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What brand is the RAM in your "build to order" machine?

  • Hynix

    Votes: 5 55.6%
  • Samsung

    Votes: 2 22.2%
  • Others

    Votes: 2 22.2%

  • Total voters
    9
  • Poll closed .

HiFiGuy528

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 24, 2008
1,876
65
Why does Apple use ECC RAM (Hynix) in their hardware? Hynix is very hard to find, why? From what I've read, ECC runs a bit slower than NON-ECC RAM. ECC RAM is server grade and cost more. Who installed ECC RAM in their MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, etc or did a side by side benchmarks?
 
What brand is the RAM in your "build to order" machine?

I am starting to wonder why both my Macs (MacBook & '09 Mac Mini) came with Hynix RAM. Hynix memory seems to be hard to find and expensive. Did Apple give you Hynix RAM with your BTO machine?
 
RAM is RAM. As long as it meets the specs, it doesn't matter what brand it is. It's a commodity. Apple's choice of Hynix is most likely based on a combination of economy and low failure rate. Crucial, OWC, and dozens of other brands will be just as good, if not better.
 
Hynix probably just offered the best price. Apple have used Samsung in the past too.

As for ECC memory; Apple had plenty of choices for the memory modules in the new Mac Pros, they obviously just went with the one they thought would suite most users.
 
Why does Apple use ECC RAM in their hardware? Hynix is very hard to find, why? From what I've read, ECC runs a bit slower than NON-ECC RAM. ECC RAM is server grade and cost more. Who installed ECC RAM in their MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, etc or did a side by side benchmarks?
 
Why does Apple use ECC RAM in their hardware? Hynix is very hard to find, why? From what I've read, ECC runs a bit slower than NON-ECC RAM. ECC RAM is server grade and cost more. Who installed ECC RAM in their MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, etc or did a side by side benchmarks?

Only the Mac Pro hardware supports ECC.

Hynix is hard to find because they sell their memory modules to companies like Apple, Dell and HP and their memory chips to companies that then make their own modules, like OCZ and Corsair (I don't know if they use Hynix or other DRAM manufacturers). You don't need more Hynix memory, you can use whatever company you want.
 
Why does Apple use ECC RAM in their hardware? Hynix is very hard to find, why? From what I've read, ECC runs a bit slower than NON-ECC RAM. ECC RAM is server grade and cost more. Who installed ECC RAM in their MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, etc or did a side by side benchmarks?
Yes, you said that already.

The only Apple machine that uses ECC RAM is the Mac Pro. No other machine uses ECC RAM nor comes with ECC RAM nor has, ever has had or ever will have the ability to use ECC RAM. You cannot put ECC RAM into any Apple machine except a Mac Pro.

Apple use Hynix RAM because its good quality. You can put in whatever brand you like. All Macs except the Macbook Pro use DDR2 or DDR3 SODIMM Non ECC memory.
 
South Korea's Hynix is in its 5th straight quarterly loss, and this is expected to increase. My guess is, that they gave Apple high quality RAM at a great deal since they needed the money.

....Economy's tough..
 
Another thing that I realized: Apple is using hynix and samsung sodimms that are lead and halogen free, environmental commitment. :)

In Hynix case are two part names: HMT125S6AFR8C-G7 (blue color) / HMT125S6AFR8C-G7 (green color), the apple uses the blue ones and the only diference is the materials.
 
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