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Hi : ) !!! - Maxing out RAM !!! - Questions and 'Side effects'

I

igmolinav

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 15, 2005
1,126
4
Hi,

I have a 13" MBP. It is more or less three years
since I have had my MBP.

I am going to start doing video and I would like
to add RAM to it.

My MBP has an Intel Core i5 processor and its
speed is 2.3 GHz. It came with a(n) standard
4 GB of RAM and I think one can max out to
16 GB.

Should I max out to 16 GB? Are there any
'Side effects' when maxing out RAM to 16 GB?
Should I keep it at 8, 10, or 12 GB?

Last, but not least, where do you suggest to
get RAM from?

Thank you in advance, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!
 
I have 16 in my 2012 13 inch Macbook Pro and the computer runs great. It does not really matter what brand you buy it is pretty much all the same.
 
16GB would be OK. I would recommend to use Corsair cause I have had problems before with no branded memory in my 15' i7 MBP.
 
There should be no side effects. I would research the type of ram for your machine. The speeds are different from earlier models to newer models and make sure you get something similar to what is in there now to make the upgrade smooth.

Brand at this point does not matter: Kingston, Corsair, etc.
 
Newegg is usually the cheapest. I say just go there and find the cheapest set with remotely decent reviews. Besides price I don't know of any major downsides to maxing out your RAM.
 
You might also check out Crucial. When I upgraded RAM I did some research, and asked a couple of knowledgable friends who recommended it.

Just another choice...:D
 
Downsides:

  • Image file used for sleep is larger (file size same as memory size)
  • Longer sleep/wake times (since image has to be written/read)
  • Longer boot times because of memory test.
  • Costs money

The bottleneck for video will most likely be the dual core processor.
 
Hi,

Thank you for your messages : ) !!!

I will look into newegg, crucial, and
Corsair.

In order to upgrade the RAM, do I
have to take the computer to an
apple service center, or is it easy to
do it by oneself?

Kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!
 
Suggestion...

You have two memory module slots in your MBP, they will each be fitted with a 2GB module for your total of 4GB. Each slot should have the same manufacturer, specification and capacity of module in it so your options are:

Fit 2x 4GB for a total of 8GB
Fit 2x 8Gb for a total of 16GB

As posted above there will be an increase in the sleep image file size, a slight increase in the time to sleep due to the larger file. There will also be a very slight decrease in battery life as the additional memory consumes more power however this may be offset by lower power consumption by the HDD as the MBP may not use a swap file as much, or at all (esp with 16GB depending on applications being run).

Whatever memory you buy, make sure it has a return option, MBP's can be quite sensitive to memory speed, some cheaper brands/unbranded can be unrecognized by the MBP. Kingston and Crucial both list modules they specifically expect to work with MBPs.
 
Don't get a cheapass memory, get something that is "Mac compatible" or just google what memories are "safe to use". As previously noted, Mac's can be sensitive.

I have 2x8 GB in my 2012 MBP non-retina and it´s awesome!
 
poobear said:
Don't get a cheapass memory, get something that is "Mac compatible" or just google what memories are "safe to use". As previously noted, Mac's can be sensitive.

I have 2x8 GB in my 2012 MBP non-retina and it´s awesome!
Click to expand...

There is no such thing as "Mac Compatible" RAM, that is nothing more than a marketing gimmick meant to cheat you out of an extra 10-15$ for the very same memory you get when buying one without the "Mac Compatible" sticker.

Ever since the switch to Intel, a Mac is nothing more than a PC in a pretty case running OS X.
 
snaky69 said:
There is no such thing as "Mac Compatible" RAM, that is nothing more than a marketing gimmick meant to cheat you out of an extra 10-15$ for the very same memory you get when buying one without the "Mac Compatible" sticker.

Ever since the switch to Intel, a Mac is nothing more than a PC in a pretty case running OS X.
Click to expand...

Agreed, do not listen to poobear, just buy the cheapest RAM with decent reviews. "Mac Compatible" RAM is like buying a Monster HDMI cable.
 
If you've already checked that your MBP can hold up to 16gb, it shouldn't be a problem but if your MBP is the 2010 model like mine, it could have a limit of 8gb. Might wanna make sure your MBP holds up to 16gb before you order.

And I agree with many people here; the brand doesn't seem to matter that much anymore. I bought some cheap RAM modules from UMAX and Silicon Power in 2012 or so, they all worked fine with macs.
 
simon48 said:
Agreed, do not listen to poobear, just buy the cheapest RAM with decent reviews. "Mac Compatible" RAM is like buying a Monster HDMI cable.
Click to expand...

Sorry I have experience of ram not being recognized by an MBP, of course the same ram may also not have been recognized by an equivalent pc due to some tech spec being not as per the machine expects (I don't possess a pc to test it on).

However the point is beware, not all ram may work with your mac. (Indeed why say "buy the cheapest with decent reviews", presumably those without decent reviews....give problems???)
 
simonsi said:
Sorry I have experience of ram not being recognized by an MBP, of course the same ram may also not have been recognized by an equivalent pc due to some tech spec being not as per the machine expects (I don't possess a pc to test it on).

However the point is beware, not all ram may work with your mac. (Indeed why say "buy the cheapest with decent reviews", presumably those without decent reviews....give problems???)
Click to expand...

Getting RAM that's DOA is the biggest problem, it's the main reason to look at reviews. This very could be what you've had happen. But if it's DOA just return it. Another reason is if they have a track record of having a short lifetime. Again, this applies the same for buying RAM for PCs and Macs. It just doesn't matter what platform you're buying for.
 
I have a similar MacBook Pro to the original poster. I just upgraded it from 4 GB to 16 GB. It is great be able to run Xcode, Word, and Windows 8 under parallels with a 6 GB of memory at the same time.

I also replaced the rotational drive with a 480 GB SSD. The end result of this combination is that this thing screams.
 
snaky69 said:
There is no such thing as "Mac Compatible" RAM, that is nothing more than a marketing gimmick meant to cheat you out of an extra 10-15$ for the very same memory you get when buying one without the "Mac Compatible" sticker.

Ever since the switch to Intel, a Mac is nothing more than a PC in a pretty case running OS X.
Click to expand...

Well, Mac's do need a specific CAS timing and voltage, but if you can find a set that fits the bill without the Mac sticker, then sure. For the average Joe, it's safer to get a "Mac Compatible" because he most likely won't know the specifications his Mac needs.
 
Jaben3421 said:
Well, Mac's do need a specific CAS timing and voltage
Click to expand...

Nonsense. I've run 1333 and 1600 MHz RAM; 1.35v and 1.5v; and sticks of different timings in my MBP (not together obviously), and all have been fine, save for a set of Corsair Vengeance that ultimately proved defective out of the box.
 
saturnotaku said:
Nonsense. I've run 1333 and 1600 MHz RAM; 1.35v and 1.5v; and sticks of different timings in my MBP (not together obviously), and all have been fine, save for a set of Corsair Vengeance that ultimately proved defective out of the box.
Click to expand...

Sorry, not nonsense. The mid 2010 MBP takes 1067Mhz speed memory. If you put in any other speed, it will NOT boot. I tried several brands at 1333Mhz and none worked.
 
My 2011 calls for 1333 I currently have 16 gb in 1600mhz. Works perfectly.

Not that all will depends on logic and mother board.
 
jbachandouris said:
Sorry, not nonsense. The mid 2010 MBP takes 1067Mhz speed memory. If you put in any other speed, it will NOT boot. I tried several brands at 1333Mhz and none worked.
Click to expand...

Not relevant to this discussion since the OP has a 2011 model, which will take 1333 or 1600 MHz RAM.
 
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