How to upgrade my Mac’s RAM & SSD?
If you have a Mac and you like to speed it up, you can take the following steps:
Find all the RAM Memory, SSDs, and accessories needed to update your Mac and have it running up to the speed of a new Apple Mac here on this one page.
Utilize the dropdown boxes to find the correct RAM Memory and SSD upgrades for your iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro. You can be confident you will select an upgrade you know is going to be both guaranteed compatible and reliable every time.
You can call, chat or email our upgrade team at any time, we love helping people choose the right upgrade to extend the life of their Apple Mac.
How do I find my model Identifier?
- Click on the Apple icon on the top left of your screen.
- Click “About this Mac”
- Click “More Info” or click “System Report” on newer Macs.
- In “Hardware Overview” look for “Machine Identifier” or “Model Identifier” in newer iMacs.
How much RAM do I need?
This is a very hard question to answer as it can be very specific to each user. If your Mac has a low maximum RAM size like 4GB or 8GB, then upgrade to the maximum. You’ll need as much RAM as you can get. Then consider an SSD upgrade, it is like having a huge RAM drive, when the Mac runs out of RAM it will use the hard drive as virtual ram. An SSD speeds up this process as it is almost as fast as the RAM.
If your Mac can be upgraded to 16GB or 32GB, we currently recommend between 12GB and 16 GB. Current versions of OSX will use as much RAM as you give it, but performance increase flattens at around 16GB. However, if you are a high graphic user – playing games, or editing videos and photos you will need between 16G and 20GB. You really should consider 32GB.
Why has my Mac slowed down?
We hear this question every day. A lot of Mac users call us after they have upgraded to the latest OSX and their computer has slowed down. Why?
The simple answer is you need more RAM. When you upgrade your OSX, files get bigger, and the computer wants to do more. All this activity needs to go into the RAM before the CPU can process it. When the Mac runs out of RAM it starts using the hard drive as ram. This is called Paging. You’ll start to see the spinning wheel on the screen and the Mac freeze. Running your computer like this is the equivalent of driving your car in first gear all the time. You won’t reach top speed, and your car will wear out fast. Install more RAM, it will fix the immediate bottleneck.
If you have reached your maximum RAM allowed, or you want better performance after a RAM upgrade then consider an SSD. For a lot of models, it is a simple procedure. We can advise on the best way to upgrade.
Can I install more RAM Memory than the Apple officially stated maximum?
Yes. In many cases with both iMacs and MacBook Pros, you can exceed the officially stated maximum RAM Memory amount as initially determined by Apple. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253728455
The reason for this is simple. In most cases, the higher-density module was released after the iMac or MacBook Pro, and Apple never retroactively updates its upgrade information.
One example of this is the 2011 MacBook Pro. Choose any 2011 MacBook Pro; any screen size, any CPU speed, any model identifier for a 2011 MacBook Pro, whether in early or late 2011, the officially stated amount of RAM Memory these devices can take is 8 GB (2x4gb module).
However, it is well known that the entire range of the 2011 MacBook Pros is quite happy to utilize a maximum of 16 GB of RAM Memory (via 2x8gb modules). The 8 GB module was released after the MacBook Pro and as stated previously, Apple does not update this information. https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i7-2.3-15-mid-2012-unibody-usb3-specs.html
We have sold hundreds of 16gb upgrade kits for the 2011 range to many customers who are now more than happy to be able to utilize their MacBook Pro to its full capacity and extend the life of their laptop.
Another popular system that this applies to is the 27″ 2011 iMac. Apple stated the official maximum RAM Memory….16 GB. Utilizing 4x4gb modules. Another device that is more than happy having individual 8gb modules instead. Unofficial maximum….32 GB. Utilizing 4x8gb modules.
We have sold thousands of 8gb modules into the 2011 iMac range without issue and subsequently made many, many customers very pleased. Customers are now free to add up to 32 GB RAM Memory into these iMacs and continue to utilize them far into the future.
What else can I upgrade to make my Apple Mac run faster?
Then you should consider replacing your existing HDD with an SSD (solid state drive)
Upgrading the memory in your computer is usually the first step to increasing its performance. Additional memory allows you to run more applications simultaneously without the computer slowing down. It also allows you to multi-task to a much greater degree as your applications, email, web browsing, etc. all have more RAM to use to run efficiently.
However additional RAM does not solve all the issues of a “slow” computer. If you find that it takes the latest OS a long time to load or your spreadsheets are taking minutes before they are ready to use, then you should consider swapping out your old spinning HDD for an SSD.
SSDs will run up to 12 times faster than an HDD and will have the OS loading and ready to use within seconds instead of minutes. All complex programs, high-res video, complex audio, and other large applications will load, ready to use, within seconds instead of taking several minutes before being ready to utilize.
If you like to upgrade your Mac then book an appointment with MyMac Computer or can visit our site: https://mymaccomputer.com.au/imac-repair-upgrade/
