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Upgrading the Macbook

J

jpcairns

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 2, 2013
5
0
Hey everyone, new to the forums!

I have a mid-2010, 13" Macbook

general specs:

Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB

Using any resource-intensive programs (ie. Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop), and now even less-intensive (Microsoft Office Suite of products) is freezing up my computer. Making a single edit in Lightroom will cause pauses of ~20 seconds. So, with that said, I'm looking to help boost the speed of the computer with a budget of $200. I've heard RAM is the most cost-effective route to go for this; is that so? Is there specific hardware I should look for? Thanks!
 
jpcairns said:
Hey everyone, new to the forums!

I have a mid-2010, 13" Macbook

general specs:

Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB

Using any resource-intensive programs (ie. Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop), and now even less-intensive (Microsoft Office Suite of products) is freezing up my computer. Making a single edit in Lightroom will cause pauses of ~20 seconds. So, with that said, I'm looking to help boost the speed of the computer with a budget of $200. I've heard RAM is the most cost-effective route to go for this; is that so? Is there specific hardware I should look for? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'd head over to Crucial, and look at the items there. They usually have pretty good prices. I'd recommend upgrading to an SSD, and 4gb of RAM. ;)
 
Drew017 said:
I'd head over to Crucial, and look at the items there. They usually have pretty good prices. I'd recommend upgrading to an SSD, and 4gb of RAM. ;)
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for the tip. As far as I can tell, I should look at DDR3 @ 1066 MHz, correct?
 
jpcairns said:
Awesome, thanks for the tip. As far as I can tell, I should look at DDR3 @ 1066 MHz, correct?
Click to expand...

I'd put 8GB in as it's still a cheap upgrade. I have a 2009 13" mbp myself and it's hanging in there beautifully.
 
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NT1440 said:
Definitely, but shop around!

I got my RAM for $45 for 8GB, deals are all over the internet, just take a look at the specs and make sure its from a trusted sources (I did amazon for the buyers protection).
Click to expand...

For hardware like RAM, is brand much of a concern?

----------
Giuly said:
Those Kingston modules are the least expensive branded ones for 8GB 1066MHz. They'll be fine.

Couple that with a SanDisk Ultra Plus SSD and your MacBook will be, well, better than new. :)
Click to expand...

Excellent. Thanks for the tip.
Just to clarify, beyond the DDR3 @ 1066 MHz compatibility, there are no other aspects that could cause problems, correct? ie. there is nothing specific about any given RAM that is DDR3 @ 1066 MHz that I would have to delve further into to make sure it's compatible?

Sorry for the rookie questions, folks. :)
 
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jpcairns said:
For hardware like RAM, is brand much of a concern?
Click to expand...

Personally, no.

If it works it really doesn't matter the brand as they are built to spec (or else they wouldn't work!). I know many here would argue otherwise but I've found through personal experience that even if the lesser brands crap out, its at a cost and time down the road that it isn't a big deal.

If we were talking SSD's I'd be singing a different tune. RAM, not so much.

----------
jpcairns said:
For hardware like RAM, is brand much of a concern?

----------



Excellent. Thanks for the tip.
Just to clarify, beyond the DDR3 @ 1066 MHz compatibility, there are no other aspects that could cause problems, correct? ie. there is nothing specific about any given RAM that is DDR3 @ 1066 MHz that I would have to delve further into to make sure it's compatible?

Sorry for the rookie questions, folks. :)
Click to expand...

I've found there seems to be some incompatibility for RAM with their own clocks. I've found the best bet is to search for ram that is specifically listed for macbooks.

Also build quality I find to be a bit of a funny thing for stuff like RAM. It's not a moving part so unless its somehow a B grade product (known defects, sold at discount) I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to snap inside you machine from wear & tear. :p
 
NT1440 said:
Also build quality I find to be a bit of a funny thing for stuff like RAM. It's not a moving part so unless its somehow a B grade product (known defects, sold at discount) I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to snap inside you machine from wear & tear. :p
Click to expand...

If you go real low-end, the modules look like someone put them together manually, the assembly is really low quality.
The RAM gets rather hot in the machine, so it expands and contracts when the machine cools down, and it doesn't take much for a mediocrely done BGA job to go wild (ask Apple about their early MBP graphic chips, or Microsoft about their RROD XBoxeses). If you have a sketchy retailer that doesn't honor your lifetime warranty on top of that (if you even get one), you'll be buying your second set of RAM.

And unfortunately, cheap RAM fails fairly often if you look at the Mac Pro people with their overly expensive FB-DIMMs.

With branded RAM, you know that you'll have new modules in your mailbox pretty fast. Also, cheap memory mostly uses chips that were refused by the bigger manufacturers for poor quality.
 
Last edited:
Giuly said:
If you go real low-end, the modules look like someone put them together manually, the assembly is really low quality.
The RAM gets rather hot in the machine, so it expands and contracts when the machine cools down, and it doesn't take much for a mediocrely done BGA job to go wild (ask Apple about their early MBP graphic chips, or Microsoft about their RROD XBoxeses). If you have a sketchy retailer that doesn't honor your lifetime warranty on top of that (if you even get one), you'll be buying your second set of RAM.

And unfortunately, cheap RAM fails fairly often if you look at the Mac Pro people with their overly expensive FB-DIMMs.

With branded RAM, you know that you'll have new modules in your mailbox pretty fast. Also, cheap memory mostly uses chips that were refused by the bigger manufacturers for poor quality.
Click to expand...

Yea, if you go really low end. At the end of the day its about being a savvy shopper. Look at reviews from people that clearly know what they are talking about when it comes to technology and go to trusted sellers. Do that and you hit the sweet spot between price and dependability. :)

More often than not it'll be branded RAM but at a discount price.
 
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