Luckily, Apple makes it simple to upgrade your system’s memory. If you use your Mac for graphical design or rendering, you probably want as much RAM as your computer will take to help speed up the lengthy rendering process, or to allow you to load and work on several large images at once. However, even OS X ‘Tiger’ only requires 256MB to run, so 512MB or 1GB of memory if your budget can afford it will be more then enough for basic users. So what’s the right amount of Mac memory? It depends on which Operating System and what programs you want to run of course. Without checking the maximum memory the computer can use, you might try installing a fourth 512MB module and find that the memory does not register. Or in the case of G4 500MHz Macintosh computers, only 1.5GB of memory can be installed, but four slots are available. For example, some of the PowerMac G5 series requires memory to be installed in pairs, from the innermost RAM memory slots outward.
It’s also important to know how much RAM your Apple computer can register, and whether your RAM needs to be installed in pairs, or if you can purchase one stick of memory at a time. Either way, knowing the type of RAM you need is only the first part of upgrading your computer.
The most important thing when looking for Mac memory is to know either the model of your Macintosh computer or to have one of the current sticks of memory from the computer handy so that you know the part-number of the RAM to look for. It will also tell you how many slots are still available. This information will tell you which slots are filled and what type of memory you have.
We have a 100% guarantee that our memory will work, and we’ll replace it if it doesn’t, without any fuss. We encourage you to utilize ’s automatic system checker to ensure you know what the correct type of Mac memory is for your exact system. All too frequently this sees Mac users buying the wrong RAM and ending up stuck trying to take it back.
But this is also a disadvantage, because each model of Apple computer requires specific memory, and is unlikely to work if you try to install a different type of memory in its place. To their advantage, they don’t run into the quirks that PCs can because of the multitude of different types and manufacturers of RAM, processors, and peripheral components. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage for those who wish to upgrade their Mac memory.