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MacBook Pro 2014 Maximum Memory Future Upgrades

R

ryan101

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 26, 2012
139
31
Hi All,

Does anyone know the answer to the following question:

If I were to buy the 13 inch MacBook Pro 2014 Retina Model, say with the standard configuration of 8GB RAM, and if I wanted to upgrade the memory at some point in the future, what is the maximum memory I can put in it?

Thanks.
 
the ram is soldered into the retina models and is not upgradeable

you will need to purchase da amount u want when u buy it
 
ryan101 said:
Hi All,

Does anyone know the answer to the following question:

If I were to buy the 13 inch MacBook Pro 2014 Retina Model, say with the standard configuration of 8GB RAM, and if I wanted to upgrade the memory at some point in the future, what is the maximum memory I can put in it?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

RAM is not upgradeable. It's permanently soldered to the logic board.
 
I thought it was Air's you couldn't upgrade the memory on. So all new MacBook Airs and Pro's you can no longer upgrade the memory? Damn.

I assume you can still upgrade the disk space or SSD storage.
 
ryan101 said:
I thought it was Air's you couldn't upgrade the memory on. So all new MacBook Airs and Pro's you can no longer upgrade the memory? Damn.

I assume you can still upgrade the disk space or SSD storage.
Click to expand...

Nope since the late 2013 models the pros can no longer be upgraded at all apart from external storage.
 
Ssd

In theory the SSD is user upgradeable, in practice there are no third party vendors of the parts with the new proprietry connection. Only parts cannibalized from other macbook pros will fit, there are usually some on ebay available.
 
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Mr. Retrofire said:
Apple uses a standard PCIe connection and no proprietary connection or data transfer protocol.
Click to expand...

It may be standard, but at the moment, there's no way to upgrade them. I'm not sure why there isn't so standard or proprietary, it matters not, as there are no SSD replacements for the current rMBPs
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
Unfortunately that is for the late 1012 and early 2013 machines the late 2013 and 2014 do have a different proprietary connector for which we are awaiting third party vendors.
Click to expand...

I noticed the listing stated 2012/2013 but when looking at the iFixit photos the connectors look the same, so that is annoying, but at least it has saved me some time and money

It's just a matter of time though
 
Mr. Retrofire said:
Apple uses a standard PCIe connection and no proprietary connection or data transfer protocol.
Click to expand...

The connection is PCIe, but the form factor is proprietary (it's a non-M.2 blade SSD).

The PCIe blades for rMBPs/MBAs/iMacs/nMPs on eBay or Amazon are pulled off other Macs and sold on the market.

----------
ryan101 said:
I thought it was Air's you couldn't upgrade the memory on. So all new MacBook Airs and Pro's you can no longer upgrade the memory? Damn.

I assume you can still upgrade the disk space or SSD storage.
Click to expand...

RAM isn't upgradeable in any Apple portables anymore (besides the 13" non-retina MBP).

Even in the 21.5" iMac, the baseline variant has soldered RAM. The other two 21.5" variants don't have soldered RAM, but taking the entire iMac apart just to get to the RAM is hard enough and will void the warranty.

As for storage, wait until a third party vendor releases PCIe SSD upgrades. Apple does not use the M.2 PCIe standard. Rather, it uses a proprietary blade form.
 
ryan101 said:
I thought it was Air's you couldn't upgrade the memory on. So all new MacBook Airs and Pro's you can no longer upgrade the memory? Damn.

I assume you can still upgrade the disk space or SSD storage.
Click to expand...

The only one with upgradeable RAM is the non-Retina MBP.
 
Guys, firstly thank you to everyone for their replies.

I am shocked that Apple have taken away the option to even upgrade the SSD. Maybe I am being naive. Anyway, I am not very happy about that.

Can anyone tell me if the SSD's are soldered on the motherboard like the RAM on the Retina's? Going on the replies I assume they are not. So am I right in also assuming if you were able to buy an SSD with same connection type then you can still upgrade the SSD. I assume you would have to buy that from somewhere like eBay, where someone was selling one that they took out from another MB, correct?

Secondly, if the connection type of the MBP Retina is not proprietary, I assume then sooner or later there will be some manufacturers making them. Is my hope or assumption correct? Tell me if I am wrong.
 
Not naive, just not informed about the Apple Retina Macbook lineup and direction.

The SSDs in the 2012 rMBPs use a mSATA interface. You can get Jetdrive SSDs from Transcend to use as upgrades. http://www.transcend-info.com/apple/jetdrive/ The 2013/2014 rMBPs use a faster PCIe interface to connect SSDs. Not heard of anyone making replacements for those.

There is no way to know for sure if a third party will make PCIe SSDs for MacBooks. The question is likely not if....but when and for what cost.

If you want a Macbook you can play with internally, you best hurry and get one of the few still offered, or get a used 13", 15" or 17" models. I imagine no later tthan next summer there will onlybe new Retina MBAs and MBPs available from Apple.
 
ryan101 said:
Guys, firstly thank you to everyone for their replies.

I am shocked that Apple have taken away the option to even upgrade the SSD. Maybe I am being naive. Anyway, I am not very happy about that.

Can anyone tell me if the SSD's are soldered on the motherboard like the RAM on the Retina's? Going on the replies I assume they are not. So am I right in also assuming if you were able to buy an SSD with same connection type then you can still upgrade the SSD. I assume you would have to buy that from somewhere like eBay, where someone was selling one that they took out from another MB, correct?

Secondly, if the connection type of the MBP Retina is not proprietary, I assume then sooner or later there will be some manufacturers making them. Is my hope or assumption correct? Tell me if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

The SSDs aren't soldered to the logic board.

The connection is a regular PCIe, but the form factor is proprietary.

OWC is working on upgrades for the PCIe blades in Macs, I heard, but it'll be some time before we see them.
 
yep, apple's general direction definitely seems to be towards getting people to upgrade their entire system at a time (a la iOS) rather than piecemeal.

its kinda ****** but i can live with it. my 2013 retina will be the first computer i've ever owned and NOT upgraded the ram. that said, i haven't heard of 16gb sticks becoming available anytime soon, so technically there wouldn't be an upgrade path in the next while anyway.

with storage, at least you can attach externals. and the ssd's apple includes are pretty decent, so at least what you're locked into is good.
 
Hardware is top notch, even if not upgradeable, so make sure to get the best off the bat and then not have to worry about it for a few years. The tradeoffs for a much better display and less weight are worth it.
 
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