MacBook ram

bommaahbommaah
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I'm planning on upgrading my macbooks ram memory, but I'm not sure about what specs I should be looking for. Like pc-??? mhz? perhaps what timings... Enlighten me please. Thx



edit: I'm planning on buying things here, if that helps recommending something...
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    ti fighterti fighter Posts: 863member
    667 DDR2 PC2-5300



    I got mine from crucial



    edit: also it's a very good idea to fill both ram slots with matching pairs like,



    [1 gig] [1 gig]



    or



    [512] [512]



    etc...
  • Reply 2 of 22
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Just ordered a 2GB kit (2 x 1GB) from powerlinememory.com for $158. It's cheap, generic memory. My fingers will be crossed that there are no problems.



    I've bought from Crucial in the past. They have a good reputation for quality memory but this time they want more than twice as much money, so I'm taking a chance with the cheap stuff. Chances are it'll work just fine.
  • Reply 3 of 22
    speedo_24speedo_24 Posts: 2member
    let us know how the powerlinememory.com ram works for you im interested in the cheap stuf too
  • Reply 4 of 22
    jakkjakk Posts: 15member
    how about using 1gb + 256mb (the one installed)



    will the performance worse than 512 + 512 mb?



    because I really don't want to buy both 512 and in case i want to upgrade in the future.



    So just buy 1 gb and leave 256 there. What's ur opinion?
  • Reply 5 of 22
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Jakk

    how about using 1gb + 256mb (the one installed)



    will the performance worse than 512 + 512 mb?



    because I really don't want to buy both 512 and in case i want to upgrade in the future.



    So just buy 1 gb and leave 256 there. What's ur opinion?



    Matching the memory is related to graphics performance, not OS performance, because it is integrated. I do not know what type of performance hit you will take by not having matching RAM so hopefully, someone else will have that information.



    If you are buying online from Apple spend the extra $100.00 to get 2x512MB memory modules because you will double the memory and it will be matched. While you are using your MacBook with 1GB RAM you can decide whether you really need 2GB RAM. If you are buying from a retail store then use the MacBook with the stock 512MB RAM until you can get 2x1GB modules at the same time so you are sure that the two modules have the same make, model, latency, etc.
  • Reply 6 of 22
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by speedo_24

    let us know how the powerlinememory.com ram works for you im interested in the cheap stuf too



    Got and installed 2GB today. It passed the Apple (extended) Hardware Test. No problems so far.
  • Reply 7 of 22
    speedo_24speedo_24 Posts: 2member
    Sweet - How long did the shpping take?
  • Reply 8 of 22
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by speedo_24

    Sweet - How long did the shpping take?



    About a week. They ship ground for free.
  • Reply 9 of 22
    austereaustere Posts: 4member
    I might be wrong, but does it void Applecare to remove all apple-official RAM?



    And also, does anybody really know the performance hit between matched pair or no?
  • Reply 10 of 22
    pepedluxpepedlux Posts: 9member
    Will jacking up the ram to 2GB+ have any effect on the integrated chip's ability to handle 3D rendering in things like games? I heard that the MacBooks won't be able to handle anything newer than say World of Warcraft without a serious hit in the FPS department.
  • Reply 11 of 22
    jpenningtonjpennington Posts: 476member
    It's doesn't void the warranty, except for the ram.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    jasenj1jasenj1 Posts: 923member
    Someone please correct me if I'm wrong: Don't the MacBooks and iMacs use the same RAM?



    If so, my plan is to buy a 512MB stick and a 1GB stick. Put the 512MB from the iMac & the purchased stick in a MacBook; put the 1GB in the iMac. Add another Gig to the iMac as needed.



    - Jasen.
  • Reply 13 of 22
    jakkjakk Posts: 15member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jasenj1

    Someone please correct me if I'm wrong: Don't the MacBooks and iMacs use the same RAM?



    If so, my plan is to buy a 512MB stick and a 1GB stick. Put the 512MB from the iMac & the purchased stick in a MacBook; put the 1GB in the iMac. Add another Gig to the iMac as needed.



    - Jasen.



    No, it's not the same.
  • Reply 14 of 22
    pbrpbr Posts: 24member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Jakk

    No, it's not the same.



    Oh yes, it is.



    By the way:

    Does anybody know, whether 2x 512MB (=1GB) (Dual Channel) is faster than 256MB+1024MB (=1,25GB) (No Dual Channel)?
  • Reply 15 of 22
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    When you look at prices of 1GB sticks at Crucial for the MacBook vs. the current DDR2 iMac, while the specs appear to be the same, the prices are different. Hmmm. Do they both use small laptop size memory sticks?
  • Reply 16 of 22
    kmhtkmhtkmhtkmhtkmhtkmht Posts: 193member
    I paid 930 Hong Kong Dollars per stick... so yes it was expensive but I wanted it there and then!
  • Reply 17 of 22
    kmhtkmhtkmhtkmhtkmhtkmht Posts: 193member
    Same as I - the Corsair one's - Value Select but they only had 1 stick left! ( so I went upstairs and bought it for 930.
  • Reply 18 of 22
    mc122mc122 Posts: 1member
    Btw, how can i install the ram module in the Macbook??



    do i need to bring the mac to the apple shop and have things done by the guys there?
  • Reply 19 of 22
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MC122

    Btw, how can i install the ram module in the Macbook??



    do i need to bring the mac to the apple shop and have things done by the guys there?



    http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_cente...book/high.html
  • Reply 20 of 22
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pbr

    Oh yes, it is.



    By the way:

    Does anybody know, whether 2x 512MB (=1GB) (Dual Channel) is faster than 256MB+1024MB (=1,25GB) (No Dual Channel)?



    Dual Channel = faster. Without Dual Channel (IIRC), the Intel graphics chip will have limited access the main memory. So even if you have 1.5GB (1GB stick + 512GB stick) the memory available to the GMA950 would only be 64MB (I think).
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