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Apple Memory Upgrades? Why would anyone?

BasilFawlty

BasilFawlty

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 20, 2009
1,082
3,040
New Mexico
I recently bought a 27" i5 iMac with the base 4GB of memory. I later bought 2 4GB stickes (8GB) total for about $50. I could now buy 16GB for about $120 and keep my 2 4GB sticks for 24 GB total.

Why on Earth would anyone pay over $500 to Apple to upgrade from 4 to 16GB (4x4GB)??? Is Apple just marketing to stupid people? What am I missing? I could see paying a "little" more to upgrade, but over $500??!! That's just nuts!
 
BasilFawlty said:
I recently bought a 27" i5 iMac with the base 4GB of memory. I later bought 2 4GB stickes (8GB) total for about $50. I could now buy 16GB for about $120 and keep my 2 4GB sticks for 24 GB total.

Why on Earth would anyone pay over $500 to Apple to upgrade from 4 to 16GB (4x4GB)??? Is Apple just marketing to stupid people? What am I missing? I could see paying a "little" more to upgrade, but over $500??!! That's just nuts!
Click to expand...

there is so many people that never opened a computer, never bought stuff online (grandpas), and knows 0 about technology or doesnt go to Mac Forums because they have no issues, turning on their machine 4 times x week, nor there is rich people that let apple do the whole job

you are talking from the perspective of one who comes here (tech place?) who did upgrade the ram himself, who knows about the deal (tech knowledge-internet etc)
but that is not everybodys POV.

:p (just got my 16gb)
 
Many people, (especially corporate and enterprise clients) simply don't have the time or the in-house support to buy RAM from a cheaper supplier. They prefer to purchase the configuration they require rather than have all their IT techs. opening up Macs and installing RAM. Most of us here wouldn't buy RAM from Apple, as you point out, but consider that labour / time coefficient if you were dealing with 50+ machines.
 
if you can afford to get them to do it, its just easier, plus doesnt risk anything going wrong and doesnt void warranty if it causes a problem
 
Warranty

So does installing your own RAM void your AppleCare plan? If so, it would be pointless to purchase this if you plan to upgrade yourself.

Thanks
 
Macman45 said:
Many people, (especially corporate and enterprise clients) simply don't have the time or the in-house support to buy RAM from a cheaper supplier. They prefer to purchase the configuration they require rather than have all their IT techs. opening up Macs and installing RAM. Most of us here wouldn't buy RAM from Apple, as you point out, but consider that labour / time coefficient if you were dealing with 50+ machines.
Click to expand...
Hey, if you know some corporation willing to pay $25,000 to upgrade RAM in 50 machines – please DO let me know, I would like to offer my services!

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heinzeee said:
So does installing your own RAM void your AppleCare plan?
Click to expand...
This reminds me of an episode of “Frasier”, where Niles asked if opening a hood of the car will void a warranty :)
 
vladfein said:
Hey, if you know some corporation willing to pay $25,000 to upgrade RAM in 50 machines – please DO let me know, I would like to offer my services!
Click to expand...

When you factor in the hourly rate of the people that would be performing the upgrade, including complete checks etc., it's probably about the same cost for a corporation to just pay Apple.
 
I just about hit the floor when my english professor (who knows a thing or two about computers) told me he bought RAM from Apple. He told me that the university wouldn't authorize a 3rd party upgrade and that he had to buy everything he wanted at once.

I believe this is the case for many large businesses/education institutions.
 
My wife only buys a 100% complete "turn key" computer system. She doesn't open the cover, she doesn't install memory (not even with a simple under belly access door) and she doesn't want the hassle of researching / getting proper sized memory chips either. She wants a 100% turn key system and will buy it that way.

If wondering, she doesn't pump her own gasoline either. She'd rather drive next village over and pay "more" for gas - instead of self-serve pumping it herself.

Some people want 100% "turn key" solutions. Thus, Apple and other companies make the buyer pay for this option. And when possible, charge the buyer dearly. Even over charges my dear wife. LOL!!!
 
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vladfein said:
Hey, if you know some corporation willing to pay $25,000 to upgrade RAM in 50 machines – please DO let me know, I would like to offer my services!

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This reminds me of an episode of “Frasier”, where Niles asked if opening a hood of the car will void a warranty :)
Click to expand...

Not likely I'm afraid....That was precisely my point...If you were a corporate buyer I seriously doubt that after buying in your upgrade rotation that you would then hop over to Crucial / Newegg etc. in order to then purchase RAM for your I.T. team to install....So I guess the job you want isn't there....Anyway, if I hear of any company foolish enough to adopt that policy, I'm going to do it!..:D
 
I bought ram from Apple once, I hate to admit.

When I bought my first mac (a 14" iBook G4), I paid $200 for Apple to install extra ram (1 GB).

It was bright and shiny in the store and I had a momentary lapse in judgement.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
 
mikeytrend said:
I just about hit the floor when my english professor (who knows a thing or two about computers) told me he bought RAM from Apple. He told me that the university wouldn't authorize a 3rd party upgrade and that he had to buy everything he wanted at once.

I believe this is the case for many large businesses/education institutions.
Click to expand...

And we wonder why tuition costs are going through the roof!

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Macman45 said:
Not likely I'm afraid....That was precisely my point...If you were a corporate buyer I seriously doubt that after buying in your upgrade rotation that you would then hop over to Crucial / Newegg etc. in order to then purchase RAM for your I.T. team to install....So I guess the job you want isn't there....Anyway, if I hear of any company foolish enough to adopt that policy, I'm going to do it!..:D
Click to expand...

If you're a smart corporate buyer and concerned about the bottom line you would! Corporations operate on Profit. Stuff like this comes out of overhead, which directly impacts the bottom line. I work for a major Scientific R&D firm and I know for a fact our IT folks would NOT pay Apple $500 to upgrade RAM (if we had Apple computers, which we don't). Any IT shop with an ounce of sense would either buy ram elsewhere, or negotiate with Apple for a reduced price if they are buying in bulk.
 
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