Buying MBP: Upgrading RAM and HD

[NomadicTy]

Hi!

I about to put in an order for an MBP. I would like to buy a bigger and faster HD, and also max out the RAM. With upgrades from Apple being total ripoffs, I am buying these from newegg, then having someone else do the installation.

I saw an ad from Best Buy saying that they would do the install to upgrade mac RAM for $39. I'm assuming they could do HD installations, too? Anybody have any experience with Best Buy's techs, and the quality of work they do?

Thanks!

 

[ivi7]

Upgrading the RAM is really easy have you thought about doing it yourself

 

[Xander562]

I've upgraded the RAM in my MBP before. It's really quite simple. You're completely able to do it yourself without voiding your warranty. The HDD however, you're going to need to find someone that's Apple Certified because it requires taking off the entire palm rest / keyboard area. If you're confident in doing that yourself as well, go for it, but it will void your warranty. (Not something you really want to do.)

 

[CalfCanuck]

Replacing HD

FYI, I bought the first generation MBP in Spring 2006, and after the laptop went off warranty I replaced the 100 GB 5400 rpm HD this last summer with a 7200 rpm 160 GB model.

There are posted instructions online on the upgrade, but as noted above it does void your warranty and thus should propbably be avoided while the warranty is still in effect. It wasn't brain surgery, but there were a few trricky places where you had to be careful so as not to break the case.

So either get the HD you want in a BTO and upgrade the RAM yourself, or else if you can get a better deal with a stock model just live with the internal HD.

 

[NomadicTy]

Somehow, I was under the impression that both procedures would be hard for someone to do. I'll look into upgrading the RAM by myself.

I really want a 200 GB 7200 RPM hard drive. Apple does not even offer that. However, I do not want to void the warranty either. Are Best Buy techs Apple Certified? Would an Apple Store upgrade the HD? I'm in Houston. Does anybody know of any Apple Certified techs in this city?

Thanks a lot!

 

[ivi7]

Just something you could refer to