Buying "Apple" Memory from 3rd party vendors

[Erukian]

I was looking at crucial/kinsgton/corsair/ocz/mushkin and a few of the vendors also sell special 'apple compatible' memory that's typically a different model number.

I emailed mushkin and inquired about what makes their apple memory so apple. They told me that in a nutshell. That their apple memory is programmed for maximum compatibility with intel macs. And that there are minor differences that manufacturers make to the chipset as it is being designed into a motherboard and that the subtle differences are taken into account with an apple programmed module providing a better compatible DIMM.

Is this a load of bull or is there some merit?

-Joe

 

[zioxide]

thats a load of ****

intel macs use the same chipsets as intel windows pcs. you can use the same exact ram

any stick of pc2 5300 ddr2 667 200pin sodimm will work.

 

[Erukian]

I noticed my macbook pro 2.2 uses Micron memory, i've read Crucial only uses micron, would it be best to stick with the brand apple uses?

I'm curious if anyone elses mac stock ram uses anything different.

 

[WildCowboy]

Apple uses whatever it can get a good deal on that meets their specs. Consequently they use a number of different brands. As long as you buy from a company that offers a lifetime warranty on the RAM, guarantee it to work in your machine, and have a solid customer service record, buy the cheaper RAM. OWC and DMS both come highly recommended from a number of US MacRumors members.

Crucial is a division of Micron, so yes, they sell Micron RAM...I don't recommend them due to history of unethical pricing games they've been playing for years. But if you do choose to buy from them, please use the links on the forum pages here to help support MacRumors.

 

[yippy]

That is half true. Apple computers are designed for a specific set of specifications and tend to be pickier about the quality of their ram then other computers.

If CanadaRAM was here he would tell you that there are more specs to look at then just the ones zioxide listed.

Essentially, Apple certified ram is just that, tested and certified to work with Apple computers. Other RAM may work just fine but it is not guaranteed and sometimes can cause stability issues with your computer.

 

[alljunks]

i upgraded alot of my computer using PC memory.. SODIMM 667... and works perfect..

 

[Southern]

if you do choose to buy from them, please use the links on the forum pages here to help support MacRumors.

I will recommend Crucial for price and reliability over the four years I have bought memory from them for various PCs and Macs and it's a good way of supporting Macrumors through the ads.

I haven't heard anything negative about Crucial per-se, WildCowboy, anywhere I can go to get the low-down?

 

[emikshe]

no need for apple certification

I've bought non-"Apple certified" memory from NewEgg (there is even a seprate section for it in the store now!!) for a friend's Macbook C2D and it worked great.
One thing you can do is shop at a site that allows customer product rating, and read through them to see if any mac owners have commented on compatibility. On the flip side of that if you try something new, leave a comment if possible for future mac shoppers!

 

[mcmacmcmac]

I think this is solid.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5284717

 

[WildCowboy]

I will recommend Crucial for price and reliability over the four years I have bought memory from them for various PCs and Macs and it's a good way of supporting Macrumors through the ads.

I haven't heard anything negative about Crucial per-se, WildCowboy, anywhere I can go to get the low-down?

This thread and this thread talk about some of the shenanigans. Basically, they use cookies to track what you've looked at on their site, and offer different prices for the same item based on what else you've looked at. They also charge different prices for the same item depending on what kind of computer you tell their RAM-finding wizard you have.

Not sure if they still engage in these practices, but I refuse to go back and find out. Used to buy from them, but never again. They make good RAM, but between this crap and the fact that they've become significantly more expensive than other quality vendors like OWC and DMS, I see no reason to go with them.

 

[thederby]

I noticed my macbook pro 2.2 uses Micron memory, i've read Crucial only uses micron, would it be best to stick with the brand apple uses?

I'm curious if anyone elses mac stock ram uses anything different.

crucial IS micron...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micron_Technology

 

[CanadaRAM]

crucial IS micron...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micron_Technology

Crucial also rebrands RAM from Samsung and Elpida and other companies. They are a memory reseller and do not sell exclusively Micron.

The point is not that Apple RAM is not JEDEC standard. The point is whether third party RAM meets all of the standards necessary or not. The easiest way to tell is whether the vendor guarantees Mac compatibility on it.

If they don't then the chance of compatibility varies with the Mac model. The Intel CorexDuo Macs seem to be happy with most brands. However you do not want a brand with heat spreaders on the module, there isnt physical room in most Macs.

Many earlier models of Macs had distinct problems with different brands of generic RAM - usually because the SPD values were not correctly written (which is primarily what Mushkin seems to be saying) or because of density or chip configuration issues -- even though the RAM meets the 'basic' spec.

MR Guide to understanding Intel Mac RAM

MR Guide to Buying RAM