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Memory4less.com?

R

Rico Diablo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 2, 2004
12
0
Chicago
Hi, everyone! First post here in the forums.

I did a search and only found one previous mention of memory4less and it was positive. Has anyone else ordered from them?

Thanks for your help
 
A few years ago I ordered some 128 MB DIMMS from them for my Power Computing PowerTowerPro.

The first batch they sent me - 1 out of 4 DIMMS worked
The second batch they sent me - 2 out of 4 DIMMS worked
The third batch they sent me - oh yeah, they sent me PC RAM - whoops

After that I did some poking around online and discovered that memory4less was using PC RAM and flashing it for Macs. I ended up sending back 2 of the 4 dimms I purchased from them for a refund - they never could get it right.

I'm not sure how they would be now - the current lineup of Macs use totally different RAM now. if you don't mind going through the return hassle over and over - sure - go with them. If you want stable RAM go with a more reputable vendor - Crucial, Kingston, etc. - more expensive but mostly headache free.
 
I'm looking at Viking RAM on their site and they list 2 sticks of what I'm looking for - identical except for their part numbers. After checking the part numbers with Viking Support, memory4less appears to differentiate between the stick for the Thinkpad and the stick for the G4 even though all other stats are identical. Viking confirms that the two have different chipsets so there is definitely one for PCs and one for Macs.

Their ratings on resellerratings.com and pricegrabber.com seem pretty good (especially compared to some others), but I don't know how reliable -those- sites are. I've never shopped for RAM before so I'm a little out of my element.
 
Viking RAM is generally reliable - I think my bad experience stemmed from them using "no name" brand RAM. The do guarantee their stuff so if it turns out to be bad RAM you can exchange/return it. If the price is significantly less than other vendors go for it. Personally I would go with another vendor but that's your call.

As far as pricegrabber, etc. I can't speak to how reliable the ratings on those sites are.

What kind of difference in price is 4memory vs another vendor giving you? What kind of RAM are you buying and for what machine?
 
It's for a 1GB stick for the new 12" PB. In the past month Crucial went from $329.99 to $434.99 to $479.99 and this morning when I checked it was $599.99. Yeeowtch. Only slightly less than having Apple do it.

Memory4Less has a Viking 1GB for the G4s for $335.32.

Viking Components Inc
1GB DDR333/PC2700 SO DIMM

Your Price: $335.32

I called Viking to confirm the part number and it is indeed suitable for the PowerBooks (as Memory4less also has the identical chip for the IBM thinkpad with a different part number.)
 
Buy it! If it turns out to be defective Mem4less will swap it for you. Please let us know how everything works out for you and congrats on your first posting.
 
Done and done. Thanks for your help, aricher. I'll keep you posted on how it works out. And thanks for welcoming me!
 
I never had a problem with memory4less, although now I use Crucial because their prices are competitive as well and they seem to be a bit more "well known".
 
I agree with Hemingray - if Crucial charges about the same as Mem4Less - go with Crucial. I've seen some postings in here saying that Apple uses Crucial RAM and just rebrands it with a sticker - can't verify this though.

Either way, your PB will experience a HUGE boost when you add the extra GB. As some wise sould here at MacRumors stated - RAM is like oxygen to OS X.
 
aricher said:
A few years ago I ordered some 128 MB DIMMS from them for my Power Computing PowerTowerPro.

The first batch they sent me - 1 out of 4 DIMMS worked
The second batch they sent me - 2 out of 4 DIMMS worked
The third batch they sent me - oh yeah, they sent me PC RAM - whoops

After that I did some poking around online and discovered that memory4less was using PC RAM and flashing it for Macs. I ended up sending back 2 of the 4 dimms I purchased from them for a refund - they never could get it right.

I'm not sure how they would be now - the current lineup of Macs use totally different RAM now. if you don't mind going through the return hassle over and over - sure - go with them. If you want stable RAM go with a more reputable vendor - Crucial, Kingston, etc. - more expensive but mostly headache free.
Click to expand...
Just want to let you know that Mac and PC RAM are the same thing. Also, RAM cannot be flashed. You are most likely thinking of ROM (read only memory). Considering your lack of knowledge on the topic, I wouldn't be surprised if you put most of the DIMMS in incorrectly.
 
I don't know about everyone saying that Apple purchases ram from Crucial (a division of Micron?). But in the past, I bought ram from Apple a few times and they all say Samsung. When I bought ram from Crucial, the brand was not Samsung. So I have to say that Apple buys ram from Samsung.
 
spaceballl said:
Just want to let you know that Mac and PC RAM are the same thing.
Click to expand...
When I called Viking and spoke to one of their technicians he looked up both the MPG4/1GBDS333 and the I2700DDRS/1GB and said that they were, in fact, built with slightly differently chipsets and were built for two different methods of power consumption. He then said that the first one would work for the Mac, hence the "G4" in the model number.

If he was lying it seems like a lot of effort on his part as he seemed to really be trying to figure out what made the two different and it took him a few minutes of searching. I wasn't even placing an order, so it's not like he was trying to convince me to buy one over the other. Or maybe you're right and he just wanted to sound smart.
 
aricher said:
I agree with Hemingray - if Crucial charges about the same as Mem4Less - go with Crucial.
Click to expand...
I wanted to go with Crucial as I've heard nothing but great things, but memory4less was half as much.
 
OWC claims that the Samsung they sell for $359 is the same as Apple installs.
 
Rico Diablo said:
When I called Viking and spoke to one of their technicians he looked up both the MPG4/1GBDS333 and the I2700DDRS/1GB and said that they were, in fact, built with slightly differently chipsets and were built for two different methods of power consumption. He then said that the first one would work for the Mac, hence the "G4" in the model number.
Click to expand...
I'm not saying that all memory is the same. They are all rated differently and some are cas latency 2, some are cas latency 3, they also have different ras 2 cas values, and there are a few other changing specs. I wouldn't be surprised if G4s are autoset to use a lower cas latency RAM to boost performance a bit, but I'm just letting you know that there is no difference between Mac and PC RAM.
-Kevin
 
"Just want to let you know that Mac and PC RAM are the same thing. Also, RAM cannot be flashed. You are most likely thinking of ROM (read only memory). Considering your lack of knowledge on the topic, I wouldn't be surprised if you put most of the DIMMS in incorrectly."

Spaceballl- why are you so judgemental? First of all, I was posting here in an attempt to help Rico out. Second of all, I was just reiterating what the tech from mem4less exactly told me. Yes, he said that the RAM for PCs and Mac is the same but that due to the 604 architecture they modified the RAM - I asked how and he said that they flashed it. I should have assumed that they altered (and stated so in my original post) the chipset instead.

Then you backtrack on your posting and say "I'm not saying that all memory is the same." and then go on to negate that exact statement. You saying that PC and Mac RAM are the same is like saying Granny Smith and Fuji are the same kind of apples - they're not - Mac RAM is specifically modified to run in Macs.

As far as your personal slight against me goes, I've been using Apple products since the Apple II (bought in 1978) - Macs since the Mac Plus (1986) and have also been using PCs since 1981 when my IBMer mom brought one home. I've built more computers than you have teeth so to suggest that I installed the DIMMS incorrectly - well, your assertation is just ...well... DIM.

In the future - try to help people instead of dishing out your holier than thou knowlege and personal slights.
 
Rico Diablo said:
Hi, everyone! First post here in the forums.

I did a search and only found one previous mention of memory4less and it was positive. Has anyone else ordered from them?

Thanks for your help
Click to expand...

I just ordered a 1 gig kit (512X2) for my G5 1.6. Came to $200. Email says it was shipped 3 May. Don't have it yet but I'll let you know how things go when I get it. I almost bought some ram at Best Buy when they had it on sale. The same thing would have cost about $170 I think. They were out of stock on line and I just never got to the store to see if they had it. Oh well, we shall see.
Cheers
 
I just want to add to previous posters' comments that there is no difference between MAC and PC ram - you just have to make sure you get the right type of RAM. For example my ibook takes PC2100 SO-DIMM DDR SDRAM. I can use any RAM as long as it matches those specs. The RAM i have in my iBook is not from Apple (got it through the apple reseller i bought my iBook from), and in the past my friend has bought RAM for an iBook from a PC-only store and it worked perfectly. I would say the problems were from them sending you RAM that didnt match what your computer required, and not that there is a MAC and PC version of each RAM stick.
 
On a related note, I ordered a 512 MB module for my new iBook from 4allmemory.com -- found their price to be the best. They initially shipped me a 256 MB module instead, but when I called them about it they advance shipped me the proper module. All I had to do was put the original module in the box from the new one and drop it in the mailbox. I noticed after installing it that my system recognizes its speed as PC2700U rather than PC2100. Does the U mean that it's being underclocked to the 2100 spec? Everything seems to work properly.
 
I am also looking to order more memory. Maby someone can help me out, I want to know if 512 which is $116 from crucial, is a better buy than a 1gig from 4allmemory for $328.99. I have a 12" 1Ghz PB with 256Mb ram. The apps I use most are: safari, iphoto, imovie . The more ram I have the speedier my computer will be? Will I notice a huge difference between 768MB ram and the 1.25Ghz?
 
zagato27 said:
I just ordered a 1 gig kit (512X2) for my G5 1.6. Came to $200. Email says it was shipped 3 May. Don't have it yet but I'll let you know how things go when I get it. I almost bought some ram at Best Buy when they had it on sale. The same thing would have cost about $170 I think. They were out of stock on line and I just never got to the store to see if they had it. Oh well, we shall see.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Just got back from a trip and found my memory waiting for me. Actually, I left last Sunday and it arrived on Monday. Isn't that always the case. Anyway, just installed them two sticks and no problem. Am showing 1256 for memory and everything is working "A-OK". Really can't say if anything is speedier or not as I haven't had a chance to "play". Pretty happy with the memory and the service from "Memory4Less". Cheers
 
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