Ram Upgrade - MBP 13" June 2009

Hi, so I have the base model of the 13" MBP.

I upgraded the hdd to a 500gb WD Scorpio Blue.

I want to upgrade the ram as well. However, I have just found out that not all ram would be compatible with Macs??? Is this true?

Anyway, I was looking at this:

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/2165/1...nnel-Kit-Memory/Product.html?searchtype=genre

Do you guys think this will work?

Or this:

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/2159/1...M-Laptop-Memory/Product.html?searchtype=genre

I need to order it in the UK and play.com is easier for me as they have free shipping and I order a lot of stuff from them.

Any easy site to order good and compatible memory from?

I am looking for 2x2GB DDR3 sticks compatible with the new MBP 13".

Thanks guys!

 

Kingston UK, has links to 3 retailers and some are around £60 delivered , and since you are going though kingston they should be compatible.

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator_new/modelsinfo.asp?SysID=56215&mfr=Apple&model=MacBook+Pro+%28DDR3%29+13&search_type=&root=uk&LinkBack=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kingston.com%2Fukroot&Sys=56215-Apple-MacBook+Pro+%28DDR3%29+13-inch+%28Aluminum+Mid-2009%29&distributor=0&submit1=Search

 

Do you think this one looks ok?
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/152975/show_product_specifications?spectype=extended

Is it really necessary to get Apple specific memory? I thought any memory would be compatible?

 

This is the code from the Kingston website for your macbook pro , KTA-MB1066K2/4G , so it should be compatible.

 

Hmm, oh yeah, I just saw that I think this looks fine then

It's the cheapest I have been able to find anyhow. Thanks a lot for your help!


Hmm, looks like ebuyer is out of stock! Even though it says 55 in stock on the item page.

What do you think about this? Is Crucial good?

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=617B82A2A5CA7304

 

There's no such thing as Apple specific memory. Any DDR3 1066 for notebooks will work.

 

I don't know about DDR3, but DDR and DDR2 are not 100% compatible, meaning there are some unbuffered, non-EEC modules that will not work for Mac. If the seller can't guarantee compatibility, ensure that there is a refund policy.

 

Thats what I also thought, that there should not be any Apple specific memory. But when I went to the Crucial or OCZ sites, I saw that they had Apple specific memory listed, with different part numbers as well.

So that's why its scaring me. I didn't even imagine that there was such a thing as Apple specific memory.

So should I get the OCZ standard modules from Play.com (where I am more comfortable) or get the Crucial memory (which is listed as Apple specific)?
Is Crucial a good brand?

 

Cruicial and Micron are very good, I use them more than Kingston, since I can usually order it in next day here

 

Thats why we have sticky's-

 

Thank you for the comments. Actually, I had read the sticky and assumed that there is no difference.

However, when I went to order, I saw that the part numbers for Mac Ram were different than the normal ram. Why is this so?

Also, I noticed that all the types of ram recommended for my MBP were CL7. So going by your logic, CL8 ram which is available on Play.com should work. But, every manufacturer which makes Apple compatible ram has CL7 specification on their ram.

Does this make a difference as well? Or should I just get DDR3 1066mhz ram and hope for the best that the sticky is right?

I guess I'll just buy the Crucial to be certain I got the correct ram.

 

some of the manufacturers LOVE adding another SKU number for Mac and jacking up the price ... alot of people dont do their homework and just impulse buy with the apple logo on the package

 

marketing...

 

Ok, so I have bought from Crucial's UK website. It was the cheapest price (cheaper than Play.com) and they claim it to be Apple compatible, so I am safe either way.

Hopefully this discussion will be of help to somebody looking to do the same as well.

The only thing I was unsure of was the CL7 specification. I am not sure whether CL8 or CL5 ram would be compatible, so even if someone is looking to buy non-Apple specific ram, I would still suggest they get CL7 ram.

 

"Apple" or "Mac" RAM is absolutely nothing but a way for them to get more money out of people who don't know that there's no difference. It's exactly the same thing you'll get for PCs, just with a different sticker / brand / part number.

As long as you get the correct speed and type (DDR3/etc.), it should work unless it's defective. I've never heard of RAM not working in a Mac but working in a PC if both accept the same speed/type.

The CL7 sounds like the DDR3 latency / timings. The lower this value is, the more responsive the RAM is, provided it's of the same type. An older type (like DDR2) will have lower timings but not be any faster. The CL5 RAM you mentioned was either high performance DDR3 ram or standard DDR2.

 

Actually, I have tried RAM that worked with PC laptops that did not work on MacBooks or iMacs. One of them was a DDR2 800MHz module that came with a Sony Vaio. I tried to migrate that baby to a MacBook, and the machine would not boot. The same happened with a stick of DDR2 from, K-Byte or something, which wouldn't boot on an iMac but worked on a PC laptop.

Once again, do not assume that just because the specs are the same, that all RAM will work with Macs. There are different voltage and latency settings for the same speed RAM. "Apple" certified RAM means that it has actually been tested, and you are paying a premium for it. I've never paid a premium for "Apple" RAM and never will but have always purchased from a store that had a lenient exchange policy just in case the module didn't work.

Having said that, a vast majority of RAM does work with Macs, and I'm willing to bet that all 1066MHz RAM on the market is compatible.

 

Was it the correct type (speed/etc.)? If so, that's really strange, but even so - I'd be very surprised if you found a commercial name-brand RAM to not work in any modern Mac.

 

I don't recall the brand, but the modules were probably HNIX, as there are only a few actual manufacturers. The Sony model was the 16" FW series, which uses the same speed RAM as my Santa Rosa MBP.

Also, I had problems with a DDR2 module by KByte (?) from Futureshop, but have never had Mac compatibility issues with Kingston, Crucial, and Mushkin (most of which use either HNIX or Infineon).

 

Well, when I was searching for reviews on the ram I was buying, a couple of reviews on NewEgg for that product stated that the ram was NOT compatible with Macs (obviously the user had tested it). That's the reason I decided to go with the Apple specific ram. Not to mention that it was actually cheaper than the normal ram. You don't always have to pay a premium for Apple specific ram!