MCE Technologies is now shipping OptiBay hard drives for the aluminum-unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro. Available capacities range from 250GB to 500GB, each with an 8MB buffer. The 350GB and 500GB drives run at 5400rpm, while customers can choose a 7200rpm option for the 320GB model. The company claims that the OptiBay components consume less power than the original drives, contributing to a 10- to 15-percent extension of the battery life. The drives also support status monitoring and spin-down commands from the Mac OS.

The OptiBay hard drives are now available, with prices starting at $190. An optional enclosure can be used to convert the existing drive into an external storage device.

Customers can also purchase an OptiBay kit for the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro, allowing the use of any standard 2.5-inch HDD. The kit can be purchased for $130.