Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011); MacBookPro8,2 Installation Guides and Specifications

Upgrading the Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011) is very easy. You can add some RAM, replace a faulty Hard Drive or just get a new one with a higher capacity. You can add a second Hard Drive by removing the optical drive, replace a dead battery. All You'll need is some simple tools, and the correct parts. We then urge you to follow the videos or the Apple manual provided on the links below.


Please see our Apple RAM Memory for Macbook Pro page to locate your  Apple compatible RAM upgrade for your Mac, and we'll ship it fast from our warehouse in Victoria.

Please see our Hard Drive  for Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011) page to locate your  Apple compatible Hard Drive upgrades for your Mac

Please see our MacBook Pro Battery Replacement for Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011) page to locate your   Replacement Battery for your Mac


Apple User Guides for the Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011)

MacBook Pro: How to remove or install memory Learn how to remove or install memory in your MacBook Pro notebook computer on the Apple support page.


OWC Video Installation Guide for Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011):

Memory Install Video

OWC's step-by-step video of how to install memory in the Apple MacBook Pro 15" (Early 2011 "Unibody").
OWC Skill Level: "Easy" |  Duration: 3:55 |  Model ID: MacBookPro8,2

Recommended Tools for the RAM upgrade: 

-   #00 Precision Philips Screwdriver - Economy
-   Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065

You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link:    Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set


Add a second hard drive or SSD easily with the OWC Data Doubler. Here's an instructional video from OWC:

OWC Data Doubler Install Video

OWC's step-by-step video of how to install the OWC Data Doubler in the Apple MacBook Pro 15" (Early 2011 "Unibody").
OWC Skill Level: "Involved" |  Duration: 7:28  Model ID: MacBookPro8,2 

Recommended  Tools for the install Data Doubler:

-    Macfixit 5-Piece Mini Toolkit
-     Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065 

You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link:    Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set


Here is how to fix or upgrade the main Hard Drive:

Hard Drive Install Video

OWC's step-by-step video of how to install a hard drive in the Apple MacBook Pro 15" (Early 2011 "Unibody").
OWC Skill Level: "Straightforward" |  Duration: 6:01 |  Model ID: MacBookPro8,2 

Recommended Tools for the HDD/SSD upgrade:

-   Macfixit 5-Piece Mini Toolkit
-   Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065 
-   External Hard Drive Enclosure - Convert your existing drive into an external one

You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link:    Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set


And this is the installation video for a  battery replacement:

Battery Install Video

Step-by-step video of how to Upgrade/Replace the Battery in a 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011).
Skill Level: Straightforward |  Duration: 5:53 |  Model ID: MacBookPro8,2 aaa

Recommended Tools for the battery replacement:

-   #00 Precision Philips Screwdriver - Economy 
-   Tri-Wing Screwdriver (Tri-Point)
-   Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065

You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link:   Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set


Here is some detailed specifications as well as direct link to available upgrades:

Apple 15" MacBook Pro (Early 2011)
OVERVIEW
Introduced February 2011
Discontinued October 2011
Model Identifier MacBookPro8,2
Model Number A1286
EMC 2353
Order Number MC721LL/A (2.0 GHz) MC723LL/A (2.2 GHz)
PROCESSOR
Processor Intel Core i7 (2635QM, 2720QM, 2820QM) ("Sandy Bridge")
Processor Speed 2.0, 2.2, or 2.3 GHz
Architecture 64-bit
Number of Cores 4
Cache 6 MB shared (2.0, 2.2 GHz) 8 MB shared (2.3 GHz) L3 cache
System Bus Intel Direct Media Interface (DMI) at 5 GT/s
STORAGE AND MEDIA
Standard Storage 500 or 750 GB (5400-rpm SATA), or 500 GB (7200-rpm SATA), or 128, 256, or 512 GB (SSD)
Link to upgrade tool & kits Tools for HDD and RAM installation
Link to internal HDD Upgrade to a new 2.5” HDD
Link to internal SSD Upgrade to a new 2.5” SSD
Media 8x Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Link to external optical drive Get an external burner here
KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD
Trackpad Multi-Touch trackpad
Keyboard Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys
RAM
Built-in Memory
Maximum Memory 16 GB (Actual) 8 GB (Apple)
Memory Slots 2 - 204-pin PC-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM
Interleaving Support Yes
Link to RAM upgrade Upgrade your RAM here
DISPLAY
Built-in Display 15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, Optional 15.4-inch (diagonal) display with 1680 by 1050 pixels (glossy or antiglare)
Resolutions 1680 by 1050
GRAPHICS
Graphics Card AMD Radeon HD 6490M or 6750M and Intel HD Graphics 3000
Graphics Memory 256 MB GDDR5 (6490M) 1 GB GDDR5 (6750M) 384 MB (HD Graphics) DDR3 shared with main memory (Memory may vary depending on graphics needs. Minimum graphics memory usage is 384 MB.)
Display Connection Thunderbolt digital video output
Display Support Support for up to two Thunderbolt displays
Display Modes Dual display extended, video mirroring, and AirPlay Mirroring
External Resolution Up to 2560 by 1600 pixels
Camera 720p FaceTime HD camera
CONNECTIONS
Wi-Fi 802.11n
Bluetooth Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Ethernet 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45)
Modem
USB 2 - 480 MBit/s
FireWire 1 - 800 MBit/s
Thunderbolt 1 - up to 10 Gbps
Display Thunderbolt digital video output
Infrared 1 - For Apple Remote only
Audio In 1 - 3.5-mm analog/optical combo jack, 1 - Built-in microphone
Audio Out 1 - Combined optical digital output/headphone out, 2 - Built-in speakers
EXPANSION
Slots 1 - Secure Digital (SD)
Hard Drive Interface 6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA)
Optical Drive Interface 6.0 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA)
POWER
System Battery Built-in 77.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer
Battery Life Up to 7 hours wireless web
Standby Time
Maximum Battery Cycles 1000
Power Adapter 85W MagSafe Power Adapter
Link ot replacement battery Get a replacement battery here
Link to replacement charger Get a replacement MagSafe here

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