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MacBook 4GB RAM - Can I do it??

M

megamagicphil

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 19, 2008
10
0
Please help me, I'm in a quandary!

I have read on numerous sites that only Santa Rosa (I think thats what it is) chipset MacBooks can cope with 4GB of RAM.

I bought my MacBook in November and I cant remember for the life of me where I read it but it said my MacBook was the late November 2007 version. Does this mean that I will be able to install 4GB of RAM?

Also, do you think that 2GB of RAM would be enough for video editing. I've got around 80 GB of videos that I need to edit and sort through and even with iMovie open and nothing else my Mac becomes impossibly slow.

Thanks in anticipation,

Phil
 
the late november 2007 macbooks were the first iteration to use the santa rosa chipset (platform? whatever). i had the same macbook (black) and maxed out my ram, so you're fine for 4 gb.
 
yes. the late 2007 macbooks do support up to 4gb of ram. but 2gb should be fine for you. i do some basic video editing on my macbook and i have 2gigs of ram, but if you want to, go for the 4gb, it isnt that much more expensive and will only help your machine.
and make sure that you dont buy the memory from apple.
 
The processor speed would probably be the easiest way to tell us which laptop you have.

Apple Logo -> About This Mac

Clicking on "More Info..." will bring up the Model Identifier as well.
 
Thanks for all your quick replies,

I think I will go for the 4GB then if possible,

on the model identifier it says Macbook3,1 if that means anything to you.

Its the black MB with 2.2ghz processor speed and currently 1GB of RAM, that was the basic specification at the time.

Cheers.

Phil
 
Enjoy your 4GB of RAM like I do. It'd hunt some down on NewEgg. G.Skill normally has a kit running for US$63 with free shipping.
 
megamagicphil said:
Thanks for all your quick replies,

I think I will go for the 4GB then if possible,

on the model identifier it says Macbook3,1 if that means anything to you.

Its the black MB with 2.2ghz processor speed and currently 1GB of RAM, that was the basic specification at the time.

Cheers.

Phil
Click to expand...

to reiterate, you're fine for 4gb. just be careful when installing ram. you really gotta push it all the way in.
 
siurpeeman said:
to reiterate, you're fine for 4gb. just be careful when installing ram. you really gotta push it all the way in.
Click to expand...

is there a store that i can have do this for me? i love computers but i would be nervous to upgrade the ram on a mac. This being my first mac i have owned i think it may be better having a pro (or at least someone that knows what they are doing) take care of it for me.

also you can see my specs in my sig below... got it beginning of the year, i should be fine upgrading correct?
 
RTiii320 said:
is there a store that i can have do this for me? i love computers but i would be nervous to upgrade the ram on a mac. This being my first mac i have owned i think it may be better having a pro (or at least someone that knows what they are doing) take care of it for me.

also you can see my specs in my sig below... got it beginning of the year, i should be fine upgrading correct?
Click to expand...

It is not difficult - instructions from Apple - all you need is a small Philips 00 and a coin to open the battery compartment.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1651?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_GB

Your 2.4GHz is a MacBook 4,1 (Penryn) so 4GB is ideal..
 
Yep, it's really simple, and considering the amount you'd have spent on the laptop itself, you may as well go for 4GB regardless. I have it in mine, but I don't know if there's much of a difference between 2 and 4GB because I've always had 4GB in this unit. :D
 
I'd just recently installed a 4 gig set from G Skill and it's great, oddly enough I didn't have to jam it in with all my might like some people have. The ram actually went in and booted fine with just a slight push.
 
It's my understanding that any MacBooks with a Core 2 Duo Processor will use 4Gb.

Core Duo processors will only address 2Gb.

And for Video editing, you can get by with 2Gb, but will notice a huge performance boost with 4Gb.

Installing new RAM in a MacBook is honestly very easy. Don't pay someone else to do it for you, you'll kick yourself when you see how easy it is.

Cheers.
 
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