RAM, any difference in brands?

[jlanuez]

We are buying a 24" iMac with 1GB RAM, then buying 2x2GB RAM after market (see choices below) to replace the 1GB of RAM. This should save us $600!

QUESTION:
Is there any difference in QUALITY of these?
The Micron & Samsung both say "Factory Original"

1) DMS $198
2) OWC $180
3) Techworks $195
4) Micron $210
5) SAMSUNG $296

___________________________________________
I was thinking about going with the MICRON @ $210
just because it was "factory original" and made in USA.

 

[SamIchi]

I usually always go with the cheapest, but read the reviews on newegg to make sure they've had a good experience with them. As far as my understanding goes. All RAM is pretty much the same. But there are reasons why the more expensive ones are priced that way.

I know there are others that know a lot about this subject, so I'll let them handle that.

I've always bought well reviewed "cheap" RAM and have never had a problem.

 

[Sun Baked]

Probably the most important thing is how they handle bad memory ...

 

[jlanuez]

Probably the most important thing is how they handle bad memory ...

#2-5 were all from OWC and most said "Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty"

 

[MacinDoc]

All RAM is pretty much the same. But there are reasons why the more expensive ones are priced that way.

Yes, they are called mark-up and marketing.

Now, some of the more expensive RAM offers a higher bus speed, but this is not relevant for Macs, because their bus speeds are usually not customizable.

As long as you buy from a manufacturer that has established a good reputation, you should be OK. OWC has been around longer than the mainstream internet, specializes in Mac upgrades, and is a good choice.

Also, avoid any RAM with spacers. It will likely not fit in your iMac.

 

[Nermal]

The Micron & Samsung both say "Factory Original"

That's because Apple uses both brands in their systems.

 

[jlanuez]

Sold!

That's because Apple uses both brands in their systems.

DONE. I'm buying the MICRON @ $210.

 

[solvs]

The OWC would have been fine.

 

[Freyqq]

in desktop pcs at least..good expensive ram is better for overclocking..

since this is a laptop and you can't really overclock it anyways..i don't think it matters all that much

 

[solvs]

since this is a laptop and you can't really overclock it anyways.

It's an iMac, but you're still right, overclocking doesn't come into play.

 

[Sun Baked]

#2-5 were all from OWC and most said "Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty"

That isn't what I meant, I'm talking about how the companies you buy it from handle bad memory.

Restocking fees, pay to return, etc. or none of the above.

I didn't click on the links, but typically that'll be the major difference in quality -- customer service.

Edit: other than that. Since we don't overclock memory on the Macs ... as long as it works without kernal panics, we see little difference in memory.

 

[oldMac]

Don't buy the cheapest unless you enjoy returns

Yes, they are called mark-up and marketing.

My experience says never buy the cheapest. I've gone that route and grown tiresome of returns. Yes, that includes the cheapest from OWC, MacSolutions, etc.

These days, I go with the cheapest reputable brand available and buy from a Mac-focussed seller with a good return policy. I've had very good luck with Kingston and Samsung.

Definitely go with a Mac-focussed seller as the RAM they're selling is more likely to have been tested in Macs. (Which sounds obvious, but there is a lot of RAM on the cheaper end that just doesn't work in Macs regardless of how the specs line up.)

Also, use your installer CD to run a hardware test after you install it. Sometimes memory will initially look okay (boot) but actually have some problems that will exhibit as system crashes later.