If you buy your new Intel Macintosh from Apple and you get it with additional RAM pre-installed, you’ll be paying through the nose for the memory. If you’re comfortable adding memory to your Mac (and it’s really not difficult to; it’s the most common hardware operation that end-users perform, and Apple has made it pretty easy to deal with) then you can definitely save a decent amount of money on the RAM.

Increasing the total memory in your Macintosh is likely the cheapest way to improve its performance. MacOS X really wants at least 512MB to start with, and if you’re doing anything memory intensive, say Photoshop, you’ll be very very happy to max out your RAM. Also, if you’re on an Intel Mac and you’re running older, non-Intel applications that are built for a PowerPC, you’ll be using “Rosetta” without knowing it, and you’ll definitely need some extra RAM.

At the time that I write this, all the Intel Macintoshes that have been announced - the MacBook Pro, the iMac, the Mac Mini and the MacBook - take the same type of RAM and have the same limitations. They all require DDR2-667 (also known as PC2-5300) unbuffered, non-ECC SODIMM memory. They can all be upgraded to a maximum of 2GB.

If you can afford it, it’s an easy way to speed up your computer. At the time that I’m writing this, you can buy 2GB of RAM for an Intel Macintosh for about $230. You have to install it, and you end up with the original memory which you can sell.

The new MacBook, for instance, ships with 512MB of RAM. Apple wants $500 to upgrade the memory to a full 2GB. That’s twice the cost of buying it yourself, and you don’t even get to keep the old RAM to give to a friend or sell on eBay.

Remember three important things here:

• These specs and prices are accurate the day I wrote this article (7 July 2006) - they may not be accurate when you read it. Double check them before you make a purchase. Purchase your memory through a company that matches your memory to your computer for you.
• You can often get a better price if you buy a pair of SODIMM’s at the same time.
• Mo’ memory, mo’ better.

My top recommendation for RAM is 4allmemory.com. They’ve got the best prices I’ve seen and they have a great web site that will help you figure out what kind of memory you need. And they carry memory specifically guaranteed to work with a MacBook or MacBook Pro. They also provide generic installation instructions, and free shipping.

Installation

Two main things about safety when you’re upgrading RAM: turn your computer off, unplug it, remove the battery if it has one. Modern computers often have power on the motherboard even when they appear to be off, so make sure it is really off. Also, memory is easily damaged by static electricity. So don’t be dragging your be-socked feet on the carpet in mid-winter, rubbing the cat and then touching your new 2GB of RAM and expect it to still work.

The Mac Mini is the most difficult system to add memory to. You’ll need a putty knife, some physical strength, reckless courage, and patience. You use the putty knife and strength to pry open the box; the courage to not freak out while doing it, and the patience to do it without destroying it.

The Intel iMac is at the other end of the spectrum for ease of upgrading memory. You can work this one out even without a tutorial. Turn your Intel iMac off, unplug it, locate the small hatch underneath the display unscrew it, and install your RAM.

The MacBook and MacBook Pro are in-between. They require a little more disassembly. In both cases, you access the memory bay by first removing the battery - good idea! After that they’re not much more difficult than the iMac.

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