How much memory (RAM) should be in your computer, and who should install it? I usually recommend that you:
(1) Purchase the computer with the bare minimum of memory that you can. This is because manufacturers and stores usually overcharge for the convenience of adding more at the time of purchase.
(2) Buy more memory yourself. It can save you one to a few hundred dollars. Shop around online, using sites like DealRAM.com to find the best price on the RAM modules for your model of computer.
After you select and price the computer you want, but before you buy it, find out what kind of RAM it takes and go ahead and price that, comparing it to how much your chosen computer vendor charges to add the memory for you. If they charge only a few bucks more, you may as well have them install it.
RAM is a commodity product, which generally means that any RAM module that meets the specs your computer requires and is sold by any reputable company (pretty much any company that’s been around for some years and guarantees the RAM they sell) is about as good as any other brand. So, as long as you avoid absolute fly-by-night companies, you can buy from whoever sells it the cheapest.
That said, there’s something to be said for patronizing companies that provide useful services to us; we want these companies to stick around. One of my regular places to find prices and shop for many Mac parts, upgrades and accessories is Other World Computing. They've been in business for a long time, with many loyal customers. Their MyOWC upgrade center is a pretty easy tool for finding just the items that work with your particular computer. And they usually have competitive prices on memory modules, with a lifetime warranty. Their Tech Support section also has clear instructional videos for installing these items yourself, which you can download for free, anytime. I usually buy my RAM from them, even if they’re a few dollars more than some other company I’ve never heard of.
(3) Install the memory yourself. It’s fairly to very easy, on all Macs made in the last 5+ years (and shouldn’t be much harder on Windoze computers, either). If you own and can operate a small screw driver, have sufficient manual dexterity to give yourself a manicure, and can read, you have the skills necessary to do this on your own.
(4) Upgrade your Mac's memory to the maximum, especially if it’s a portable or compact computer. The amount of RAM that comes stock with most computers is insufficient for the computer to live up to it’s potential; adding more is about the cheapest way to boost it’s real world performance. Certain applications run faster with more memory, especially if you keep many applications open at the same time. And being able to run multiple applications simultaneously helps you to be more productive. (This is all doubly true in you plan to run Windows on your Mac, using a program like Parallels.)
Furthermore, because small computers have only 1 or 2 RAM slots – plus, some models (allegedly) require that each slot hold matching RAM modules – it is often most cost effective, in the mid- to long-term, to install the maximum possible RAM now, rather than upgrade only half-way, then throw-out those modules and replace them with bigger and more expensive ones later.
(The main exception to this long-term cost benefit may be if you new computer uses a new type of RAM only recently introduced on the market. Typically, the larger sizes of cutting edge RAM modules fetch a hefty premium price, until the manufacturers ramp up production to match or exceed demand. If this applies to your new computer, and your budget is tight, you may prefer to buy a moderate sized module now, then max out later when the large modules drop below the price you paid for the moderate size.)
So, to get the most out of the investment you’re making in your new computer, spend the money to give it plenty of memory. Imagine how your big monkey brain would work, if you couldn’t remember what you were thinking of a minute ago. (Oh, you regret that youthful Quaalude habit now, donchya dude?) Don’t do this to your computer. It is generally more useful to have a slighter slower computer with the maximum memory, than the fastest computer with the minimum memory. (Kinda sorta like driving a Hummer with a 1 gallon gas tank wouldn’t get you very far.) So budget your dinero accordingly. (And pardon my mixed metaphors.)
Wednesday, 26 July 2006
