What RAM should I put in my new Macbook?

alexjholland · 5 Apr 2009 at 19:41

I have the new white Macbook with NVIDIA graphics.

It's use is almost exclusively for music, I'm using Ableton 8 suite and have a bunch of VSTs on top.

It's been handling most stuff very well, but I'd like to maximise it's power as some of the heavy drumkits can slow it down.

I saw you can get 4Gb of RAM from OcUK for £30, which seems like a good deal, but there are two issues.

- Can my Macbook use this 4 gig?
- Is this the fastest it can take? Is there any DDR3 around that I can use in it?

I want to use the best RAM I can it, within reason.

Thanks,

Alex

alexjholland · 6 Apr 2009 at 12:28

Come on, lend me a hand!

Mr109 · 6 Apr 2009 at 13:16

If you've a new white Macbook you need ddr2 667mhz RAM like this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-113-CR&groupid=701&catid=930&subcat=

Al

Slogan · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:17

And it does support up to 4GB.

alexjholland · 6 Apr 2009 at 20:21

That looks like a great deal and is already top of my list, but does my Macbook support either:

A) DDR3 RAM, or anything with a higher speed than DDR2 667 Mhz.
B) More than 4 Gig of RAM

I'm sure that 4 Gig DDR2 667Mhz kit will be a great upgrade, but I'd always future-proof if I can.

Tute · 6 Apr 2009 at 22:53

Mr109 said:
If you've a new white Macbook you need ddr2 667mhz RAM like this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-113-CR&groupid=701&catid=930&subcat=

Al

I think the new White Macbook uses Intel graphics.

If, as in the OP, it's nVidia then he'll need DDR3.

Best bet is to shop around, or ask Apple to do it instore, as OcUK don't stock the Mac DDR3 (yet).

alexjholland · 6 Apr 2009 at 23:12

The new white Macbook definitely has the NVIDIA 9600, same as the unibody Macbook, but it comes with DDR2 RAM (unlike the unibody Macbook, which uses DDR3).

These facts I am certain of. If I currently have DDR2 in my Macbook can I assume that I cannot fit DDR3?

Tute · 6 Apr 2009 at 23:17

alexjholland said:
The new white Macbook definitely has the NVIDIA 9600, same as the unibody Macbook, but it comes with DDR2 RAM (unlike the unibody Macbook, which uses DDR3).

These facts I am certain of. If I currently have DDR2 in my Macbook can I assume that I cannot fit DDR3?

Yeah fair play, could have sworn they kept the Intel GMA950 for that model.

If it takes DDR2 then it's DDR2 or nothing. Likewise with the DDR3 models.

Slogan · 7 Apr 2009 at 00:17

The graphics update for the White MacBook was silently done, a while after the new Unibody MacBooks came out.

Feek · 7 Apr 2009 at 00:43

alexjholland said:
The new white Macbook definitely has the NVIDIA 9600, same as the unibody Macbook, but it comes with DDR2 RAM (unlike the unibody Macbook, which uses DDR3).

These facts I am certain of. If I currently have DDR2 in my Macbook can I assume that I cannot fit DDR3?

Sadly, being certain doesn't always mean that one is right. The white Macbook has the 9400 graphics card, not the 9600. That's only in the Macbook Pro.

alexjholland · 7 Apr 2009 at 01:32

9400, 9600, either way the point was that it has NVIDIA and not Intel, and it uses DDR2.

Ok, so a slot can ONLY take DDR2 or DDR3, not both. That makes sense.

Thanks, I'll be buying the OcUK Crucial for £30!