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MacBook Pro 2011 RAM - 1333MHz vs. 1600MHz

C

CFoss

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 26, 2011
271
1
Searching Mroogle, it would seem 1600MHz RAM DOES work in the latest i7 MacBook Pros. However, I'm having difficult finding comparisons of the two RAM speeds. That, and I can't find anyone that sells the 1600MHz RAM (living in Canada might be a reason for that).

Anyway, what speed would you recommend going with? And to be more specific, what brand would you go with?

Before anyone asks, I use Logic Studio and EWQL Libraries, which is very intensive on the CPU and RAM on my Mac Pro.
 
i would personally just go for whatever mhz your mbp originally came with for the upmost compatibility, the 1333mhz.
 
I upgraded to 8 GB of 1600 MHz RAM and noticed a very slight speed difference when it comes to 3D applications while using the Intel HD 3000 GPU. I don't think a casual user would care for it or even notice it though.
 
So, does anyone have any recommendations of what RAM to go with?
 
Buy the 1333Mhz RAM, your memory controller will NOT operate faster than 1333Mhz and slower RAM has a lower CAS Latency (generally, atleast these days). So the 1600Mhz RAM will actually operate (unnoticeably) slower.

On a CPU/Mobo that supports 1600Mhz, the frequency bump outweighs the CAS Latency bump by a lot, hence why the CAS Latency increasing by 2 doesn't really slow you down on higher frequency RAM.
 
Aren't we talking 2011 MBPs here, where the memory controller is on the Sandy Bridge CPU? It should accept 1600 just fine then.
 
tech324 said:
Do we know for a fact that the MBPs will not use the memory at 1600 mhz?
Click to expand...

The 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz 2011 models can actually use 1600MHz RAM at that speed - there were a few threads that discussed it with benchmarks. I don't know about the lower model CPUs though.
 
awer25 said:
The 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz 2011 models can actually use 1600MHz RAM at that speed - there were a few threads that discussed it with benchmarks. I don't know about the lower model CPUs though.
Click to expand...

That's why I'm not sure what model of RAM to get, as I'm purchasing a 17" MBP.
 
Last edited:
awer25 said:
Then it will support 1600MHz natively. It may not be worth the premium though, since you can get an 8GB 1333 kit for $59 shipped ($69 for Corsair). The 1600MHz kit is $110.
Click to expand...

That's XMP RAM. I was under the impression that that does NOT work in the MBPs. The link Vudoo posted is not XMP ram, which will work.

I believe you want the RAM that ends in G, not GX.
 
Erasmus said:
That's XMP RAM. I was under the impression that that does NOT work in the MBPs. The link Vudoo posted is not XMP ram, which will work.

I believe you want the RAM that ends in G, not GX.
Click to expand...

Oops. Go with the above link, not mine OP.
 
I just installed the Kingston 1600 mhz and no issues so far. My 2011 15" 2.2 is scoring over 10,300 now on the 32 bit Geekbench score.
 

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