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Installing Memory
When you want to add more memory there are two choices when it comes to installing the ram: you can install the memory yourself or you can find a computer shop, or maybe your neighbour’s kid to install the memory for you.
Cheapest Apple MacBook Pro for 2011
Installing memory is really pretty easy to install the memory yourself and you can do so with just a few tools and some know how:
What you will need for installing memory
A clean work surface
A screwdriver. Some require a torx screwdriver, but most PC’s use the standard philips screwdriver. I’ve picked up a small screwdriver toolkit at the discount or dollar store and except for the rare occasions I need a special Torx screwdriver, it’s really all I needed.
An anti-static wrist strap. RAM is very easily ruined by static electricity so you need to be careful to be sure you are fully grounded to resist the chance of static electricity ruining your expensive memory and ram upgrade. Most memory stores will sell you an anti-static wrist strap, but you really don’t need if if your are careful. I’ve had good luck in just touching the frame or other metal of the computer and ensure any static electricity is gone. a lot of this is just common sense – don’t wear a wool sweater on a a dry winter day and the rub the sweater and then touch the ram. just be sure you’re static electricity free.
On most notebook computers installing ram is as easy as shutting down the computer, removing the battery and finding the door on the bottom where you can install the memory. On some apple computers you remove the entire bottom panel such as on MacBook and MacBook Pros.
For desktop computers look for the ram or ram slots on your motherboard. This usually requires removing the case of your desktop computer with the phillips screwdrivers and then laying the desktop on the side to get access to the memory slots on your computers.
Once you’ve found the memory slots for your computers, you have two choices: either replace the ram with larger sizes or install more ram into empty ram slots for maximum ram capacity.
To remove and replace the ram, look for two tabs next to the ends of the memory chip and pull them back. for most notebook computers the chip should pop up at a 45 degree angle where you can firmly grab (check static electricity first) and pull out the ram for replacement with the new ram. For desktop computers, the tabs are the same, and should slightly lift the ram out of the memory socket – again allowing you to install new ram.
Assuming you have the right memory for your computer installing the ram is a matter of sliding the memory into the memory socket and pushing the memory in so it is well seated. Lock the memory into place so the two tabs on the end ‘click’ and you’re good to go. Put back your computer and replace any doors or covers you removed to get at the memory upgrade slots and you now have a computer that will run faster and smoother too.
2GB RAM. Where to Buy RAM
I thought I’d type up a little note here on where to buy 2GB RAM, as there are so many different choies for this popular memory size and each one is a little bit different due to the type of 2gb memory you buy and then there’s the option of choosing where to buy 2GB RAM. I list a few memory stores that carry ram in the 2gb size so let’s look at them in a moment but first I want you to realize that these days 2gb is the standard size for ram. Sure you can still buy 1GB of ram too but most computers come shipped from the factory with at least 2gb of memory already installed in the computer so buying 2gb of ram doesn’t make sense as there’s a good chance you already have that much memory installed in the notebook or desktop already.
So what to do? It’s quite possible you need to buy 4gb of ram instead but for some makes and models the 4GB memory module can be very pricey still, even though it’s droppe in price considerably in the last year or so. For example, to buy a 4GB ram for Macbook or iMac Computer you’re looking to spend aobut $350-$400 for this size of memory upgrade.
In contrast, the 2GB memory chip will only set you back about$40, which is 1/1oth the cost of the much bigger 4gb chip. Why the price increase for the 4GB memory? Because this technology is new. And any new technology will cost you big money. 1gb memory used to start at over $2200, and now the average price is under $20 for 1gb of ram. ram prices just get cheaper and yet the ram sized gets bigger. Moore’s Law in action.
You can bank on the fact that the 4GB memory will continue to drop as well over time, but if you need 4gb memory modules, spend the money now and get the big memory now so you can get your work done and completed faster. Time is money, and it applies to buying ram as well. You have to figure out how much your time is worth and how much a 2gB or 4gb memory or ram upgrade is worth to you – in computing hours saved.
That’s it. You can buy 2GB RAM from a selection of memory vendors and rather than list the memory stores here I will point you to the front page where you can find the memory store for 2gb ram that you would like to buy from.
DDR Memory
DDR memory is commonly used in one format or another in pretty much every modern computer today. The original ddr memory standard is a little dated by today’s memory standards, and it has been replaced by both the DDR2 Memory and the newer DDR3 memory that is used in most modern computers from Apple, Dell, HP, Sony, and Toshiba to name a few computer manufacturers that DDR memory is used in.
DDR memory comes in three different types: The first memory type being DDR Memory, followed by DDR2 Memory and then DDR3 memory that is used and included in the most modern notebook and laptop computer systems today.
DDR Memory stands for double data rate memory and is the successor to the orignal SDRAM memory. The higher data transfer rates of DDR Memory are responible for the double data rate naming as the system double pumps data on both the rising and falling edge of the data transfer clock signal. The double data rate that is capable with DDR ram resulted in double the transfer speed or bandwith when compared to SDRAM DIMMS.
DDR2 Memory offers a double data rate dynamic random access memory and replaces and improves on the original DDR Specs. As well as double pumping the data, the DDR 2 specifications allow for a higher bus speed and uses less power than the original DDR Memory, transferring data at 64 bits at once and offers a maximum transfer rate of 3200 mb/s
DDR3 memory is found on most modern computing devices and again improves on both the DDR Memory and the DDR2 Memory specifications by being able to transfer data at twice the speed of DDR2 SDRAM was capable of which results in even higher bus rates than the previous memory technology could provide with a transfer rate of 6400 mb/s.
As you can see, the DDR Memory specifications have improved over the last decade with DDR RAM being readily available and affordable from the early 2000′s, replaced by the DDR2 Memory in approximately 2004-2005, and the latest DDR3 memory being available for purchase in the latter part of the decade.
It’s too early to tell when the next improvement on the DDR memory specification would be and whether it would be named a DDR4 memory chip or whether the original DRAM interface can an accomodate an even faster memory than the current DDR3 SDRAM specifications.
Best Price for Memory RAM
You’re at the best site for the best prices for Memory and RAM? Why? I don’t sell RAM. I’m not profiting from you by selling you ram. Other sites you see that list cheap ram are looking for your business as they wan to sell you ram, which is fine – everybody has to eat and keep a roof over their heads.
But how do you know who really does have your best interests at heart when all you want is the best price for memory ram for your computer. And a bit of customer service wouldn’t be a bad thing too, right? There’s three ways I can help you get a fair deal on ram and it won’t cost you cent. Here’s what you do:
1. Visit my main site at ramseeker where I specialize in Apple RAM. Yes, I dabble in the PC RAM too but my real interest is helping Mac users get the best deal on ram for their mac.
2. you there? good. Now what you need is to find the menu where it says: “start here for apple memory”. There you’ll find the current shipping apple computers listed first, as it makes sense to upgrade the ram on your new mac to get the most bang for your buck from your pricey apple computer. A ram upgrade pales in comparison to the costs of the ram for it. You shouldn’t hesitate to add ram the moment you buy a new computer. Sure, you can add ram to older macs and that’s a great way to squeeze another year or so out of your older Mac, but for most of you you’re looking for ram for new computers, not older one.
3. Find the price you like for the ram size you want. Some ram is still expensive still. It’s getting lower and lower everyday and I’m going to go out on a limb that over time ram will pretty much be free, or so cheap the cost doesn’t really matter. I could be completely wrong with this, so don’t wait – buy your ram now. It’s not that expensive.
When you click the price you’ll be taken to one of the vendors I recommend and trust. I encourage you to buy ram from these memory vendors as they are honest and reputable. Sure, you can buy off some guy on eBay and chances are you’ll be just fine, but do you wan to trust what you put into your computer from some memory seller on ebay? The ram prices aren’t that much different between low cost generic ram and even more expensive name brand stuff. Buy the better ram at the best price you can and be done with your purchase and headache free.
Congrats, you’re done. You now have the best memory for the best price.
MacBook Pro RAM Prices
Cheapest MacBook Pro Prices Today
MacBook Pro ram prices come in many different price ranges, memory types and price points depending on the size of memory you buy and install in your new MacBook Pro.
Other factors to consider when comparing macbook pro ram prices not only include price, but customer service and return and gaurantee information from the store that will sell you MacBook Pro RAM.
Of course, you can always upgrade your MacBook Pro directly from Apple when you order or buy your MacBook Pro but that really doesn’t do your pocketbook much good as memory for the Macbook Pro when you buy ram from the apple store can be quite expensive compared to third party memory stores . In recent times Apple has been more competitive with memory upgrade prices but I have found you can get a better deal on ram if you shop elsewhere for MacBook Pro RAM Prices.
MacBook Pro RAM comes in two different configurations: either they use pc2-5300 ddr2 sdram sodimms, or the newer models of Macbook Pros use the faster DDR3 1066 (pc3 8500) sdram sodimms, so the first thing you will need to do is figure out what macbook model you have and what memory upgrades it requires to run at full throttle.
Thankfully, this is pretty easy to do: Select the Apple Menu in the top left hand corner of your screen and select “about this mac”. There you will see an overview of your macbook and the speed of the processor but alos how much memory is currently installed and what speed the memory is running at.
For example, My 2008 macbook pro looks like this:
And you can see that my machine is running 1067mhz DDR3 RAM, or DDR3 1066 – same thing. don’t worry about the 1MHz difference. So now I know what type of memory I have, how much I currently have installed in my macbook pro and what type of macbook ram to buy.
Where to Find MacBook Pro RAM Prices
I have done all the hard work for you when it comes to MacBook Pro RAM Prices and in this instance you need Macbook Pro Memory Modules that are either priced individually, or in MacBook Pro RAM Upgrade Kits as some vendors package their ram for MacBook Pros two at a time, as you have to install in the MacBook Pro from apple.
Once you have found the best price for macbook pro ram all you have to do is click on a price you like, or the name of the memory store and you will be taken to the memory store when you can buy your macbook pro ram knowing you got the best deal on macbook pro ram.
How To: Memory Upgrades Explained
A memory upgrade, in simple terms allows your computer to store often used bits of code and information that can be quickly retrieved for processing.
When you add more ram and memory you are adding more space to store the small bits of information that your computer uses quite often and needs to be accessible quickly and often. If you don’t have enough ram, the computer OS – either windows systems or Mac system - uses part of the hard drive to store the often used bits and pieces it needs. This is known as virtual memory.
Virtual Memory sounds great in theory – your hard drive is huge and is has lots of room, so your first thought would be that the cost per megabyte would be much cheaper than using ram, right? Well, no. This is because your hard drive accesses information on your computer much slower than it would than ram.
Remember the last time you started a program on your computer? Did you notice, that even on the fastest computer built today – that this took some time for the application to start running. This is in part, due to the fact that your computer had to read and find the data off of your hard drive.
But with RAM, your computer can keep those bits of data it needs close by and on a chip that runs really really fast compared to pulling the data from the hard drive.
Let’s pretend that you’ve got some money, or a debit card in your pocket, and every day you to to starbucks and grab your coffee. Where do you keep the money to pay for your coffee? In your pocket or purse, as you use this money daily to get your daily coffee. If you had to order your coffee every day and then take the bus to go to the bank and take the bus back from the bank and then pay for your coffee you would have quite a lineup behind you of angry customers waiting for you to pay for your coffee. Going to the bank to pay for your coffee is like getting the data from your hard drive. The bank and your hard drive offer more storage but with RAM, it’s like having the cash in your back pocket ready to go at a moment’s notice. The money is easily accesible to pay for your coffee. you have the money ready at checkout.
In a way, adding more memory is like adding a bigger pocket for your computer. There’s more room to use the data that’s needed over and over again. If you have a bigger pocket full of money , you don’t have to go to the bank (or the hard drive) to fill up your pocket as often.
Adding more memory to your computer is one of the cheapest ways to speed up your computer as there will be more room for your computer to use the frequently used data it needs. This results in your computer working less to manage the data it needs and it can get the work done faster as the data it needs to run is readily accessible.
In summary, if you add more memory to your computer, your computer will run faster which results in you getting more work done faster.
What is the most memory I can put in an Apple Computer?
Apple iMac: Most Popular Apple Computer
The most memory you can put into an Apple Computer right now is 32GB of memory and that’s for the Apple Mac Pro Memory . All of the Mac Pro models that apple has released can accomodate up to 32gb of ram. Possible memory configurations for the Mac Pro are 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 6GB, 16gb and of course, the maximim memory in a Mac Pro is 32GB.
At time of writing this, 32GB of ram isn’t the cheapest ram you can buy as it’s designed for maximum performance as well – you are filling a professional computer with memory and that’s not going to be cheap ram that goes into the Mac Pro.
6gb for the Apple Mac Pro now costs $155 for the lowest price and 8GB for Mac Pro will set you back $276.00. if you want to buy 16gb of ram for the Apple Mac Pro that’s priced at $552.00, and lastly the 32GB memory upgrade kit for Mac Pro will set you back over $1100.00.
The Apple iMac is Apple’s consumer based Desktop computer and as such, takes much less ram. Only 8GB of ram is the most ram for an Apple iMac, with 4gb memory kits for iMac and 8GB RAM upgrade kits for iMac being popular choices. A year ago, 8GB of ram for Apple iMac would have cost you more than $1000 but pricing has dropped for the 8GB kit by over $600 and the average price to fill your iMac with ram is now about $400 from several memory stores including apple.
The MacBook Pro lineup of notebook compters has just been refreshed by apple and can now accept 8GB for the MacBook Pro models regadless whether you need to upgrade the 13 inch macbook pro, 15 inch macbook pro or the 17 inch mabook pro’s. If you can do with 4gb of ram for Apple MacBook Pro’s the new macbook pros come with 4GB of ram already installed so your cost to upgrade your computer is zero.
Lastly, the Macbook’s can accept only 4GB of ram – this might change in the near future as I predict a macbook refresh as well in a short period of time – probably this summer – to attract the back to school computer buyers but for now the most memory you can fill a MacBook with is 4GB of memory and ram.
MacBook Pro 8GB Memory
MacBook Pro 8GB RAM under $100
Yes, virginia – with the newest release of MacBook Pro – April 2010 MacBook Pro’s you can now fill them with ram. MacBook Pro 8GB Memory is now a real and possible Macbook Pro upgrade option.
That’s the good news. The bad news is you will have to replace the 4GB of RAM you currently have installed to get to the 8GB maximum on the Apple MacBook Pros. To do the upgrade to the 8GB you will need to pull the 4GB (2x2GB) of DDR3 PC8500 or DDR3 SDRAM and replace it with 4GB Macbook Memory modules x 2.
At time of writing the best price for 8GB MacBook Pro RAM is a touch over $350 which is a far cry from what 8gB would cost you just a year ago – then it was closer to $1000 – which is closing in on the cost of the MacBook Pro in the first place. Now laster year in 2009 you couldn’t put 8Gb of RAM into a MacBook Pro. But the memory required and compatible with the MacBook Pro’s is the same ram as the iMacs use – and a year ago 8GB would cost you close to a thousand bucks.
Do a google search on expensive imac ram and you’ll see what I’m talking about. A lot of sites picked up the fact that the ram for the iMacs were as much as iMac models themselves.
But back to the MacBook Pro’s and 8GB. Do it. The ram prices for 8GB for the Macbook Pro’s are under $400 and closer to $350 which if you amortize this over the course of a year, this costs only $1/day to max out the ram on your macbook pro. If you’re a professional such as a webmaster or graphics professional, or even an accountant this is a no brainer. If you are an accountant you know this already.
Upgrade your MacBook Pro with 8GB of DDR3 1066 sodimms and you’ll be one happy and productive mac user. Remember, you can only get 8GB of Macbook Pro ram into the newest MacBook Pro models. All other MacBook Pro’s still only take up to 4gB of macbook ram.
Low Price Memory
As I’ve been doing this over the past ten years by tracking the ram price of every reputable memory vendor one thing that happens over and over again, is that different memory stores have different pricing structures and some stores more than others are interested in being the low price memory leader.
Perhaps not so much these days – as ram is more competitive than ever and for most memory stores that I carry the differences in prices are pretty small and most memory prices are stable. In the past, 1-800-4-memory was one of the low price leaders for Apple Memory but the pricing from all vendors is really close these days. I’m reluctant to recommend any one vendor over another as I do like to offer an unbiased listing but if you’re looking for low price on ram, it’s best to check the lowest prices chart I offer on the front page of ramseeker.
When you check for low price memory what you will see is that for the most part one memory store will offer the lowest prices bu some other stores are more comfortable with charging more for their memory and hard drives (yes, some memory stores sell hard drives too. If you need a portable hard drive or internal hard drive most of the stores I list carry these too. I plan on another topic about hard drives in the future ) and offering customer service that might be better.
But for the most part you need to know this if you’re selling memory or buying memory: low price memory is king. This really isn’t news as this site is a site about comparing ram prices and memory prices so you shouldn’t be to suprised that visitors here are looking for low price memory at a good price and with a good support system in the event anything should go wrong with their memory purhcase, they want to know they can make a call, send an email, and their problem will be taken care of swiftly and to the customers’ satisfaction. The stores I list memory prices for a smart. They know a sale to a happy customer is a customer that will recommend them. For some businesses, any publicity is good publicity but when you make a living selling items with good customer service you want the publicity to be good, and to get that – you support the apple community and make certain your customers are happy.
At ramseeker I serve all memory buyers regardless of budget: you can choose to shop for the lowest price on ram you can possibly get or you can purchase ram from a recognizable memory store or one you have bought ram from in the past.
Lowest Memory Prices
One of the most popular features I have added to ramseeker over the years is the lowest memory prices portion of the site for both the Mac and PC sections. This feature shows the best ram prices currently available from the recommended memory vendors that I list on ramseeker.com.
If yo have a site of your own you can add lowest ram prices to your own site to offer more value to your readers. You can choose from every model I list and all you have to do is cut and paste a special line of HTML on your site and the lowest ram prices for the models you select will appear on your site. This little snippet is dynamically created so you can cut and paste the code and then forget about it, as the lowest prices will automatically update.
For example – here’s the lowest prices for MacBook Pro RAM:
As you can see the prices are pulled from our database and is displayed on your site. You can choose customization options such as colors and borders, etc.
If you don’t have a website but just want to find out what the lowest price is you can just go to the front page of ramseeker anytime and you will see the best price for apple memory and the best prices for pc memory too if you visit the pc section of ramseeker.
The lowest price may or may not be the best deal, or best option for you. Every customer is different and if you’re a corporate account that has a need for ram upgrades for your entire company or department you might be better off to go with a higher priced memory option as the customer service might be better. But that said the better deal might be the lowest price on ram too. I do list the low prices but you still have to do your homework on customer service. Shipping, return times , return policies, etc – all these factors can help you decide what the best deal on ram is for you, or your company.
I can tell you the vendors I list on ramseeker have been with me for over a dozen years (wow, time flies) and all are reputable vendors that guarantee their memory and are competitive on price and service. Check the lowest prices table on ramseeker and find the price that that suits you. Good luck on your search for the best ram price.
