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macintologist · Jun 6, 2006, 12:33 PM

I want to buy a Macbook from the Apple online store. Upgrading to 2GB BTO is $450 education pricing.

At Crucial it's $360 and at Ramjet (http://www.ramjet.com/ItemDescription.asp?Item=MBIB2G) it it's $260

Should I be cautious about using RAM from Crucial or Ramjet or do a lot of you do it and never had any problems?

Tomchu · Jun 6, 2006, 12:40 PM

All of those places are ripping you off. Two 1 GB SODIMMS of PC2-5300 are like $105 CAD ... so about $190 USD for both. I remember someone here mentioning that an online retailer is selling MB/MBP-compatible RAM for something like $160.

"Third-party" is just as reliable as what Apple sells you, since Apple doesn't actually make their own RAM. I believe they resell Crucial.

jsousa · Jun 6, 2006, 01:10 PM

I bought patrtiot ram and it has been absolutlye fabulous.

thag-simmons · Jun 6, 2006, 01:15 PM

Added a 1GB stick to my 2.16 MBP from OMNI Technologies, and no problems so far, even under heavy CPU load.

olePigeon · Jun 6, 2006, 03:28 PM

I have had very little trouble with RAM, even generic brand. Just make sure it has a life-time warranty incase it fails or doesn't work. Once once did I have to return some "value" RAM from 1800Memory, but they refunded the total price. I then bought the same RAM from Crucial (although a lot more expensive, but it was for a client so it didn't matter) and it worked fine.

Mister Elf · Jun 6, 2006, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by jdrumstik

I bought patrtiot ram and it has been absolutlye fabulous.

Does it run at the full 667 speed, or does it slow to 533?

cambie · Jun 6, 2006, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Mister Elf

Does it run at the full 667 speed, or does it slow to 533?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ubCategory=381
Check there. Read the reviews, and choose. And yes it runs at full speed. i got the patriot also.

SpinCycle · Jun 6, 2006, 09:21 PM

I got my RAM at OWC. I have not had any problems with it at all. I have had it for a few months now.

macintologist · Jun 8, 2006, 02:32 AM

Wow I can get 2GB for the Macbook for 160 bucks from newegg. Is it reliable though?? I don't want to blow that money on junk ram.

andgarden · Jun 8, 2006, 10:19 PM

Yes, it's fine.

drewcifer · Jun 8, 2006, 10:37 PM

i got an extra gig of crucial on sale at newegg for 135 $
works perfect.

ginoledesma · Jun 9, 2006, 01:19 AM

Got 2x1GB from Mushkin a couple weeks ago and I've been very happy since. Try searching for deals in RAM. OWC, Omni, Data Memory Systems, and others sell it for far cheaper, and all of them back their products with decent warranties.

global · Jun 9, 2006, 04:18 AM

Unless something has changed, Apple uses Samsung RAM - and screws you for almost double
the actual cost.

I have purchased RAM from owc (macsales.com) three different times - prices were great
and the RAM is still going strong. Lifetime advance replacement waranty covers me if i ever
have any problem.

Tuoder · Jun 9, 2006, 04:55 AM

Third-party RAM is usually trustworthy. It seems like Macs have a bigger problem with crappy RAM than PCs do. I wouldn't go bargain-basement, but top o' the line is usually a pretty big ripoff. Personally, I like Crucial. Most of the problems that I have had with RAM were due to my overclocking it. My Crucial RAM has never done me wrong. I had some Infineon RAM once, and that was utter crap.

photoeditor · Jun 9, 2006, 10:35 AM

Apple is no longer exclusively using Samsung as far as I know. Stuff like OWC and Mushkin is major-on-major quality, but my understanding is that most of it now can come not only from Samsung but also Hynix, Infineon and Micron among others.

I think they're just gouging on the 2GB upgrades, both with the MacBook Pro and MacBook. There's no longer that kind of premium for 1GB sticks over 512.