NewEgg OCZ memory I bought for new iMac won't fit?!?!?!?!?!

[Apple!Freak]

I bought this piece of DD2 SDRAM for my new iMac and appearently it's too wide to fit the precision? slot on the bottom of the new iMac. -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227043

It's pretty disapointing considering I spent $25 on next day air shipping, but I mean, what am I gonna' do?

Any ideas as to why this didn't work, and which piece of 1GB RAM will work with the new iMac?

 

[GoCubsGo]

If you bought the memory for the iMac in your sig the 20" 1.8 then it does not take DDR2. It does take DDR.
DDR PC3200 • CL=3 • UNBUFFERED • NON-ECC • DDR400 • 2.6V • 128Meg x 64

That is what you need. Go to Crucial.com and find out the exact memory and then go to NewEgg.com to buy it.
But that is exactly what you need for an iMac 1.8GHz 20".

Oh and if you bought the wrong memory because newegg suggested that for your machine and you did indeed pick the right machine then I would fight that $30 overnight fee.
Newegg is so fast that it is not necessary to ever overnight things. The only thing I will do is pay ground shipping and then $2.99 for same day processing of my order. I ordered a CF card on Friday at 1pm and it was here on Monday. Memory for an iMac is hardly that important is it?
Well that is just me.

 

[Apple!Freak]

If you bought the memory for the iMac in your sig the 20" 1.8 then it does not take DDR2. It does take DDR.
DDR PC3200 • CL=3 • UNBUFFERED • NON-ECC • DDR400 • 2.6V • 128Meg x 64

That is what you need. Go to Crucial.com and find out the exact memory and then go to NewEgg.com to buy it.
But that is exactly what you need for an iMac 1.8GHz 20".

Oh and if you bought the wrong memory because newegg suggested that for your machine and you did indeed pick the right machine then I would fight that $30 overnight fee.
Newegg is so fast that it is not necessary to ever overnight things. The only thing I will do is pay ground shipping and then $2.99 for same day processing of my order. I ordered a CF card on Friday at 1pm and it was here on Monday. Memory for an iMac is hardly that important is it?
Well that is just me.

No offense, but can you not read? I specifically stated, the NEW iMac several times.

EDIT: Looks like I said it four times including the title.

 

[dubbz]

Too wide to fit?

It's not the heat spreader that's getting in the way is it?

Otherwise, RAM chips, of the same type, should have the same physical dimensions...

 

[Misterioso]

I bought this piece of DD2 SDRAM for my new iMac and appearently it's too wide to fit the precision? slot on the bottom of the new iMac. -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227043

It's pretty disapointing considering I spent $25 on next day air shipping, but I mean, what am I gonna' do?

Any ideas as to why this didn't work, and which piece of 1GB RAM will work with the new iMac?

um...can you read?

the ram you ordered is DDR2 667 PC2 5400.

The new imac uses DDR2 533 PC2 4200

there's your problem

 

[dubbz]

there's your problem

No, it shouldn't be a problem. It's still 240-pin DDR2. They should be the same physical size, and should both fit.

 

[djkny]

No, it shouldn't be a problem. It's still 240-pin DDR2. They should be the same physical size, and should both fit.

you should've gotten this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820147147

A Samsung OEM, and at $85? Hard to beat.

 

[cliffrouse11bas]

That is the one I got and it works perfect. Samsung

 

[CanadaRAM]

Don't be buying RAM with heat spreaders. If you try forcing it to fit, you stand a good chance of breaking the memory socket, and that wil NOT be covered by Applecare. Also paying more for higher speed (667 MHz) will do nothing for you - the Mac will simply run it at 533 MHz anyway.

Also, why buy OCZ which don't guarantee Mac compatibility, or from NewEgg, who don't gurarantee compatibility with anything? It just means you waste shipping costs if it doesn't work.

Next time, I recommend a Mac-aware seller who tests and guarantees compatibility with your model Mac. My favorite in the USA is Data Memory Systems

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

 

[Apple!Freak]

Don't be buying RAM with heat spreaders. If you try forcing it to fit, you stand a good chance of breaking the memory socket, and that wil NOT be covered by Applecare. Also paying more for higher speed (667 MHz) will do nothing for you - the Mac will simply run it at 533 MHz anyway.

Also, why buy OCZ which don't guarantee Mac compatibility, or from NewEgg, who don't gurarantee compatibility with anything? It just means you waste shipping costs if it doesn't work.

Next time, I recommend a Mac-aware seller who tests and guarantees compatibility with your model Mac. My favorite in the USA is Data Memory Systems

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

What if I remove the head spreaders? Will it work?

Or should I just get this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227013

 

[CanadaRAM]

What if I remove the head spreaders? Will it work?

Or should I just get this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227013

See my post above.

Return your OCZ RAM - nobody can give you any informed opinion whether the OCZ will work or not, naked or dressed. Only thing for sure is you way overpaid for it.

For US$99 you can get the right RAM with a guarantee of compatibility from a seller who knows what they are talking about.

 

[Apple!Freak]

See my post above.

Return your OCZ RAM - nobody can give you any informed opinion whether the OCZ will work or not, naked or dressed. Only thing for sure is you way overpaid for it.

For US$99 you can get the right RAM with a guarantee of compatibility from a seller who knows what they are talking about.

I would buy from the company you're recommending but I'm not going to be hit by NewEgg's 15% restocking fee. Whereas if I have them just ship me another product and return this, there is no stocking fee.

 

[CanadaRAM]

I would buy from the company you're recommending but I'm not going to be hit by NewEgg's 15% restocking fee. Whereas if I have them just ship me another product and return this, there is no stocking fee.

Than you'll have to take the risk, because the other RAM linked is also not tested on Macs. Send the heatsink one back and get the other one and the partial refund and hope for the best.

If on the other hand you can prove that you said to the NewEgg salesperson "I need RAM for my iMac G5" and they said "Buy this expensive OCZ RAM, It'll work", then I would be going for a full refund including shipping both ways.

 

[Misterioso]

Than you'll have to take the risk, because the other RAM linked is also not tested on Macs. Send the heatsink one back and get the other one and the partial refund and hope for the best.

If on the other hand you can prove that you said to the NewEgg salesperson "I need RAM for my iMac G5" and they said "Buy this expensive OCZ RAM, It'll work", then I would be going for a full refund including shipping both ways.

what the hell are you talking about? Take your spam and overpriced ram and ******** elsewhere.

I've ordered for years from NewEgg and they are very helpful, and replace anything that doesn't work. They beat the crap out of your prices, and their service is much better too. Their site is better looking for what it's worth and they aren't in my face on a message board trying to sell me products while attempting to help someone.

 

[solvs]

I would buy from the company you're recommending but I'm not going to be hit by NewEgg's 15% restocking fee. Whereas if I have them just ship me another product and return this, there is no stocking fee.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820147147

 

[~Shard~]

what the hell are you talking about? Take your spam and overpriced ram and ******** elsewhere.

I've ordered for years from NewEgg and they are very helpful, and replace anything that doesn't work. They beat the crap out of your prices, and their service is much better too. Their site is better looking for what it's worth and they aren't in my face on a message board trying to sell me products while attempting to help someone.

You do not know what you are talking about. Sorry, it's true. CanadaRAM has been a long-standing member of MacRumors (much longer than you) and does not waste his time "spamming" or trying to peddle his wares. If you had been a member here for more than 1 day, you would know this to be the case. As it is though, you are simply ignorant to CanadaRAM's history here at MacRumors.

I, and many others here, have found him to be extremely knowledgeable and extremely helpful when it comes to RAM recommendations and overall advice. Further to that, he is an exceptionally patient individual, as I have lost count how many times he has responded to the same RAM-related questions here, over and over, with the same replies - yet always taking the time to respond with what he has said many times before, all in an effort to assist people in making the right choice.

His advice is sound, and makes sense: Go with a reputable RAM dealer who a) has a lifetime guarantee and b) guarantees Mac-compatibility of their RAM - it's common sense really. Anything else, and you may run into problems, as we have seen in this case.

In short, I value his opinions and advice, as do many members here. He has been very helpful, and it is appreciated.

A word of advice - being confrontational with someone who is here to help people (and has helped dare I estimate hundreds of people on these Forums since he became a member) does not help your image nor your credibility in the least.

 

[CanadaRAM]

what the hell are you talking about? Take your spam and overpriced ram and ******** elsewhere.

I've ordered for years from NewEgg and they are very helpful, and replace anything that doesn't work. They beat the crap out of your prices, and their service is much better too. Their site is better looking for what it's worth and they aren't in my face on a message board trying to sell me products while attempting to help someone.

#1) It's not my RAM. In case you haven't noticed, I'm on the West Coast of Canada. Data Memory Systems (whose RAM I recommended to the Original Poster) is in New Hampshire. I'm a customer of theirs and have dealt with them for over 5 years. I happen to think they are the best company in the RAM business in the USA, bar none. That's only my opinion, of course.

#2) You don't know what the frig you are talking about when you say the reason the OP's RAM is physically too big is that it is DDR2 667 PC5400 "um can you read"

#3) The proof of the pudding is in the eating, my friend. NewEgg the helpful has just shipped the OP the wrong RAM for his machine for $151, dinged him $25 for next day shipping, and now wants to assess a 15% restocking charge plus the shipping both ways to take back the RAM they never should have sent him in the first place.

Compare that with $99 plus approx $10 for 2nd day air shipping. Which is the more helpful company and the better value?

The fact remains that NewEgg do not sell any Mac-tested RAM and they don't make ANY compatibility guarantees. Neither does OCZ or Patriot, or Kingmax, or PQi or whatever the maker of the lowest cost module they have on sale this week. They are strictly generic. Sometimes, they will work. Sometimes they won't. Sometimes they work until you upgrade OSX, then they stop working and you are SOL.

If YOU want to save $15 on a stick of RAM and take the chance of losing $20 to shipping plus restocking charges if it doesn't work, then be my guest. That's not the route that I would recommend to most Mac users however.

I think most people would rather get the right RAM the first time, than rely on swapping modules back and forth, no matter how helpful the company.

 

[matticus008]

#3) The proof of the pudding is in the eating, my friend. NewEgg the helpful has just shipped the OP the wrong RAM for his machine for $151, dinged him $25 for next day shipping, and now wants to assess a 15% restocking charge plus the shipping both ways to take back the RAM they never should have sent him in the first place.

While I agree with your recommendations and have, for over a year, watched you provide sage advice and well-thought insights on these forums, I have to stand up for Newegg here a little bit. They don't make recommendations for specific systems, and they didn't ship the wrong RAM. The OP bought the wrong RAM and voluntarily paid for overnight shipping, because he chose to take it upon himself to buy memory.

Newegg sent him exactly what he ordered, and they have every right to the restocking fee. They've done absolutely nothing wrong.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

what the hell are you talking about? Take your spam and overpriced ram and ******** elsewhere.

I've ordered for years from NewEgg and they are very helpful, and replace anything that doesn't work. They beat the crap out of your prices, and their service is much better too. Their site is better looking for what it's worth and they aren't in my face on a message board trying to sell me products while attempting to help someone.

what a n00b...

 

[signu74]

memory for my iMac (iSight)

I just received this 1gb crucial memory stick from newegg.com, and it works great. Best of all, only $119.00.

http://http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820161400

 

[CanadaRAM]

While I agree with your recommendations and have, for over a year, watched you provide sage advice and well-thought insights on these forums, I have to stand up for Newegg here a little bit. They don't make recommendations for specific systems, and they didn't ship the wrong RAM. The OP bought the wrong RAM and voluntarily paid for overnight shipping, because he chose to take it upon himself to buy memory.

Newegg sent him exactly what he ordered, and they have every right to the restocking fee. They've done absolutely nothing wrong.

Yes, you're right. The OP bought the wrong RAM. No question there.

This was partially because the seller makes no indication whatsoever which RAM would be right for Macs. It is the very fact that they don't make any recommendations (or as far as I know, offer any advice if you call) that makes NewEgg (and the other big box and electronic discounter places) a poor choice for anyone who doesn't already have expertise in what they are buying. That would be the vast majority of the general consumers.

A good seller assumes responsibility in the transaction to make sure the customer gets what they need, either through listing the compatibility on their website, or offering personal service, or both.

 

[matticus008]

It is the very fact that they don't make any recommendations (or as far as I know, offer any advice if you call) that makes NewEgg (and the other big box and electronic discounter places) a poor choice for anyone who doesn't already have expertise in what they are buying. That would be the vast majority of the general consumers.

Exactly right. Customer service is not what it used to be, partially because companies are greedy, but also largely because some people don't want it. Big box places are concerned with volume and profit due to their small margins. Specialty shops like Newegg and Amazon offer low prices because they cater to people who know what they're buying and did the research beforehand.

If you're not familiar with what you're buying, you should go somewhere that emphasizes customer service (like Data Memory Systems or your local sommelier). But if I don't want to be hassled with people telling me what to buy or paying a premium for "shopping" support I don't want, then Newegg (or the giant wine mart) saves me money and is far more convenient. I take the risk of making the wrong choice, but that's part of the game.

People often seem to want fine china for paper plate prices, but sadly it just doesn't work that way without major concessions of some kind.

 

[Ryan T.]

Yes, you're right. The OP bought the wrong RAM. No question there.

This was partially because the seller makes no indication whatsoever which RAM would be right for Macs. It is the very fact that they don't make any recommendations (or as far as I know, offer any advice if you call) that makes NewEgg (and the other big box and electronic discounter places) a poor choice for anyone who doesn't already have expertise in what they are buying. That would be the vast majority of the general consumers.

A good seller assumes responsibility in the transaction to make sure the customer gets what they need, either through listing the compatibility on their website, or offering personal service, or both.

Trevor, I'm sure you can appreciate that with the absolute unbelieveable volume of sales newegg does, this just isn't possible.

A little research online and it's easy to find out which RAM will work in your Mac. I bought my Crucial sticks from them and saved a bundle. Newegg has always been my favorite place to buy computer equipment online. However, I know what I'm doing. If you're uninformed, you may be better off paying a slight premium for personal customer service and compatibility guarantees.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Trevor, I'm sure you can appreciate that with the absolute unbelieveable volume of sales newegg does, this just isn't possible.

That is their business model, of course. They even take out full page advertisements telling you to use other stores, friends and neighbors to get your free product information before ordering from newegg.

However, other companies such as Crucial and Kingston and many of the online RAM resellers manage to combine volume sales with accurate product information. I'm not willing to concede it's impossible. I am willing to admit that it would cost them a couple of pennies more per module sold, and their pricing/customer service model doesn't allow for that.

It's the same business model as Microsoft -- shove the product out the door, leave the testing and repair of problems to the customers. That way, the customer bears all the labour cost of researching the problem and returning goods (or in MS case, downloading and installing countless OS patches). It's brilliant, in a perverse way. Manage quality control and risk by moving all costs of same to your customer.

 

[yg17]

Yes, you're right. The OP bought the wrong RAM. No question there.

This was partially because the seller makes no indication whatsoever which RAM would be right for Macs. It is the very fact that they don't make any recommendations (or as far as I know, offer any advice if you call) that makes NewEgg (and the other big box and electronic discounter places) a poor choice for anyone who doesn't already have expertise in what they are buying. That would be the vast majority of the general consumers.

A good seller assumes responsibility in the transaction to make sure the customer gets what they need, either through listing the compatibility on their website, or offering personal service, or both.

It's the buyer's responsibility to make sure what they're buying will work for their system. If they don't, tough sh*t, gotta pay the restocking fee. Newegg hasn't done anything wrong here. Yes, recommendations and compatibility checks would be nice, but NewEgg doesn't have them so the buyer needs to beware, and know the consequences of purchasing the wrong memory. You can't hold NewEgg responsible, it would be like blaming the car salesman when you find out your new Miata isn't going to haul around your family of 5. You're right, a good seller assumes responsibility to make sure the customer gets what they need. But the buyer has to decide that need, and the seller has to fulfil that need, which NewEgg did. NewEgg gave him exactly what he said he needed, he just happened to choose the wrong thing. It sucks he's going to get hit with restocking things, but he should have done prior research.

FWIW, I bought Mushkin RAM off NewEgg which worked perfectly. Of course, it was a risk, but after reading a few user reviews (a helpful service if they don't offer compatibility checks) that stated it also worked in their PowerMac, I was pretty confident about my purchase.