Cross Mac RAM Compatibility?

[cosmichobo]

G'day,

I have a bunch of Macs from 2008 - 2012; iMacs, MacBookPro, Mac mini, Mac Pro...

I'm wondering if the RAM in them is cross compatible -- can I take a stick from one machine, and put it in another.

And, it got me thinking... surely someone somewhere has compiled a list of this exact thing..?

I tried a search but couldn't find something quite along these lines. Plenty of lists for particular machines - ie "What ram is compatible with 2019 iMac" -- but nothing that tells me "RAM from these machines is all interchangable" -- and then groups of lists of Macs that are compatible with each other...

Anyone seen something like that?

Cheers

cosmic

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

G'day,

I have a bunch of Macs from 2008 - 2012; iMacs, MacBookPro, Mac mini, Mac Pro...

I'm wondering if the RAM in them is cross compatible -- can I take a stick from one machine, and put it in another.

And, it got me thinking... surely someone somewhere has compiled a list of this exact thing..?

I tried a search but couldn't find something quite along these lines. Plenty of lists for particular machines - ie "What ram is compatible with 2019 iMac" -- but nothing that tells me "RAM from these machines is all interchangable" -- and then groups of lists of Macs that are compatible with each other...

Anyone seen something like that?

Cheers

cosmic

There is one ultimate rules: As long as DDR2 goes with DDR2, DDR3 goes with DDR3, DDR4 goes with DDR4, then compatibility is not an issue.

 

[cosmichobo]

There is one ultimate rules: As long as DDR2 goes with DDR2, DDR3 goes with DDR3, DDR4 goes with DDR4, then compatibility is not an issue.

Oh ok! So - the speed of the RAM doesn't count? Long as the DDRx matches?

 

[velocityg4]

Oh ok! So - the speed of the RAM doesn't count? Long as the DDRx matches?

If the RAM is slower than what it came with at the factory. It might affect performance a smidge. If it's faster than factory. You get no benefit.

 

[flashy-cat]

Pro tip - if the module is physically too big for the slot, then use a hacksaw to cut it to size. The computer will just use a smaller number of data paths to the module but it will work fine.

 

[cosmichobo]

Have worked out I can mix and match the RAM in the 20" and 24" iMacs, as well as the MacBookPro. That's going to let me increase what's in the 24" (good), and slightly decrease the MBP (will have a matched pair - that still a good thing?), and leave 1GB in the 20" that I'm going to give away/sell - so it will still at least be functional.

Thanks.

Also - @flashy-cat - I might pass on that. My hacksaw blade isn't very sharp.