If you want to replace your drive, you have two options: buy another HDD, or upgrade to an SSD. For MacBook Air 2017 or later models, you will not be able to upgrade the storage either. This is the most effective way to get your MacBook back in order, but it isn’t the best option for everyone.įor MacBook Pro users, if your machine was made after 2013, you probably don’t have this option at all since models made after this point cannot be opened without voiding the warranty.

If your hard drive or SSD drive doesn’t seem to be performing up to par, there are a few things you can do to keep your data safe and your MacBook running at its best. Average disk read speed is 721 MB/s, and average write speed is 700 MB/s. What is a good Novabench score for Disk Speed?Īccording to Novabench database (as of this writing), the average score for Storage (i.e. You can also CTRL + CLICK or right-click with a mouse to bring up a small menu.īesides Disk Write/Read Speed, you can also get other status about your MacBook. If you do have more than one drive (such as an external drive), you can navigate to FILE > SELECT TARGET DRIVE to choose which one you would like to test, and how strenuously.

If you only have one drive (if you’re not sure, then you probably just have one), all you have to do is hit “START” since the program only has one window. Blackmagic Disk Speed Testįirst, you’ll need to download BlackMagic from the Mac App Store (it’s completely free!). Two of the most popular ones are BlackMagic and Novabench, so we’ll show you how to use both.įor context, most modern hard drives have read and write speeds averaging 120 Mbps, while SSD drives should have at least 400 Mbps. You are going to need a third-party app since this functionality isn’t built into macOS. Knowing your hard drive speed can also help you determine if you’ll be able to run certain apps (especially heavy creative software) effectively or if you don’t have the necessary read and write speeds. The data you get by testing will provide a standard to measure customizations such as added extra RAM or drive replacements against, and will also tell you if you need an upgrade in the immediate future. Measuring your hard drive speed is one of the easiest and most effective ways to benchmark your MacBook.

What to Do If My Mac Disk Speed is Slow?.

Blackmagic disk speed test