Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
Title says it all i have been putting the upgrade off for something now and i found an auth reseller that can do the upgrade with out voiding the warranty and using the apple ram for $199 t get it up to 4GB. so will it make a lot f diff with the more ram?
 

Zagreus

macrumors member
That really depends on the level of activity your machine experiences, as a for instance if you only use it listen to music, use iPhoto, mess around in Garageband, do a little in iMovie etc then the upgrade probably won't be that noticable, but if you are using more intense apps like Final Cut Express or Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash CS4 etc, then it probably would be more palpable but by how much is hard to say. So what do you use your MacBook for?
 

Petoz

macrumors 6502
Apr 1, 2008
438
38
UK
I wasn't aware that upgrading the RAM voided warranty. And you could upgrade for alot cheaper than that. Correct me if I'm wrong.

As for the difference, I guess you would notice it differently depending on what you use your mac for. But more ram is always a good thing.
 

drichards

macrumors 6502a
Nov 30, 2008
803
0
It won't help your spelling... ok I kid, but what difference will a 4GB upgrade make over your existing 2GB ram? It gives you double the amount of working memory for the system. If you run a lot of apps all at once, or you use Photoshop and other resource-intensive apps, you may notice an increase in performance, but otherwise you probably won't. It won't make your system boot faster, run cooler, or load programs faster. For any of those, you'd be better off with a SSD upgrade or a faster processor, which all told leads you to a new Mac.

As indicated above though, more ram is generally a good thing. Its definitely not a bad thing.

I have no idea what $200 AUD is so I can't tell you if you're getting ripped off, but from over here it sounds like a raw deal.

I wasn't aware that upgrading the RAM voided warranty.
It doesn't. If you don't mess it up, good to go. Instructions for ram upgrade are printed under your battery door, and detailed in the "Everything Mac" booklet that came in the little black box next to your system DVD.
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
Yea i could do it my self cheaper but if i stuff something up there gos the warranty but if a get an auth service provider to do it i am more safe that why :)
 

Petoz

macrumors 6502
Apr 1, 2008
438
38
UK
Yea i could do it my self cheaper but if i stuff something up there gos the warranty but if a get an auth service provider to do it i am more safe that why :)

Ok, fair enough. But it really isn't very difficult. I upgraded my iMac ram in no time at all. I know macbook is slightly different. But it's isn't brain surgery. Sorry, I just don't see how you could mess it up.
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
Ok, fair enough. But it really isn't very difficult. I upgraded my iMac ram in no time at all. I know macbook is slightly different. But it's isn't brain surgery. Sorry, I just don't see how you could mess it up.

I know i have seen many videos on youtube about it but i am one of the people that will say better safe then sorry as it took me a long time to save up to get this macbook.
 

Chundles

macrumors G5
Jul 4, 2005
12,037
493
$200 isn't that bad for the DDR3 stuff, my company does it a bit cheaper than that, Apple's RAM prices in comparison to reputable suppliers of high end RAM is actually quite aggressive here in Aus. Sure you can find cheaper at fairs and little stores.

Installing RAM doesn't void your warranty, if you break something while putting it in though is not covered.
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
$200 isn't that bad for the DDR3 stuff, my company does it a bit cheaper than that, Apple's RAM prices in comparison to reputable suppliers of high end RAM is actually quite aggressive here in Aus. Sure you can find cheaper at fairs and little stores.

Installing RAM doesn't void your warranty, if you break something while putting it in though is not covered.

Thank you for replying as you making me fill better with the cost the $199 is ram supplied and filled. from nextbyte.
 

Dale Cooper

macrumors regular
Sep 20, 2005
218
0
You could check your Activity Monitor after using your macbook for some time, doing stuff you normally do. If the number of "Page Outs" (under the Memory tab at the bottom of the window) is high (I think more than 1/5 of the number of "Page Ins" is a rule of thumb) you could use som more RAM.

"Page outs" occur when your macbook has to read stuff from your harddrive instead of the memory, which causes slowdowns.
 

MedHead

macrumors regular
Mar 2, 2009
142
0
Cork, Ireland
Just a quick point RAM in the unibody macbook is a user servicable part, upgrading it doesnt void your warranty!

check crucial.com $200 for a ram updrade is crazy!
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
Yea they guy at the apple auth service provider said you can do it cheaper your self and he had one there so he showed me how it was done so i am going to get kingstone ram. my msy.
 

-tWv-

macrumors 68000
May 11, 2009
1,583
2
Ohio
Title says it all i have been putting the upgrade off for something now and i found an auth reseller that can do the upgrade with out voiding the warranty and using the apple ram for $199 t get it up to 4GB. so will it make a lot f diff with the more ram?

I would actually try to find a cheaper set of RAM like RAM from OWC. I bought this set (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/8566DDR3S4GP/) and installed it myself very easily and it only took about 15 minutes. You don't need to spend $200 to get quality RAM. The RAM package i got was fully compatible and I have had no problems with it yet.

You will need a special screwdriver to open the back of your macbook its called a #00 screwdriver and you can find it at any hardware store.

There is an instructional video on the OWC site (http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_unibody/) as well with a walkthrough on installing the new RAM. I would highly recommend OWC and their RAM.

Answering your question on what's the difference, the difference is faster speeds and the ability to have more applications open at one time. Especially if you are using virtualization software like VMware fusion or parallels, the added RAM will make running the computer smoother and more efficient with less lag in opening applications and more capacity for running applications
 

Airforcekid

macrumors 68000
Sep 29, 2008
1,707
680
United States of America
I wasn't aware that upgrading the RAM voided warranty. And you could upgrade for alot cheaper than that. Correct me if I'm wrong.

As for the difference, I guess you would notice it differently depending on what you use your mac for. But more ram is always a good thing.

you can upgrade ram and hard drive without affecting the warrenty. And a 2gb stick costs around $15-$25 USD so it sounds like your getting ripped off bad!
 

-tWv-

macrumors 68000
May 11, 2009
1,583
2
Ohio
you can upgrade ram and hard drive without affecting the warrenty. And a 2gb stick costs around $15-$25 USD so it sounds like your getting ripped off bad!

Yeah, the apple store sells replacement RAM sticks for the macbook for $200 dollars and you can find much cheaper sets. So definitely try to find a cheaper set because 4GB of RAM isn't worth $200.
 

NathanCH

macrumors 65816
Oct 5, 2007
1,080
264
Vancouver, BC
I've had 2GB on my iMac for almost 2 years and I use photoshop for hours every day. I want to upgrade to 4GB, but what's the difference from the $60 4GB on NewEgg.ca compared to the $150 4GB ram?

Sorry for stealing your thread.
 

Airforcekid

macrumors 68000
Sep 29, 2008
1,707
680
United States of America
I've had 2GB on my iMac for almost 2 years and I use photoshop for hours every day. I want to upgrade to 4GB, but what's the difference from the $60 4GB on NewEgg.ca compared to the $150 4GB ram?

Sorry for stealing your thread.

the 150 sounds like 1x4gb while $60 2x2gb so your best bet is the sixty dollar option.
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
Okay here in Au i can get kingston 2GB sticks for 49bucks. so i emailed msy today asking if it will work in my macbook but in the every thing mac book i have it says this

*double data rate small outline dual inline memory module (ddr3) format
*1.25 inch (3.18cm)
*1GB or 2GB
*200pin
*pc3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz Type RAM

but most people say the ram is 204pin whats going on ??
 

NewMacbookPlz

macrumors 68040
Sep 28, 2008
3,266
0
Okay here in Au i can get kingston 2GB sticks for 49bucks. so i emailed msy today asking if it will work in my macbook but in the every thing mac book i have it says this

*double data rate small outline dual inline memory module (ddr3) format
*1.25 inch (3.18cm)
*1GB or 2GB
*200pin
*pc3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz Type RAM

but most people say the ram is 204pin whats going on ??

DDR3 SO-DIMMs are 204-pin, there isn't a 200-pin variety. I'd guess whoever sent you that e-mail made a typo.

Also, you can get 2x2gb from cruial for $64 (USD), with free 7-12 day shipping to Australia...just google 'crucial memory australia' and proceed from there. I'm not sure if you meant $49 per DIMM or for the pair.
 

baddj

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
352
35
It was not in an email it was in my book Everything Mac that come with the macbook.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.