Why is BTO Apple Store RAM so expensive?

[matthewHUB]

OK so spec'd up RAM for a Macbook from the apple store (2gb x 2) is $765 from the edu store.

From crucial.com it's $119.99 for the same chips. Why is Apple ripping us off so much? Does changing RAM void warranty?

I know Apple always seeks profit margins... but come on! $645 extra just to get a bit of extra speed..... jesus.

thoughts?

 

[sushi]

I am looking forward to reading the responses to this question.

 

[Peace]

G R E E D.

 

[~Shard~]

Does changing RAM void warranty?

I do not know why they charge so much extra, especially when installation is not rocket science.

As for warranty though, no, installing 3rd part RAM does not void your warranty.

Further to this I will post a link to our RAM Guide if anyone is interested.

 

[Mydel]

Becouse they CAN. And 99% of consmers have no clue that its so overpriced and would not be able to exchange it. Lets face it, how many people know what RAM is and how to install it. Less than 1% for sure

 

[I'm a Mac]

Being serious, maybe someone should write a letter to apple saying that it is "despicable" how they try to take advantage of an uneducated consumer for such a large profit.

P.S. if you think BTO RAM is expensive, go to apple.com and click memory
4GB for $1000

 

[Cave Man]

Because it takes six Apple techs and their department manager to install it.

 

[Hmac]

OK so spec'd up RAM for a Macbook from the apple store (2gb x 2) is $765 from the edu store.

From crucial.com it's $119.99 for the same chips. Why is Apple ripping us off so much? Does changing RAM void warranty?

I know Apple always seeks profit margins... but come on! $645 extra just to get a bit of extra speed..... jesus.

thoughts?

Who knows? But the Crucial RAM you buy for the Mac Pro is virtually identical to the BTO RAM that Apple uses, right down to the configuration of the heat sinks. Anybody that orders a Mac Pro with more than the minimum amount of built-in RAM is nuts or has money to burn. Installing RAM in a Mac Pro is a 60-second excercise that Apple documents well...right on the lid of the machine, in fact. No, it won't void the machine's warranty.

 

[matthewHUB]

Being serious, maybe someone should write a letter to apple saying that it is "despicable" how they try to take advantage of an uneducated consumer for such a large profit.

P.S. if you think BTO RAM is expensive, go to apple.com and click memory
4GB for $1000

yeh it really is despicable. I mean, the difference in price is almost as much as a new macbook all together! wtf are they thinking???

Do Dell etc. charge similarly extortionate amounts for BTO RAM?

 

[~Shard~]

Because it takes six Apple techs and their department manager to install it.

If that's the case then I'll submit a proposal to Apple to hire me to install their RAM which will end up with Apple realizing an attractive cost savings due to the reduction of 6 head count...

 

[Muzzway]

Do Dell etc. charge similarly extortionate amounts for BTO RAM?

It looks like Dell charges a lot, though still not quite as much as Apple.

 

[Josheua]

Becuase Apple Ram actually has the power to open a sub-dimensional gateway in order to facilitate faster than light travel...It will be announced at Macworld as a firmware update.

 

[miniConvert]

It's a pickle to be sure.

Though I'd say it's worth noting that I've never had a problem with Apple RAM. I even bought Apple RAM post-purchase for my Mac Pro because I simply needed the reassurance that it'd handle my mission-critical applications. Sure, it could have gone wrong, but at least I'd have known my enemy.

 

[~Shard~]

Becuase Apple Ram actually has the power to open a sub-dimensional gateway in order to facilitate faster than light travel...It will be announced at Macworld as a firmware update.

I hear it will also make Safari feel snappier.

 

[matthewHUB]

It looks like Dell charges a lot, though still not quite as much as Apple.

Thanks. RAM is something that they shouldn't be pushing so expensive. I bet they're trying to create a false price so that their iPods don't look so expensive or something. but an 16gb ipod is less than half the price of 4gbs of ram. how does that work???

It's not fair for people like my parents who wouldn't know much about these things but need to upgrade because the use home-movie importing etc a lot. a gig of ram on the basebook is quite pitiful with leopard. they're sharks.

 

[matthewHUB]

It's a pickle to be sure.

Though I'd say it's worth noting that I've never had a problem with Apple RAM. I even bought Apple RAM post-purchase for my Mac Pro because I simply needed the reassurance that it'd handle my mission-critical applications. Sure, it could have gone wrong, but at least I'd have known my enemy.

Never had a problem with Crucial RAM either. bought 6 chips from them over the last 10 years for different machines that are in use everyday. great products, great service.

 

[Josheua]

I hear it will also make Safari feel snappier.

You have a better chance with hacking into the faster than light travel.

 

[Umbongo]

yeh it really is despicable. I mean, the difference in price is almost as much as a new macbook all together! wtf are they thinking???

Do Dell etc. charge similarly extortionate amounts for BTO RAM?

Other vendors do it, both large and small and it can differ from model to model.

They do it because they can, though I think it is more to take advantage of business customers rather than to take advantage of consumers.

 

[matthewHUB]

just went over to macsales.com

the 4gb (2 x 2gb) for the above Macbook is $95.

Surely business customers have IT guys who would know that buying RAM separately would save big bucks??? i mean, what kind of business would not consult an IT person before splashing $$$$$$$ on a few spec'd up machines?

 

[aaronw1986]

OK so spec'd up RAM for a Macbook from the apple store (2gb x 2) is $765 from the edu store.

From crucial.com it's $119.99 for the same chips. Why is Apple ripping us off so much? Does changing RAM void warranty?

I know Apple always seeks profit margins... but come on! $645 extra just to get a bit of extra speed..... jesus.

thoughts?

Just to piss you off, and to make you start a thread on something which has been discussed a lot.

 

[matthewHUB]

Just to piss you off, and to make you start a thread on something which has been discussed a lot.

right. but isn't it about time somebody did something about it?

 

[Hmac]

right. but isn't it about time somebody did something about it?

Like what...? Buy their RAM from somebody else? Like Crucial, or MacSales? I don't understand complaining about something that even a little research and common sense would illuminate.

If it makes you feel better, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. But the prices are readily posted, are comparable to other BTO computer vendors, and there are other RAM purchase options are available.

It's a caveat emptor world out there, so heads up consumers...

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

right. but isn't it about time somebody did something about it?

Like what?????

Kevin

 

[Genghis Khan]

Becouse they CAN. And 99% of consmers have no clue that its so overpriced and would not be able to exchange it. Lets face it, how many people know what RAM is and how to install it. Less than 1% for sure

this is probably true...the thing is, we know and we know our way around it

a friend and i researched this heavily over the last month and we upgraded 2 iMacs and a MacBook to 4Gb ram each for AU$110 each

absolute bargain

 

[Macky-Mac]

well, really they're charging you for the convenience of having them put it in your computer......you don't want to pay for that, buy it separately and put it in yourself, it's no big deal......but if you don't want to muck with the insides of your computer then you can pay them to do it for you