBook Air models.

Top Rated Comments

strausd Avatar
173 months ago
Not OWC's fault Apple have made a simple swap so arduous. They can charge whatever the market will bear. Save your ridicule for Apple.

No, it is nobodies fault.

If you upgrade a MBA with 256GB to 512GB from Apple, you are only paying the difference between 256 and 512. If you buy from OWC, you are buying a whole new blade SSD. Thus paying for the 256 in the MBA and paying 100% for the 512 (480) from OWC.

Again, it is not Apple or OWC's fault. It is just because with Apple you are essential paying for 1 blade SSD and with OWC you are paying for the SSD that comes with the MBA and another SSD from the third party manufacturer. That is just how this works.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brentsg Avatar
173 months ago
Not OWC's fault Apple have made a simple swap so arduous. They can charge whatever the market will bear. Save your ridicule for Apple.
You would prefer to double the thickness of the Air so a traditional SSD would fit? Or perhaps lower battery life to free up some space?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dtremit Avatar
173 months ago
You would prefer to double the thickness of the Air so a traditional SSD would fit? Or perhaps lower battery life to free up some space?
You're thinking of desktop SSDs. mSATA SSDs are roughly the same thickness as the SSD in the Air, and actually have a smaller footprint (about 60% of the size of the Air SSD -- slightly wider and half as long).

And you can get a 256GB model for about $200, versus $320 for the custom OWC SSD.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
moabal Avatar
173 months ago
I hope these SSDs are as fast as Apple's.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
marcusj0015 Avatar
173 months ago
This reminds me, anyone know if they have Retina MBP SSD upgrades, and if so how much are they?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CplBadboy Avatar
173 months ago
I hope these SSDs are as fast as Apple's.

They are probably faster. Remember Apple doesn't want us to have the fastest of anything. Just look at the average GPU's they install. Nuff said. :D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:15 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
iOS 26 Maps Glass

Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App

Sunday October 26, 2025 6:22 am PDT by
Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in...
trump white house ballroom

Apple Donating to Trump's $350M White House Ballroom Project

Thursday October 23, 2025 3:55 pm PDT by
Apple is one of several tech companies that will contribute to the construction of U.S. President Donald Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, reports CNN. Construction began on the ballroom this week, and the White House's east wing was torn down. Trump claims that the ballroom will cost $350 million, and that it will be privately funded through donations. The cost has already increased $150 ...
iPhone 17 Colors

iPhone 18 Rumored to Feature 50% More RAM

Saturday October 25, 2025 2:57 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 could feature 50% more memory than its predecessor, according to Korea's The Bell. With its latest iPhone lineup, the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max feature 12GB of memory. This is a significant increase of 4GB more their predecessors, largely driven by the demands of on-device artificial intelligence processing. The iPhone 17 is the only new...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Report: Apple to Skip 'iPhone 19' Name for 'iPhone 20'

Thursday October 23, 2025 4:28 am PDT by
Apple's new iPhone lineup launched in the fall of 2027 will be called the "iPhone 20" models, rather than the "iPhone 19," according to research firm Omdia. Speaking at a conference in Seoul (via ETNews), Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol corroborated rumors that Apple plans to move the launch of its standard iPhone to the first half of the year and provided some additional clarity about...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26 Leaker Being Sued by Apple is Actually a 'Lifelong Apple Fanboy'

Friday October 24, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
In July, Apple sued well-known YouTuber Jon Prosser and his acquaintance Michael Ramacciotti over alleged theft of the company's trade secrets, after Prosser leaked some iOS 26 details in videos uploaded to his YouTube channel Front Page Tech. If you are not caught up on the lawsuit, read our initial coverage to learn more. Earlier this week, Prosser told The Verge he has "been in active...
Emergency SOS via Satellite iPhone YT

iPhone 18 Pro Rumored to Support Full 5G Satellite Internet

Friday October 24, 2025 7:18 am PDT by
At least some new iPhone models launching next year may support full 5G satellite internet, according to a report this week from The Information. "Apple plans to add support in upcoming iPhones as early as next year for 5G networks that aren't tethered to Earth's surface, which includes satellites," the report said. "That would give the iPhone full internet access over satellite," it added. ...
M4 MacBook Air 13 and 15 inch Feature Pink and Teal

Windows 10 Deadline Boosts Mac Sales

Saturday October 25, 2025 3:34 am PDT by
The Windows 10 end-of-support deadline is driving the largest coordinated PC replacement cycle in years across the industry, and Apple is emerging as one of the main beneficiaries as Mac shipments accelerate. Counterpoint Research this week reported that nearly 40% of the global installed PC base was still running Windows 10 ahead of the October 2025 cutoff, triggering early fleet renewals...