Improving performance of Late 2011 Macbook Pro?

the_jaffa

I've got a Macbook Pro that I've had from new but it is starting to seem a bit slow when using some software. At the moment it has 8gb RAM and the standard HDD. I know I could go up to 16gb RAM and get an SSD but how much more speed will these actually give me in the real world?

Is there anything else worth looking into to help too? Updating the OS to El Capitan (currently on Lion)? Clean install?

Any hints or tips appreciated

Blaendulais

No expert but the worse thing I did was upgrade my 2011 MBP to the latest OS it was really slow.  Conversely 16GB ram- quite cheap- made a big difference.  SSD - real world .....too small and i dont think the differnce is massive. I have a 2015 MBP with one and it doesnt seem faster than the older one (after I went back from OS EC). 

Axe_meister

We have a 2011 iMac dual core i5 and despite SSD and 8GB memory it is as slow as hell

Drew_TNBD

Mate... SSD will change your life. It really will.

LooseMoose

The SSD will make a huge difference, if it doesn't there is something else wrong with your machine.

Deffo upgrade to El Cap too but I'd do a fresh install on the SSD, leaving you the option to stick the old drive in a caddy and boot from it if you needed something.

the_jaffa

Excellent, cheers. I'll take a look further into the SSD thing then. Crucial have a couple of options

LooseMoose

I'd recommend Samsung, if the budget stretches.  If you're anywhere near me (Malvern), I'll fit it for you if you like.

Drew_TNBD

Samsung 840.

the_jaffa

I'm in Sheffield so not very near Malvern but will look into the Samsungs

beed84

8GB ram is sufficient for most Macbook Pros; 16GB would, broadly speaking, be a waste. Otherwise, SSD all the way.

RandallFlagg

I have a mid 2010 iMac with 12GB RAM and 2.93GHz i7 processor on a 2TB optical drive running OSX 10.11 El Capitan and it's still as quick as it was the day I got it. 

Is your processor strugging? what does activity monitor show when you are getting slow down?