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16 GB RAM Upgrades for New MacBook Pros Now Available

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Apr 12, 2001
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Other World Computing today announced the debut of new aftermarket RAM upgrades for the new MacBook Pro models released late last month. Options ranging up to 16 GB are available, well beyond Apple's maximum build-to-order offering of 8 GB. OWC offers the following options and prices:

- 4 GB (Replace one existing 2 GB module with a 4 GB module for a total of 6 GB): $59.99
- 8 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with 4 GB modules): $112.99
- 12 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with one 8 GB module and one 4 GB module): $879.99
- 16 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with 8 GB modules): $1599.99

Trade-in rebates of $13 per 2 GB module from Apple can also be applied.

OWC maintains a "MaxRAM" testing lab of Apple machines and has verified that the new MacBook Pros can accept up to 16 GB of RAM.

Article Link: 16 GB RAM Upgrades for New MacBook Pros Now Available
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/09/16-gb-ram-upgrades-for-new-macbook-pros-now-available/
I figured 16GB would work, the spec sheet Intel put out suggested as such. It was just a little ambiguous.
 
Just noticed the prices. Instead of a MacBook Pro + 16 GB RAM, how about a MacBook Pro + another MacBook Pro?
 
Interesting.

The pricing doesn't surprise me. A year ago, two 4GB DDR3 SO-DIMMS were $400. Less than a year before that it would cost you $800.

However what does surprise me is only OWC has 8GB DDR3 SO-DIMMs. Crucial? Nope. Any manufacturer carried by NewEgg? Nope.

Would I like 16GB in my MacBook Pro? YES. I'd actually use it. Would I like more options, including from I don't know... an actual memory manufacturer (i.e. Micron or Kingston)? Yes. Would I like the price to at least come down to $600 or $700? Yes, that too.
 
Speeds and feeds matter!

Just like Apple not to tell us what the true innards are...

Some of us would like this much RAM, and the customization page doesn't offer this option.
 
mrfoof82 said:
Would I like 16GB in my MacBook Pro? YES. I'd actually use it. Would I like more options, including from I don't know... an actual memory manufacturer (i.e. Micron or Kingston)? Yes. Would I like the price to at least come down to $600 or $700? Yes, that too.
Click to expand...

You do realize, that it isn't like the guys over at OWC is soldering up these memory sticks in their basement right? Traditionally they are major manufacturers "stuff", but they just don't guarentee who actually makes it. Can you buy 8GB sticks from cruicial or Kingston yet? Not through their website, but that doesn't mean they aren't making them. Intel obviously had to be able to get their hands on it when they were designing the current chipsets in the MBP's otherwise how would they know it works?
 
I think this is great news -- just not for right now.

True, $1600 for the next 8GB of RAM is, let's say, "difficult to justify" for most.

However, I just bought my MBP, and in 2015, when 16GB RAM is common and runs $90, this upgrade path will give my MBP a spritz of that new-car-smell stuff for the following year or two.

Nice to know it's a bit more future-proof than I thought. Would it have killed them to connect the ODD to a SATA III port?!?
 
idea_hamster said:
Nice to know it's a bit more future-proof than I thought. Would it have killed them to connect the ODD to a SATA III port?!?
Click to expand...

Agreed. I would have purchased a 17" MBP if it meant it had 4 slots instead of just 2. When I start loading up virtual machines, my available memory starts diminishing fast. 8GB is as little as I would want in my Notebook, so when this memory starts to drop I will definitely be buying!
 
A somewhat good place to look for memory (both RAM & memory cards for digital cameras) is dealram.com. It doesn't actually sell this stuff, but aggregates different prices for memory so you can know where the least expensive ones are. As of yet, they don't seem to have the memory for the current MBPs yet, but have lots of RAM for other systems.
 
I wonder who their manufacturer is--can't find 8GB modules in the 204-pin variety anywhere else right now. Not surprising that the price is so steep.
 
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This is way too expensive. Most won't even use that much memory. I rather put the money into a Mac pro than shove it in the mbp.
 
Wow - 16 GB are expensive. In particular compared to 8GB. I will wait some time and hope the prices for 16GB come way down. In 2 years maybe? I could get an SSD in addition and speed up my new MBP quite a bit.
 
I wonder if a 2010 iMac would support 32 GB if you got 4x 8 GB modules since it also uses DDR3 1333 and has 4 RAM slots, I don't see why not. Of course those 8 gig modules are still way too expensive, as it would cost more than the iMac itself. But I'm thinking for the future when they come down in price.
 
Well thats nice to know. Unfortunately my (late 2007) MBP only takes up to 2 GB's of RAM which is how much I have. Possibly 4? from what I've heard.
 
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