Choosing RAM for my Macbook

[Penquin-007]

Hello,

I'd like to upgrade the RAM on my Macbook. Is Corsair a good brand for laptop RAM?

What is the difference between
1) Corsair PC2-5300 1GB DDR2-667 200PIN SODIMM Memory (If I buy two 260$ canadian)
and
2) Corsair PC2-5300 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-667 200PIN SODIMM Dual Channel Memory Kit (314$ canadian)

Thanks!

 

[trueheart78]

Corsair is not bad, and the main difference you see in those chips is due to how they are sold. Lots of people will buy a single stick, not everyone a dual channel kit, and even still, the wiser ones realize that 2 of the single sticks will run dual channel just fine, although there is the ever-so-slightest chance they will have different timings, or something else to offset dual channel.

I say buy the 2 single sticks and save your cash.

 

[CanadaRAM]

The Corsair ValueSelect line is not guaranteed by Corsair to work in Macs.
In general I find the ValueSelect build quality to be adequate for generic RAM, but no more than that - very thin PC boards.

Keep looking, there are Canadian dealers who know Macs and offer compatibility-guaranteed RAM for not much more than these.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

 

[thr33face]

i have 2gb corsair ram in the macbook and it works without problems.

the ones i have are: 2 x 1024 MB - VS1GSDS667D2

should be 2 corsair valueselect pc5300 sticks

<<i don't remeber how much i paid exactly, but should be somewhere around 160 to 200 euros.>>

/edit

i looked up the bill and i paid 155 euros for both sticks.

 

[Mac'Mo]

I recall hearing that Crucial memory is one of the most reliable/best brands for Macs.

 

[WildCowboy]

People do seem to be having better luck with cheap PC RAM (like the Corsair) in the Intel Macs than they did in the PPC Macs. That said, I'd still go with a trusted RAM vendor, such as the one oh-so-subtly hinted at by CanadaRAM.

Crucial RAM is good, but it's expensive, and I boycott them for their ethically questionable pricing practices anyway.

I suppose the 2 x 1 GB kit "guarantees" that your sticks are paired, giving you the performance benefit that provides. In theory, buying two of the same 1 GB sticks individually at the same time should also result in paired RAM, but there is a chance you could get sticks from different batches that had slightly different specs.

 

[fivetoadsloth]

The Corsair ValueSelect line is not guaranteed by Corsair to work in Macs.
In general I find the ValueSelect build quality to be adequate for generic RAM, but no more than that - very thin PC boards.

Keep looking, there are Canadian dealers who know Macs and offer compatibility-guaranteed RAM for not much more than these.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

I agree. Corsair is good but they are expensive and not gauranteed. I would look around a little more. http://www.macsales.com has some good ram there. The main difference between the 1 gig sold alone and the 2 1 gigs is marketing, you will be fine getting 2 1 gigs, and in general it is cheaper.