apple, and their standard 512mb ram :rolleyes:

[direzz]

In the current laptop market, no one can deny that most computer companies are releasing their laptops with standard, 1gb of ram. To name a few, sony and hp are releasing their laptops with 1gb of ram, giving their computer customers the ultimate multitasking setup.

so why has apple still not done the same?

I could understand that maybe just the pro laptops would have the 1gb standard, but even that isnt happening.

The macbook is overpriced. a 13-inch screen - similar laptops with higher specifications are significantly cheaper.

I love my macbook, but i mean, for 1200 - 1600 bucks (CDN) i would think that we would at least get 1gb of ram.

any thoughts on this issue, and do you think that apples laptop line should all have standard 1gb of ram

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Hmm... I can see where you're coming from but I think many would rather get cheaper third-party RAM than watch Apple shove more of their overpriced RAM down our throats If it'll cost us less overall, 512 MB standard on low-end and mid-range models is fine by me.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Given the markup on Apple RAM, I think the only time we'll see 1 Gig standard is when they stop making 512 megs.

D

 

[Josh396]

I do think that at least the MBP should come with 1 GB standard. On the MB's, I'm not so sure. It's intended to be a consumer model and I'm sure for most people 512 MB is perfectly fine. I bet the people that want or need more RAM also know that it's just cheaper to get third party RAM instead of getting it from Apple.

As far as the MB being overpriced, Mac users are used to paying a premium. However, I do think Apple is doing a pretty good job with trying to keep the prices down on their other computers and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the MB is below $1,000.

 

[Cloudgazer]

In the current laptop market, no one can deny that most computer companies are releasing their laptops with standard, 1gb of ram. To name a few, sony and hp are releasing their laptops with 1gb of ram, giving their computer customers the ultimate multitasking setup.

I can deny this.
Very few laptops in this country come with a 1gb of ram.
In fact, walk into a store here, and the top of the range laptops have only 512mb. Maybe 10% of laptops with have 1gb.
The majority is still 256mb.

 

[stevo86]

personally i think the Macbook is well priced. You're getting a much better processor than most other entry level notebooks provide (Celeron ) and i'd rather the smaller screen in the notebook. Then again that's my opinion and i know more people would perfer a bigger screen. The only thing i don't like about the Macbook is the intergrated gfx... and also that you need to get the top end Macbook to get a Superdrive.

The Macbook Pro on the other hand, i think that is very poorly priced... I'd rather the smaller screen of the Macbook so it seems like you're spending all that extra money just to get a toned down version of an X1600 mobility... not cool.

 

[liketom]

wow i'm feeling old - i remember when we used to bitch about apple's not putting 512mb in as standard (256mb all the way baby)

 

[slackersonly]

I am surprised that Apple doesnt start with 1GB of RAM for 2 reasons:

1. Apple bragged about the # of switchers at WWDC. Not all switchers search forums like this one. These switchers are also very likely to end up with 5-10 programs running the same time as they dont know how to truely close programs. OS X + 5-10 programs running + 512MB RAM can very much = a dissapointed switcher.

2. Apple prides it self on being leading edge and profitable. 1GB RAM standard does both.

I agree that 3rd party RAM can be better for many here. But Apple is trying to increase market share and that means the unwashed masses (i mean alot of less computer savvy buyers).

Go to 1GBx1 stick already.

 

[deepy]

The macbook is overpriced. a 13-inch screen - similar laptops with higher specifications are significantly cheaper.

Just wondering, could you point me in the direction of other small (around 13 inch screen size) notebooks with similar specs and cheaper prices?

 

[cube]

The Macbook is the cheapest laptop in its category.
Notebook prices increase as they become smaller than 14".

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

I can deny this.
Very few laptops in this country come with a 1gb of ram.
In fact, walk into a store here, and the top of the range laptops have only 512mb. Maybe 10% of laptops with have 1gb.
The majority is still 256mb.

Seconded. Go to dell.com/Compusa and ask for a laptop under 1000 - they almost ALL will have 256/512 MB of ram.

 

[deepy]

The Macbook is the cheapest laptop in its category.
Notebook prices increase as they become smaller than 14".

Yeah thats what I find. When I decided I wanted a small, portable laptop with a decent spec I was very surprised to find the macbook to be the cheapest (in the UK anyway).

 

[bousozoku]

I haven't seen most laptop computers come with more than 512 MB of RAM. I also haven't seen a lot of laptop computers allow 2 GB of RAM. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple adds two more RAM slots to allow 4 GB soon.

Apple should equip their machines with more RAM but, at their RAM prices, no thanks.

 

[Trekkie]

Marketing 101

This is marketing, plain and simple.

You have a history of your computer being called 'over priced'

You want to offer the best price, and still maintain a nice healthy margin.

You offer a system with a low base amount of RAM as one of the ways to do this, along with a smaller HDD or other things 'optional'

Every computer vendor does this. Some of them have 15 lines of laptops so they can afford to have tricked out ones vs. stripped to the bone. There are still vendors that offer em with 256MB of RAM.

Apple only has two product lines in the notebook segment to do this, but they still do it.

As long as I can CTO out the small chip, I don't really care. And like many others have said, buying memory from third parties works very nicely as well.

 

[milozauckerman]

I think many would rather get cheaper third-party RAM than watch Apple shove more of their overpriced RAM down our throats

This remains an absurd argument. Apple should provide 1GB (minimum) with all their computers and it should not impact consumer prices - other manufacturers manage to do it, Apple can.

This is more of an issue in the desktop market, where 2GB is rapidly becoming the standard on anything that costs more than $1000 - while the iMac gets a whopping 512 and the Flagship Top O' The Line Xeon gets 1GB. It's insane.

Further, Windows is less RAM-demanding than Tiger, plain and simple. 1GB in OS X is comparable to 512MB in XP, if we accept the premise that very few Windows machines come with more than 512MB.

 

[poppe]

While I agree it would make the computers run alot better with 1 gb stock, I think your reasons are mostly moot.

Most computers stilll come with 256 and 512.

I think the best reason for it is that to me (and this is just opinion) it seems that PC computers can get away with low RAM because in my experience Windows doesn't eat it up like OS X does. Well until vista...

I run XP fine with 265 mb of ram. Yes it could be alot snappier w 1 gbs but it works just fine for internet/email/word documents.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Lots of people run OSX in 256 Mb. Would it be faster with more? Probably yes, but this amount of RAM is workable for normal/light duty. In fact I'll bet that the majority of computer owners, Mac and Windows, never even think to upgrade their RAM beyond the stock installation and never feel it's insufficient for their needs.

 

[poppe]

Lots of people run OSX in 256 Mb. Would it be faster with more? Probably yes, but this amount of RAM is workable for normal/light duty. In fact I'll bet that the majority of computer owners, Mac and Windows, never even think to upgrade their RAM beyond the stock installation and never feel it's insufficient for their needs.

Well to me for people like my mom who would be using a Mac Mini or a el Cheapo Dell don't even realize its a RAM problem... they just think Man why is this acting up... then give up. and move on.

 

[Warbrain]

I am surprised that Apple doesnt start with 1GB of RAM for 2 reasons:

1. Apple bragged about the # of switchers at WWDC. Not all switchers search forums like this one. These switchers are also very likely to end up with 5-10 programs running the same time as they dont know how to truely close programs. OS X + 5-10 programs running + 512MB RAM can very much = a dissapointed switcher.

If your computer is becoming bogged down by 5-10 programs running at the same time, then you need to check that computer. OS X can handle 5-10 programs perfectly fine with 512 MB of RAM. Hell, it can do okay with 256 MB of RAM.

This remains an absurd argument. Apple should provide 1GB (minimum) with all their computers and it should not impact consumer prices - other manufacturers manage to do it, Apple can.

This is more of an issue in the desktop market, where 2GB is rapidly becoming the standard on anything that costs more than $1000 - while the iMac gets a whopping 512 and the Flagship Top O' The Line Xeon gets 1GB. It's insane.

Further, Windows is less RAM-demanding than Tiger, plain and simple. 1GB in OS X is comparable to 512MB in XP, if we accept the premise that very few Windows machines come with more than 512MB.

There are still very few desktop computers that come with more than 512 MB of RAM. The vast majority come with 256 or 512 MB. And the iMac is still a consumer computer, so it'll get the lower amount of RAM compared to the Mac Pro.


Also, if you want more RAM, go buy some RAM. It's not like you're stuck with what Apple gave you. I can easily add another 512 MB to my iBook.

 

[milozauckerman]

OS X can handle 5-10 programs perfectly fine with 512 MB of RAM. Hell, it can do okay with 256 MB of RAM.

Hahahahaha.

iTunes, all by its lonesome, will crap itself if you've got a library large enough to fill a 60GB iPod.

iPhoto, don't get started.

That doesn't get into real software needs that users might have.

There are still very few desktop computers that come with more than 512 MB of RAM. The vast majority come with 256 or 512 MB.

Strangely enough, I find no Dell desktops with less than 512MB and no desktops over $750 or so with less than 1GB stock. Emachines, HP, Sony, Gateway are the same, or more generous. A number of the new Gateway desktops get 2GB standard.

Also, if you want more RAM, go buy some RAM. It's not like you're stuck with what Apple gave you. I can easily add another 512 MB to my iBook.

And I should donate money to Apple as well, to ensure that we get some neato improvements for Dashboard, right?

 

[Chone]

If your computer is becoming bogged down by 5-10 programs running at the same time, then you need to check that computer. OS X can handle 5-10 programs perfectly fine with 512 MB of RAM. Hell, it can do okay with 256 MB of RAM.

There are still very few desktop computers that come with more than 512 MB of RAM. The vast majority come with 256 or 512 MB. And the iMac is still a consumer computer, so it'll get the lower amount of RAM compared to the Mac Pro.


Also, if you want more RAM, go buy some RAM. It's not like you're stuck with what Apple gave you. I can easily add another 512 MB to my iBook.

Well maybe on a BUDGET desktop computer, and we all know what Apple computer ARE NOT (okay maybe Mac Mini is excused but still), any computer (laptop or desktop) that costs over a 1000$ SHOULD have 1GB standard, OSX works on 512MB but its not as snappy as on 1GB.

 

[extraextra]

The macbook is overpriced. a 13-inch screen - similar laptops with higher specifications are significantly cheaper.

Definitely not "significantly." If they are cheaper, they're going to be around $50-$100 cheaper, which isn't really significant.

And, I do believe that the two higher-end MBP's come with 1GB standard.

 

[EricNau]

Hmm... I can see where you're coming from but I think many would rather get cheaper third-party RAM than watch Apple shove more of their overpriced RAM down our throats If it'll cost us less overall, 512 MB standard on low-end and mid-range models is fine by me.

If it's 512 vs 1024 on the MacBook, it is cheaper to buy the RAM from Apple. Apple charges $100 to upgrade to 1 GB; you won't be able to buy two quality 512 sticks for $100.

I feel Apple shoud raise the price of the MacBooks to $1149 and include 1 GB of RAM (which I feel Apple could easily manage).