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IS Aftermarket Ram worth it?

S

Slayerboym88

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2007
140
0
Hey, I'm ready to buy a new 'BlackBook' but am wondering if I should bite the bullet and pay Apple's rediculous mark up for the 4GB RAM or if I should void/forego the Apple Care and buy from Newegg/Kingston?

For that matter, will the Apple Care still cover the rest of the computer (read Battery) even if I get the new ram?

(Sorry if this is in the wrong forum)
 
It doesn't void your warranty unless you damage the computer while installing it. If the RAM is causing problems that also is not covered, but you can just put in the original Apple RAM and be fine.

Up to you, some people are not at all comfortable doing upgrades themselves and will pay the $300 premium to have Apple do it for them.
 
3rd party ram is definitely worth it.

it will not void your warranty at all. (unless its a ram issue obviously)
and they're cheaper than the crazy price that apple charges.

go with datamemorysystems or crucial, etc. and get a lifetime warranty on the ram and you'll be good to go. (at least i prefer getting the lifetime warranty, just incase something does go wrong down the line)
 
Slayerboym88 said:
Hey, I'm ready to buy a new 'BlackBook' but am wondering if I should bite the bullet and pay Apple's rediculous mark up for the 4GB RAM or if I should void/forego the Apple Care and buy from Newegg/Kingston?

For that matter, will the Apple Care still cover the rest of the computer (read Battery) even if I get the new ram?

(Sorry if this is in the wrong forum)
Click to expand...

Buying RAM from Apple is outright stupid...unless you like wasting $$.

Get the AppleCare - forget the RAM - and buy it from a 3rd party like Newegg or OWC.

YES - you're still 100% covered with 3rd party RAM.
 
So where is the best place to purchase after market ram? I've heard wonderful things about crucial, but is there any other place you guys can recommend?!

Research time here we come!

Thanks gents!!!
 
Applecare can be purchased anytime within the first year of ownership. Unless you don't think you'll have the money later on, I see no reason to purchase something now that I can't even possibly benefit from for at least a year.
 
just to be clear for anyone who's planning on buying after market Ram for their Macbook it looks like the way Apple has the new Macbooks configured if you wanted to max it out at 4 GB you would have to buy two 2GB sticks and basically use none of the 2GB that it comes with?.. Is that correct?

From what I've read in the MR guide to buying ram the macbooks require matching sticks- if so it seems a shame to not even be able to use the 2GB's it comes installed with- though let's be honest, 2 GB's of Ram aint too shabby.. I remember the days when Ram wasn't so cheap and 512MB was normal... seems crazy now though

someone correct me if i'm wrong, or if there are alternate methods to go about this- this will be my first intel Mac
 
Thanks to all! After talking with one of Apple's "geniuses" I was starting to get worried about the whole thing, so I feel better. Good to know I can still nag them for fixing the damn thing should I ever have a problem. Then I take it if they figure out that it's a ram problem I can just take the new ram out and put in the original Apple ram?

Thanks again for all of your help. I'll probably go with Newegg's Mushkin, since that seems to be the better deal, and the Newegg responders have all been giving it 5s with only a few fours and none less than that.
 
Oh yeah, as others mentioned, Aftermarket RAM is the only RAM thats worth the money! Apple charges outrageously high prices for its RAM, which also happens to be the same "aftermarket" RAM that you will probably end up purchasing.

Also, my suggestion would be to keep the Apple stock RAM around... in the event that you need to send you machine in for service, you should swap the new RAM with the stock ones. Seeing aftermarket RAM in the computer may upset the folks at Apple.
 
anirban said:
Oh yeah, as others mentioned, Aftermarket RAM is the only RAM thats worth the money! Apple charges outrageously high prices for its RAM, which also happens to be the same "aftermarket" RAM that you will probably end up purchasing.

Also, my suggestion would be to keep the Apple stock RAM around... in the event that you need to send you machine in for service, you should swap the new RAM with the stock ones. Seeing aftermarket RAM in the computer may upset the folks at Apple.
Click to expand...

Good idea, didn't even consider that. That way, they never have to know that I even bothered with after market!
 
This thread's title should be "Apple Ram, Worth It?" because the reality is, the debate is on the aftermarket side not Apple's side. Apple ram is nothing special, they use some other company.
 
Stick with Kingston, Corsair, or PNY. Stay away from Kbyte, unless you dont mind crappy memory. And yes for haha's i went to the apple site and saw that they charge an extra 400 dollars for and extra gig of ram (going from 1 gig to 2). I honestly laughed out loud for about 10 min. PNY goes for 30 bucks on sale for a gig. And installation is obviously free if you know what your doing. If you dont than its 40 at best buy. so for me 30 dollars is alot better then 400. ALOT better.
 
anirban said:
... Seeing aftermarket RAM in the computer may upset the folks at Apple.
Click to expand...

You've got to be sh*tting me! If Apple had a problem with upgrading your own ram, why would they even make it possible to do so?

I'm not arguing with you, I just think it's a ludicrous though to think they would have a problem with it when the machine is designed with this usage in mind.
 
mrwizardno2 said:
You've got to be sh*tting me! If Apple had a problem with upgrading your own ram, why would they even make it possible to do so?

I'm not arguing with you, I just think it's a ludicrous though to think they would have a problem with it when the machine is designed with this usage in mind.
Click to expand...

why would apple be upset? Unfourtently we dont have the money Steve jobs has. But we have the extra money to shell out for a mac over any other laptop (sony in my case). Buy yea, they have no reason to whats so ever. Not arguing just throwing my two apples in.
 
MacDann said:
OWC, also known as "Other World Computing." Long time Mac 3rd party reseller, best prices, lifetime guarantee.

MacDann
Click to expand...

I'll second that suggestion, MacDann.....got my RAM from them too about a year ago and has worked fine.....

Also, as for AppleCare, as others said you can get it within your first year...I got it for my MB 2 days before my one year MB purchase date anniversary...cut it close, but that's OK.... ;)
 
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