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[UK] Can anybody better £124.40 for 4GB for the new MBP?

N

nicklad

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 13, 2007
258
3
Nottingham, UK
I wasn't going to pay the stupid prices (£400 odd) that Apple want for 4GB in a SR MBP, so I've been looking around for better prices for the upgrade.

The best price I can get, including shipping, is £124.40:

http://www.shopmagenta.com/product/MAU1001839.aspx

I've posted this because I'm interested if anybody has managed to find a better price and also to let people know that better deals are available if you look.

-EDIT-

Memory arrived, very well packaged and it's genuine Kingston.

Uses Micron chips - identical to those found on a stick of Crucial. :)
 
valid point FDM, crucial, kingston and corsair - or other trusted brands - I'd be happy to pay for the goods, if it really is kingston then I see no probs. damn good price too!
would be ideal to get a matched pair though
 
:eek: That really IS cheap! And that makes me a tad nervous. I've always bought from Crucial before because it's guaranteed for a particular model. I know the old PowerBooks were very picky about RAM but I don't know about the MacBook Pros (yet). I'm picking up a 15" from the store this evening...
 
RedTomato said:
You've got a lovely top-of-the line MBP, worth maybe 1.5 grand.

RAM memory is one of the most highly stressed parts in a computer. Apple macs are well known for being more picky / stressing RAM more than Windows PCs.

Everything I've seen indicates for Macs, you should avoid the bargain basement cheapest memory. Especially stuff described as "value" RAM.

Look up some of what CanadaRAM says, and he's the expert.

Is getting random crashes and loosing your work and data on a 1.5k machine worth saving a few quid on RAM?

You might be able to get a cheaper price from Crucial by clearing your cookies / using a different computer at a different location and going straight to the type of RAM needed without going through the product/ brand selector.

I dont know who else in the UK does good RAM, but OWC have a good reputation and do international shipping.

http://otherworldcomputing.com/

xx RedTomato
Click to expand...

Copy of a post I made in reply to criticism:

You've got a lovely top-of-the line MBP, worth maybe 1.5 grand.
Click to expand...

It doesn't follow logically to spend more money than you need to just because you have already spent a lot.

RAM memory is one of the most highly stressed parts in a computer.
Click to expand...

There are no moving parts, so I wouldn't personally consider it to be a part put under relatively high stress when compared to, say, a hard disk.

Aside from this RAM is made to a specification, so whatever stress needs to be handled is designed in.

Apple macs are well known for being more picky / stressing RAM more than Windows PCs.
Click to expand...

Source? Apple are using Intel parts, present in an order of magnitude more PC's than Mac's.

For the SR MBP, Apple are using Intel's 965 Express Chipset.

Everything I've seen indicates for Macs, you should avoid the bargain basement cheapest memory. Especially stuff described as "value" RAM.

Look up some of what CanadaRAM says, and he's the expert.
Click to expand...

Again, RAM is made to work to a specification. I accept that some parts inevitably have more tolerance built in than others, but I am not intending on overclocking or changing the voltage.

The Kingston part fully meets the required specification:

http://www.valueram.com/datasheets/KVR667D2S5_2G.pdf

It is, apparently, extensively tested and comes with a lifetime warrenty.

The company are also an Apple approved memory manufacturer.

Is getting random crashes and loosing your work and data on a 1.5k machine worth saving a few quid on RAM?
Click to expand...

You rase an emotive point, but a fair one in-so-far as I certainly would not want anything that compromised the stability of my MPB in anyway. I'll do some extensive memtest86 run in tests when I get a pair.

You might be able to get a cheaper price from Crucial by clearing your cookies / using a different computer at a different location and going straight to the type of RAM needed without going through the product/ brand selector.
Click to expand...

No, sadly you get the same price. :(

I dont know who else in the UK does good RAM, but OWC have a good reputation and do international shipping.

http://otherworldcomputing.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll have a look. :)
 
re: OWC - I haven't looked, but I wouldn't think it's going to work out that cheap due to shipping and the possibility of having to pay duty if you get caught by Customs.

I've only had a quick look, but I haven't found anyway cheaper than that first place you found.
 
Igantius said:
re: OWC - I haven't looked, but I wouldn't think it's going to work out that cheap due to shipping and the possibility of having to pay duty if you get caught by Customs.

I've only had a quick look, but I haven't found anyway cheaper than that first place you found.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I got bored and ordered two of the Kingston's - which I will extensively test and run in and post back here with my experiences. :)
 
Warranty?

OK - quick but important question: Would upgrading the memory trash your AppleCare warranty?

I'll be running Parallel's when our MacBookPro finally arrives so 4GB would help.

Secondly, how easy is it to upgrade the memory in these things?
 
IBrown said:
OK - quick but important question: Would upgrading the memory trash your AppleCare warranty?

I'll be running Parallel's when our MacBookPro finally arrives so 4GB would help.

Secondly, how easy is it to upgrade the memory in these things?
Click to expand...

No the RAM is classified as a user-serviceable part. It's only if you break something in the process of installing it that you may affect your warranty.

If it's anything like the old PowerBooks it's a very quick and easy job... once you've done the difficult task of removing some very tight and tiny screws!
 
IBrown said:
OK - quick but important question: Would upgrading the memory trash your AppleCare warranty?

I'll be running Parallel's when our MacBookPro finally arrives so 4GB would help.

Secondly, how easy is it to upgrade the memory in these things?
Click to expand...

From the horse's mouth:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303491

Changing your memory does not void your warranty - it is user servicable - but you would probably want to hold on to the original sticks should you have to send your machine back.
 
nicklad said:
You rase an emotive point, but a fair one in-so-far as I certainly would not want anything that compromised the stability of my MPB in anyway. I'll do some extensive memtest86 run in tests when I get a pair.
Click to expand...

You sound like someone who has never gotten a bad stick of memory before.

It is the most pain in the arse experience. Memtest will not even help. Who is to say that the bit that is fault lies right on the bit that memtest happens to reside on?
 
iW00t said:
You sound like someone who has never gotten a bad stick of memory before.

It is the most pain in the arse experience. Memtest will not even help. Who is to say that the bit that is fault lies right on the bit that memtest happens to reside on?
Click to expand...

If the memory fails completely, I'll send it back as it won't be working to spec.

The statistical chance of an error being somewhere that memtest can't see and that is intermittent enough such that memtest does not in itself malfunction is, in my opinion, negligible.

I think memtest is exhaustive, testing all physical memory, in any case.

For me, saving £80 when weighed against the potential hastle of returning the memory if faulty is definitely worth it.

I get a sense that there is a lot of FUD surrounding memory upgrades for Mac's!
 
nicklad said:
I wasn't going to pay the stupid prices (£400 odd) that Apple want for 4GB in a SR MBP, so I've been looking around for better prices for the upgrade.

The best price I can get, including shipping, is £124.40:

http://www.shopmagenta.com/product/MAU1001839.aspx

I've posted this because I'm interested if anybody has managed to find a better price and also to let people know that better deals are available if you look.
Click to expand...

Crucial.com, great to see a place where customer loyalty is rewarded.... 4GB kit (2GBx2), 200-pin SODIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 memory module (Crucial part no. CT687602) - £105.69 inc. VAT but excl. Delivery :p

Every single stick of RAM I've purchased in the last ten years has come from Crucial... in those ten years I've had one problem stick and it was replaced promptly. In fact, I've got stacks of old PC100/133 ram lying around as the mobo's have died but the RAM is still going strong!
 
Fishd said:
Crucial.com, great to see a place where customer loyalty is rewarded.... 4GB kit (2GBx2), 200-pin SODIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 memory module (Crucial part no. CT687602) - £105.69 inc. VAT but excl. Delivery :p

Every single stick of RAM I've purchased in the last ten years has come from Crucial... in those ten years I've had one problem stick and it was replaced promptly. In fact, I've got stacks of old PC100/133 ram lying around as the mobo's have died but the RAM is still going strong!
Click to expand...

Eh? What are you on about???

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=FF1F93F9A5CA7304

£270.24 inc. VAT
 
Fishd said:
I get a fair discount from Crucial because I've given them quite a lot of business over the years. So, when I log into my account on their site I get discounted prices.
Click to expand...

How do you fancy doing a group buy for some of the UK guys on here. Make it worth your while :)
 
moabon.rob said:
I see:

£151.99 ex. VAT
£178.59 inc. VAT*

:confused: (I've not looked at crucial.com/uk before on this mac [new SR] and I've never used them/don't have an account with them)...

Strange that the price difference would be so huge!
Click to expand...

I get that as well now...

They have dropped their prices by £100!
 
nicklad said:
If the memory fails completely, I'll send it back as it won't be working to spec.

The statistical chance of an error being somewhere that memtest can't see and that is intermittent enough such that memtest does not in itself malfunction is, in my opinion, negligible.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but it has happened to me before and I could not even tell which of the two sticks are bad no matter what I did. End result? I just sold the pair on eBay and bought another brand, problem solved.

Negligible in your opinion perhaps. But in my experience it is a so annoying it is not even worth the 10-12 hours of memtests I have to run, swopping memory sticks along the way, just to come up blank.
 
Memory arrived today, very well packaged and it's genuine Kingston.

Uses Micron chips - identical to those found on a stick of Crucial. :)
 
Memory arrived today, very well packaged and it's genuine Kingston.

Uses Micron chips - identical to those found on a stick of Crucial.
Click to expand...

So...does the stuff from shopmagenta - Kingston memory work ok?
 
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