The RAM-peddling racket is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. For the rest of this post, keep this in mind.
As some of you might know, I’m waiting out the next MacBook Pro revision until I get one. The basic configuration isn’t really lacking in many places except for hard drive size and RAM, neither of which you can get too much of. So I decided to research roughly how much some more RAM would set me back, using the current MacBook Pro model and its memory standards as the basis.
Other World Computing has a long reputation for making good RAM, so they were the first place I looked. Their offer for a 4GB “kit” (two 2GB DIMMs) clocks in at $99.97, which is marketing for “$100″. I then visited Apple’s online store, the Apple Store, and configured the MBP model BTO with 4GB in two 2GB DIMMs. The upgrade from two 1GB DIMMs (for a total of 2GB) to two 2GB DIMMs (for a total of 4GB) cost $700!
Now, it is known that Apple uses and rebrands Crucial memory. Maybe Crucial just makes really high-end RAM. So I went to Crucial and configured RAM for that particular MacBook Pro model. It turns out that Crucial, too, offers a 4GB kit, priced at $113.99, which is marketing for “$114″.
Let us review.
- Other World Computing 4GB kit: $99.97
- Crucial 4GB kit: $113.99
- Apple’s upgrade from a 2GB kit to a 4GB kit, which should ideally offset the cost of the 2GB kit: $700
You do get a bunch of things “free” with Apple’s RAM: you don’t need to install the memory, you don’t need to hock the existing memory, you’re already paying for shipping with the entire computer and you’re far less likely to get “it’s because of third-party RAM” sneers from AppleCare. But you know what? Paying roughly 6x, assuming you’d otherwise get the Crucial kit, isn’t worth it.
I never had any delusions that getting Apple’s own memory (and preinstalled!) wouldn’t come at a premium. But it stings a bit when you realize that they’re still taking advantage of those who choose to source as many components as possible from Apple, and it definitely hurts when you realize the magnitude of the premium. Deep down, I thought the very same vein in Apple that doesn’t put any Intel stickers on their computers would have mellowed this response. I thought trading part of the fast and easy money for noticeable goodwill would have been a done deal. I thought the different-thinking Apple would make inroads, no matter how small, into the let’s-expand-our-pile-of-cash Apple for the sake of tradition and a desire to deliver what’s right to their customers.
Most of all, I thought the days of going for profits when they should have gone for market share was over.
Oh well.
There’s an even bigger difference in Mac Pro memory:
By Peter Hosey · 2008.02.11 00:31
It’s easy to feel personally let down when a company you trust does things badly wrong. Apple’s memory prices are criminally high, especially considering their Mac Pro can accept such a high amount of memory. You have to wonder how a perfectionist like Steve Jobs can accept this.
By Matt J · 2008.02.11 01:10
It is a bit bizarre, isn’t it? It’s been like this for as long as I can remember too (i.e. about 5 years.), but I’ve never seen an explanation.
Surely someone at Apple can secretly let us know what’s up?
By pauldwaite · 2008.02.11 20:22
Money is up.
By Jesper · 2008.02.11 20:31
I don’t think Apple’s first priority with exorbitant RAM upgrade pricing is to make a profit, but rather to streamline their supply chain. Sticker shock is a disincentive to choose a RAM upgrade from Apple. They probably don’t have to stock as many extra parts, and on the more rare occasion that they do need to go purchase extra components and or pay for more specialized labor to custom-configure your new computer, they don’t have to worry about losing money on the reduced economies of scale.
^ just a guess, no real info, though.
By http://openid.aol.com/DanH1979 · 2008.02.12 02:00