If you're going to upgrade, I'd recommend buying from Other World Computing since they specialize in Mac upgrades and can guarantee compatibility.

I had this exact machine and went through the same debate – should I upgrade to an SSD and more RAM, or just move to a new machine?

Sorry for the ignorance, but when upgrading the RAM, do I really need to strictly purchase a 1333 MHz DDR3 (8GBx2) in order for it to be compatible?.

Is a Samsung 850 Pro (1TB) a good investment and is compatible with my early 2011 MacBook Pro? I was thinking of just installing this SSD into my new laptop when the time comes, so I thought it might be a good investment to opt for one of the 'best' SSD with a larger capacity and longer 'life'/warranty.

Bu in running multiple memory heavy apps, isn't it better to upgrade the RAM instead of the SSD? Since booting apps or my laptop isn't really an issue.

I know it's better to upgrade SSD first before RAM.

I'm not really verse with hardware, and since upgrades are very pricey, I kinda need some assurance that my choices are sustainable and the right ones.

For now, I'm stuck with my current 2.3GHz MacBook Pro. So, I was considering in using my savings to upgrade my MacBook's RAM and SSD until I raise enough budget to purchase a newer MacBook Pro with a better CPU and better capacity for upgrades(probably in about 5-7 months). I run memory and CPU intensive applications, especially with virtual machines and programming applications, and my MacBook just couldn't these heavy apps (deadly beach ball icon). I'm a graduating Computer Science student using a MacBook Pro early 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, RAM of 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3, and running at OSX Yosemite(10.10.2).

Best ssd hard drive for macbook pro