Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

RAM soldered in on the newest MBPs?

T

TheBeastman13

macrumors regular
Original poster
Do the latest models of MBPs have the RAM soldered in?

I'm looking to upgrade from my '08 4,1 MacBook, but want to make sure I can upgrade the RAM chips myself without paying the exorbitant cost of RAM via Apple.

I most likely won't have the money saved up until Summer '15. With that said, has there been any speculation as to soldered RAM in the coming MBPs with Broadwell CPUs?

I feel like Broadwell will be my "future proof" CPU for the next five to six years I intend to have a MBP working. Hopefully I can get the '15 MBP, max out the RAM and be a happy camper for the next chunk of years.

Thanks for the insight and tips, Everyone.


- B
 
The only MacBook Pro currently available without soldered RAM is the 13" non-retina.
 
08 white Macbook 4,1

RAM Type: PC2-5300 DDR2 Min. RAM Speed: 667 MHz
Details: Supports 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM. Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in the MacBook? How much RAM of what type does it support?

Standard RAM: 2 GB Maximum RAM: 6 GB*
*Apple officially supports a maximum of 4 GB of RAM but third-parties have been able to upgrade the system to 6 GB of RAM using one 2 GB and one 4 GB memory module.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...duo-2.4-white-13-early-2008-penryn-specs.html



When I refurb 2010 Macbook 7,1 units I put in 8GB of memory and replace the HD with an SSD. Both changes together make a huge difference.


On the separate topic of Apple continuing to make non-Reitna laptops....not likely. When Apple introduces the 12" Retina MBA, that should signal the end of all MacBooks with user changeable parts and spinning hard drives.
 
Having owned both the cMBP 13" and the rMBP 13", they're just really old looking and feeling too. Surprised they're still around tbh.
 
Honestly, the price apple charges to upgrade the ram isn't too much for what it is worth. The rMBP used to come with 4gb and it was 100$ to upgrade to 8gb. Now they come with 8gb, and it's 200$ to upgrade to 16gb. You go and look for a pair of 8gb Samsung ddr3 ram out there. Chances it will be at least 150$
 
TheBeastman13 said:
Do the latest models of MBPs have the RAM soldered in?
Click to expand...
Yup, except for the classic 13" MBP (non retina) all laptops from apple have their ram soldered on

I'm looking to upgrade from my '08 4,1 MacBook, but want to make sure I can upgrade the RAM chips myself without paying the exorbitant cost of RAM via Apple.
Click to expand...
The ram upgrade is not exorbitant, and most people can get by with 8GB.

I most likely won't have the money saved up until Summer '15. With that said, has there been any speculation as to soldered RAM in the coming MBPs with Broadwell CPUs?
Click to expand...
It will be, apple is going to a nearly sealed design.

I feel like Broadwell will be my "future proof" CPU for the next five to six years I intend to have a MBP working. Hopefully I can get the '15 MBP, max out the RAM and be a happy camper for the next chunk of years.
Click to expand...
Broadwell is a die shrink so actual computing performance is going to be relatively minor. Its claim to fame purportedly is that the iGPU is much improved over the speedy Iris Pro.

All things being equal, I think everyone is hoping to see Braodwell by next summer. As for the ram, depending on your usage, either 4 or 8 meet your needs.
 
illusionx said:
Honestly, the price apple charges to upgrade the ram isn't too much for what it is worth. The rMBP used to come with 4gb and it was 100$ to upgrade to 8gb. Now they come with 8gb, and it's 200$ to upgrade to 16gb. You go and look for a pair of 8gb Samsung ddr3 ram out there. Chances it will be at least 150$
Click to expand...
When I was writing this thread I had been looking at the iMacs and MBPs, and I had seen the cost of iMac RAM chips. The cost being high on those, especially the jump from 16-32 GB being more than double the cost.

Biased on my part because when I maxed out the RAM of my MacBook 4.1, at the time Apple was outrageous a couple years back on RAM, so I went third party and thought now would be no different (glad to be wrong).

I was getting my facts jumbled, but thanks for correcting me. I had not realized that in some regards Apple is getting competitive with RAM prices.
 
Last edited:
Well.. Ram prices have increased considerably since 2011. I remember buying 2x4gb for just under 40$ while apple charged 100$ to upgrade from 4gb to 8gb.
 
illusionx said:
Well.. Ram prices have increased considerably since 2011. I remember buying 2x4gb for just under 40$ while apple charged 100$ to upgrade from 4gb to 8gb.
Click to expand...



2012 ended up being the best year to buy DDR3 RAM.

After 2012 DDR3 prices went out of control.

I remember buying 8 GB (2 x 4GB) of Samsung 1.35 V 1600 MHz DDR3 SO-DIMM RAM for around $40 back in 2012.
 
unfortunate...

TheBeastman13 said:
Do the latest models of MBPs have the RAM soldered in?

I'm looking to upgrade from my '08 4,1 MacBook, but want to make sure I can upgrade the RAM chips myself without paying the exorbitant cost of RAM via Apple.

I most likely won't have the money saved up until Summer '15. With that said, has there been any speculation as to soldered RAM in the coming MBPs with Broadwell CPUs?

I feel like Broadwell will be my "future proof" CPU for the next five to six years I intend to have a MBP working. Hopefully I can get the '15 MBP, max out the RAM and be a happy camper for the next chunk of years.

Thanks for the insight and tips, Everyone.


- B
Click to expand...
Solder pads are cheaper than sockets/connectors. I think it is the few minority that care about upgradeability these days... despite how necessary it may be. I think major upgradability has mostly been a myth of the desktop generation
 
jlabute said:
Solder pads are cheaper than sockets/connectors. I think it is the few minority that care about upgradeability these days... despite how necessary it may be. I think major upgradability has mostly been a myth of the desktop generation
Click to expand...

I like upgrading laptops/desktops on my own since it lets me get the most out of my machines. One of my Windows based laptops from 2012 supports 32 GB of RAM (4 x 8GB). As 2014 , Apple has yet to offer any laptop with 32 GB of RAM.

I'm used to keeping the same machine for years so it's important that I can upgrade and change parts (SSDs , RAM , etc.)
 
I agree...

kelon111 said:
I like upgrading laptops/desktops on my own since it lets me get the most out of my machines. One of my Windows based laptops from 2012 supports 32 GB of RAM (4 x 8GB). As 2014 , Apple has yet to offer any laptop with 32 GB of RAM.

I'm used to keeping the same machine for years so it's important that I can upgrade and change parts (SSDs , RAM , etc.)
Click to expand...

Me too... I currently have an old AMD 4200+ ddr2 Asus mobo... there isn't really much of an upgrade path so to speak... It is more of a replacement of the mobo, cpu, ram, and in the end only the enclosure will be the same. You can do minor upgrades over the years.... Like ram and ssd etc... But in the end... the CPU and mobo must go... which usually means new ram too... Sometimes a new PSU if they change connectors. I say major upgradability is a myth since bus types and part compatibility changes too often
 
jlabute said:
Me too... I currently have an old AMD 4200+ ddr2 Asus mobo... there isn't really much of an upgrade path so to speak... It is more of a replacement of the mobo, cpu, ram, and in the end only the enclosure will be the same. You can do minor upgrades over the years.... Like ram and ssd etc... But in the end... the CPU and mobo must go... which usually means new ram too... Sometimes a new PSU if they change connectors. I say major upgradability is a myth since bus types and part compatibility changes too often
Click to expand...

My 2008 Fujitsu T5010 tablet PC uses DDR3 RAM (only up to 8 GB though). I've actually taken RAM modules from 2013 Dell laptops and put them in my Fujitsu and I've had no problems.

In the next couple years DDR4 will start to become mainstream but DDR3 has been used for about six years already. Right now only the high end desktop/server segment uses DDR4.

I think 6-7 years is definitely enough to consider buying an entirely new machine instead of upgrading.
 
TheBeastman13 said:
Do the latest models of MBPs have the RAM soldered in?
[snip]
I feel like Broadwell will be my "future proof" CPU for the next five to six years I intend to have a MBP working. Hopefully I can get the '15 MBP, max out the RAM and be a happy camper for the next chunk of years.
Click to expand...

Yup they do.

If you buy the 15", they come with 16GB RAM as standard. Despite the *chipset* supporting 32/64GB (I forget which), Apple have never offered more then 16GB with their laptops anyway so by buying it with 16GB you're getting it maxed out anyway.
 
kelon111 said:
My 2008 Fujitsu T5010 tablet PC uses DDR3 RAM (only up to 8 GB though). I've actually taken RAM modules from 2013 Dell laptops and put them in my Fujitsu and I've had no problems.

In the next couple years DDR4 will start to become mainstream but DDR3 has been used for about six years already. Right now only the high end desktop/server segment uses DDR4.

I think 6-7 years is definitely enough to consider buying an entirely new machine instead of upgrading.
Click to expand...

I have a 2008 Macbook pro that needs that battery replacing and the needs a new logic broad. My dad recommended that I just get a new old instead of fixing this one and upgrading the RAM the hard drive.
 
with the new 15" rMBPs, you don't even get a choice on the RAM, like it or not, you get a full 16GB of RAM on those 😀
 
The base 15" MacBook Pro comes standard with 16GB of RAM now.

I think even I'll be happy for the next couples with this laptop assuming the next one isn't that big of an upgrade.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back