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Best RAM brand for Macs?

kingc0bra

kingc0bra

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 27, 2012
136
6
What is the consensus on the best (aka fastest and most compatible) ram brand for macs/macbooks? Im sure there are benchmarks out there comparing different ram brands installed on the same mac, would love to see the charts if its out there somewhere
 
Crucial is popular. Just make sure you test ram as soon as you install it regardless of brand. There are no exceptions to that rule.
 
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www.macsales.com which is OWC. Like Apple, though a bit more expensive prides itself that it just works. The lifetime warranty, 24/7 live customer service, and 20 plus years of positive reputation working with Apple is worth the extra money.
 
There's no such thing. A Mac is just a PC with a prettier exterior running a different OS. RAM is RAM, so long as the specs match what is needed by the computer and you don't get dead sticks, it'll work.
 
snaky69 said:
There's no such thing. A Mac is just a PC with a prettier exterior running a different OS. RAM is RAM, so long as the specs match what is needed by the computer and you don't get dead sticks, it'll work.
Click to expand...

This.

May I add that get whatever the cheapest you can find from a reputable brand. You do not need to get from any particular brand that says "Mac Ready", "Mac Tested", etc cause they are the same as long as it matches specs.
 
kingc0bra said:
What do you mean test ram after install?
Click to expand...

Memtest or another similar utility. Anything that checks for errors, preferably in single user mode to maximize how much can be tested. It should be run for several cycles. Bad ram can still boot. You're just likely to experience issues with it over time, so it's worth testing on arrival. No brand is always perfect, so I simply suggest testing. Some vendors claim to test it before shipping. Even then none of them have 100% perfect track records.
 
I usually buy Corsair, Crucial or g.skill. They all offer good RAM and lifetime warranties. In my opinion OWC is overpriced. I've seen memory from every manufacturer fail, including OWC,

In either case, remember to keep your original RAM for troubleshooting and anytime you need to send your Mac in for service.
 
Hey, I could you a piece of advice here as well. I have a ultimo 2011 mbp 15'' i7 2.2 quadcore with 2x4 gb ram installed.

As I understand it:
- 2x8 should work, not? (not officially supported though).
- The deal here will give the right type of RAM: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3_1333MHz_SDRAM, not?

The price is somewhat higher than reported in here, newegg deal. They are right now down at 69 usd. But are they then the right type of ram (and will they ship to Europe)?

So: do anyone have a better deal? Or should this be good?

Thanks

Morten
 
mortenjensen said:
Hey, I could you a piece of advice here as well. I have a ultimo 2011 mbp 15'' i7 2.2 quadcore with 2x4 gb ram installed.

As I understand it:
- 2x8 should work, not? (not officially supported though).
- The deal here will give the right type of RAM: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3_1333MHz_SDRAM, not?

The price is somewhat higher than reported in here, newegg deal. They are right now down at 69 usd. But are they then the right type of ram (and will they ship to Europe)?

So: do anyone have a better deal? Or should this be good?

Thanks

Morten
Click to expand...

16 gigs will work on any sandy bridge (2011) MBP. The OWC will work, but there's cheaper out there. Try Newegg to look for ram with the same specs, and check out the reviews to ensure other mac owners with your machine hasn't had any issues with it. I was able to get gskill ram for $25 cheaper for my late 2011 back in July, it's gotten cheaper since then.

Or you can just get the ram from OWC and not have to worry about it. At most, it's a $30-40 premium.
 
Every manufacturer puts out bad sticks, a couple of weeks ago I did two upgrades and got a bad stick of G.Skill (generally highly regarded) and replaced it with a stick of PNY (generally less well regarded) that tested perfect, and got two perfect sticks of Corsair ValueRAM (generally thought of as mid-tier) that went into another machine. Just make sure that you're looking at the right spec for your machine and buy that which is cheapest.

That being said, the KomputerBay brand that's available on Amazon, and is generally the price-leader, does seem to have a higher than average number of complaints from Mac folk.

As someone already suggested, test your memory as soon as you install it no matter which brand you buy.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/05/03/memtest-mac-ram-test/
 
mortenjensen said:
Thanks, can any one point me to a good 2x8 1600 mhz deal that will work with my MBP? There are some requirements, as I understand it.

Morten

----------

Would something like this be the best option?

CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10

http://www.ramexperts.com/corsair-c...4-pin-ddr3-so-dimm-1600mhz-laptop-memory.html

Morten
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I assume you are from Europe. Every country has it own online shop or local shop. Most people are from US here and their best deal may not be the best deal to you (eg. shipping may cost a lot).
 
From the bit of research ive done, it seems crucial is one of the first ram companies and at the top of the chain, almost all their ram on amazon has an Average of 5 stars!!!

When I checked yesterday for 16gb 1600mhz it was around $65-70 seems like a great deal for one of the best most reliable brands!!
 
clyde2801 said:
16 gigs will work on any sandy bridge (2011) MBP. The OWC will work, but there's cheaper out there. Try Newegg to look for ram with the same specs, and check out the reviews to ensure other mac owners with your machine hasn't had any issues with it. I was able to get gskill ram for $25 cheaper for my late 2011 back in July, it's gotten cheaper since then.

Or you can just get the ram from OWC and not have to worry about it. At most, it's a $30-40 premium.
Click to expand...

The Chip Set known as Sandy Bridge will run 32Gb because it’s a true 64bit machine. I should know because I own an iMac 12.1 21.5”. If you own an iMac 21.5” with a Dual Core i3 your stuck at 16gb because it’s a 32 bit machine
 
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