MacBook Air Memory Upgrades?

[fredrickyoon]

Mod note: Contrary to claims in the linked auction, this RAM is NOT compatible with the MacBook Air, which uses non-user-upgradable RAM soldered directly onto the logic board.

Stumbled upon this link on ebay just now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-PATRIOT-4GB...yZ152542QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Any inputs and how this can be accomplished to install on a MacBook Air with no issues?

Thanks

 

[fredrickyoon]

Also, noticed that MacService.com has the MacBook Air with upgrades coming soon!

http://www.macservice.com/macbookair.html

I used them for my 11/2006 Generation MacBook Pro 15.4" which was upgraded to 250 GB hard drive.

 

[ayeying]

how can you even install those. the ram is SOLDERED onto the logic board.

For the upgrades, you can upgrade the hard drive to a 128GB SSD, that costs about 3400 bucks per.

 

[fredrickyoon]

That's what I figured, but I'm sure that these 3rd party vendors will find a way and probably charge a handful to get the job done, or else they wouldn't be advertising this on their websites (don't know about the reliability of the ebay listing), but for MacService since I've dealt with them in the past, maybe a possibility.

 

[ayeying]

replacing/adding memory is possible but because of the complexity design of DDR2 chips, if you happen to damage even one pin on the chip, it is rendered useless. If some compnaies do offer this service, it would not be cheap.

 

[t4cgirl]

Check out this pic of iFixit's take apart of the Macbook Air.

http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/stream/9/large/17-2.jpg

These aren't our regular SO-DIMMs soldered in place. The RAM is actually designed into the logic board. Unsoldering 8 256KB ram chips and soldering in 8 512KB ones? Yikes. I suspect those skilled enough to do such work (if it's even practical with the right equipment) have better things to do.

That eBay auction certainly stretches the definition of "compatibility", that's for sure!

 

[clayj]

OK, having just read the eBay listing, I can come to only one conclusion: The seller is trying to take advantage of MBA owners who aren't technical enough to know that the RAM is soldered in and that replacing it is nigh impossible.

Someone really ought to report that auction and have it closed. And this thread should be locked.

 

[abijnk]

Reported, lets hope no one falls for it

 

[sushi]

Someone really ought to report that auction and have it closed. And this thread should be locked.

Agree x 2.

I will also report the eBay listing.

On MR, it would probably be good to have the last message by the mod include something about that the MBA has no memory sockets and that the memory is mounted directly on the motherboard.

 

[SFStateStudent]

I'm very leery of this eBay posting...

though he/she may be a "Power Seller" with a whole bunch of sales; I don't see a single sale for MBA 4GB Memory!

 

[ayeying]

Check out this pic of iFixit's take apart of the Macbook Air.

http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/stream/9/large/17-2.jpg

These aren't our regular SO-DIMMs soldered in place. The RAM is actually designed into the logic board. Unsoldering 8 256KB ram chips and soldering in 8 512KB ones? Yikes. I suspect those skilled enough to do such work (if it's even practical with the right equipment) have better things to do.

That eBay auction certainly stretches the definition of "compatibility", that's for sure!

Pretty sure each chip is bigger then 256KB. lol.

But yeah, the complexity to remove one chip, even for a skilled person, would be insane. I've worked at a computer ram company before. Just watching them remove one chip took a few hours because of all the cleaning they have to do on the internal pins.

 

[hephem]

Hi to all,
I wrote to MacServices and actualy they said that they were waiting for the 4gb Ram, and once they get it in the MBA they will do some tests to certify that everything works fine. Only then they may (or may not) offer a MBA Ram upgrade. To follow this adventure sign up to the MacServices news letter.

A 4gb MBA is what I was expecting for to make it my principal machine, since Mtron announced a 1.8 SSD with higher capacity (128gb) and higher performances than the actual SSD, for a price almost fair (lol): expected to be sold for 1600$.

Cheers