Apple do MBA ram upgrades instore?

[barebackbadger8]

just got back from the Touchwood Apple store (solihull)
been having major problems deciding what MBA to get, the only thing i can decide on is 128gb ssd and 4GB Ram.
so i go instore and look at the price/spec cards next to the MBA's
i notice they do most configurations but not the basic configs but with 4GB Ram.

i then ask an Apple rep, who then says "yea we can do the 4GB for you instore"
i then mention about the ram having to be 'soldered' onto the board.
to which he replies "like i said we can do that instore, it will take 5 minutes"

now im not saying im doubting the guy....actually i am lol but surely he is wrong?

 

[robbieduncan]

The MBA RAM cannot be upgraded once it leaves the factory.

 

[shstiger2009]

I didn't think it was upgradeable, but what do I know. I think it IS possible, but it's very hard to do.

 

[miles01110]

I didn't think it was upgradeable, but what do I know. I think it IS possible, but it's very hard to do.

For all practical purposes it is not possible to upgrade the RAM.

 

[shstiger2009]

For all practical purposes it is not possible to upgrade the RAM.

Right.

From what I've read, it is only possible if you are Jesus with a soldering iron.

 

[barebackbadger8]

he must of clocked the funny look i gave him, but he did say "seriously we can do it instore"

 

[namtaB]

The Apple store I went to, King of Prussia PA, said they would do it.

 

[shstiger2009]

he must of clocked the funny look i gave him, but he did say "seriously we can do it instore"

Just another example of a retail employee that didn't know what he was talking about. He probably didn't know it is soldered onto the board, he might have been thinking he could because RAM is upgradeable in every other Mac computer in the store, but on the Air's it's not.

 

[miles01110]

Not only is the RAM soldered onto the logic board, it appears from these pictures that the pins are not even accessible if you did have a soldering iron.

Front: http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/POxSYUGpXHwopXCQ.huge
Back: http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/4uUMRIPytboUt2Ti.huge

So no, they cannot do it instore (or anywhere else).

 

[barebackbadger8]

Just another example of a retail employee that didn't know what he was talking about. He probably didn't know it is soldered onto the board, he might have been thinking he could because RAM is upgradeable in every other Mac computer in the store, but on the Air's it's not.

i said to the guy, that on the forums etc that it mentions that the ram as to soldered onto the board, and yet again he said "we can do that instore, take longer than the mbp's but we can do it instore"

unless they have the stock instore, and he's just trying to give the guys instore credit.
but this guy was adamant that they can do it!

either way i didn't buy one, still cant decide on the 13 or 11 MBA lol

 

[random47]

lol i asked in my apple shop today and they said the could do it to. Apparently they are very skilled with a soldering iron

 

[Hands Sandon]

just got back from the Touchwood Apple store (solihull)
been having major problems deciding what MBA to get, the only thing i can decide on is 128gb ssd and 4GB Ram.
so i go instore and look at the price/spec cards next to the MBA's
i notice they do most configurations but not the basic configs but with 4GB Ram.

i then ask an Apple rep, who then says "yea we can do the 4GB for you instore"
i then mention about the ram having to be 'soldered' onto the board.
to which he replies "like i said we can do that instore, it will take 5 minutes"

now im not saying im doubting the guy....actually i am lol but surely he is wrong?

I had three Apple store (Buchanan St, Glasgow) employees tell me they could upgrade the RAM in-store for the Air. Two on the phone and one in the store itself. All were wrong.

 

[shstiger2009]

i said to the guy, that on the forums etc that it mentions that the ram as to soldered onto the board, and yet again he said "we can do that instore, take longer than the mbp's but we can do it instore"

unless they have the stock instore, and he's just trying to give the guys instore credit.
but this guy was adamant that they can do it!

either way i didn't buy one, still cant decide on the 13 or 11 MBA lol

If you don't need a big screen and are a basic computer user, go for the 11". I didn't like the small screen and weird screen shape so I went for the 13". I got it 3 days ago, and I absolutely love it.

Still find it very weird that they're telling you that.

lol i asked in my apple shop today and they said the could do it to. Apparently they are very skilled with a soldering iron

Haha, apparently...

I had three Apple store (Buchanan St, Glasgow) employees tell me they could upgrade the RAM in-store for the Air. Two on the phone and one in the store itself. All were wrong.

Wow, I can't believe multiple employees from stores are saying that.

 

[barebackbadger8]

If you don't need a big screen and are a basic computer user, go for the 11". I didn't like the small screen and weird screen shape so I went for the 13". I got it 3 days ago, and I absolutely love it

i keep thinking the same, in the past 10 days i have been in bestbuy (3 times), apple store (twice), currys/pc world (3 times) and krcs (an apple reseller) twice.
each time i have walked in armed with my cash, but every time i have walked out and can't make my mind up haha

 

[shstiger2009]

i keep thinking the same, in the past 10 days i have been in bestbuy (3 times), apple store (twice), currys/pc world (3 times) and krcs (an apple reseller) twice.
each time i have walked in armed with my cash, but every time i have walked out and can't make my mind up haha

Yeah, I went with the 13" only based on screen size. The 11" performance wise probably would have been fine for me, but I just didn't want a laptop that small. But it's all preference. Some people love the 11". I'm just waiting for iPad 2 next Friday as my smaller Apple device.

 

[barebackbadger8]

Yeah, I went with the 13" only based on screen size. The 11" performance wise probably would have been fine for me, but I just didn't want a laptop that small. But it's all preference. Some people love the 11". I'm just waiting for iPad 2 next Friday as my smaller Apple device.

the 11" screen is not a problem for me, that is the problem lol
ive had a 10" netbook for 18 months so the screen isn't an issue. its just that i know cpu wise i know the 13" is better but i then think but its running a bigger computer, so that must impact on it.....
so then i think about the 11" again but then i see the specs are worse than the 13" lol
its all so confusing

 

[shstiger2009]

the 11" screen is not a problem for me, that is the problem lol
ive had a 10" netbook for 18 months so the screen isn't an issue. its just that i know cpu wise i know the 13" is better but i then think but its running a bigger computer, so that must impact on it.....
so then i think about the 11" again but then i see the specs are worse than the 13" lol
its all so confusing

Go with the 11". The screen size is good for you, and that's what matters. The only difference between the 11" and 13" with 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM is .4 processor speed. You won't notice it unless your encoding video and things like that. I'd say for you, go with the 11".

 

[aristobrat]

its all so confusing

Figure out what you're going to be doing (i.e. surfing, iTunes, iMovie, etc) and read all of the posts you can find on the Air model you're looking at (11").

There are tons of "frank" user reviews posted here. If people are running into problems doing something (like watching 1080p MKV files) on a particular model of Air, it's likely posted here.

Also, if you buy it from an Apple Store, you should get a decent amount of time to use it (it's 14 days in the US, not sure about the UK) and be able to return it without having to pay a restock fee. So if you DO get an Air and it doesn't meet your needs, you're not out any money.

 

[barebackbadger8]

Go with the 11". The screen size is good for you, and that's what matters. The only difference between the 11" and 13" with 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM is .4 processor speed. You won't notice it unless your encoding video and things like that. I'd say for you, go with the 11".

Figure out what you're going to be doing (i.e. surfing, iTunes, iMovie, etc) and read all of the posts you can find on the Air model you're looking at (11").

There are tons of "frank" user reviews posted here. If people are running into problems doing something (like watching 1080p MKV files) on a particular model of Air, it's likely posted here.

Also, if you buy it from an Apple Store, you should get a decent amount of time to use it (it's 14 days in the US, not sure about the UK) and be able to return it without having to pay a restock fee. So if you DO get an Air and it doesn't meet your needs, you're not out any money.

cheers guys

i have been heavily researching this, the money this is going to cost me is a big deal for me. ive used apple macs before so i know the quality etc im getting, just need to get this choice right as i will have to keep it for say 2years minimum (unless i win the uk lottery or thunderball lol)

i will use it for internet use (2-3hours a day)
itunes,
document writing using either iwork or msoffice 2011 (only brief little notes for my job)
email
minor photo editing using either aperture or whatever 3rd party app i can find, which i do once in a blue moon

and perhaps watching video's when i go on holiday (the ones that come with blu-rays/dvds the digital copy)

no video converting, editing got a shuttle pc for that!

 

[KPOM]

Yes, Apple may have created a ticking PR time bomb with the non-upgradable RAM on the MacBook Air. They need to do a better job of educating their employees that the RAM is NOT upgradable.

 

[ranjitb]

Are these apple store who say that they can upgrade the RAM on MBA, just replacing the entire motherboard and install a new one with 4 GB RAM hence saying that it's upgradable???

I highly doubt that but if they are doing that Now just ask them how much would be the upgrade cost.

 

[MikePA]

Yes, Apple may have created a ticking PR time bomb with the non-upgradable RAM on the MacBook Air. They need to do a better job of educating their employees that the RAM is NOT upgradable.

'A ticking PR time bomb...'? Talk about hyperbole. Compared to the 'Grip of Death' for the iPhone4, this doesn't even appear on the radar of anyone at Apple with half a brain.

 

[ArmCortexA8]

Yes the MBA RAM is soldered physically to the mainboard / logic board itself - its not user upgradeable, and if the Apple store's did do this this means a whole new logic board would have to be installed - basically disassembling most of your macbook air just for memory. This would be time / cost prohibitive.

This is why I go the CTO version with 4GB RAM from the factory.

 

[andothfc]

If the screen size is not an issue, get the 11". I bought the 11 and have loved it but I'm moving to a 13" t get the extra screen real estate.

You can buy my 11" if you like, already upgraded to 4gb RAM.

 

[Veinticinco]

Further proof that retail employees don't know their apples from their lemons.