125908 owc 8gb modules mbp

Other World Computing today announced the debut of new aftermarket RAM upgrades for the new MacBook Pro models released late last month. Options ranging up to 16 GB are available, well beyond Apple's maximum build-to-order offering of 8 GB. OWC offers the following options and prices:

- 4 GB (Replace one existing 2 GB module with a 4 GB module for a total of 6 GB): $59.99
- 8 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with 4 GB modules): $112.99
- 12 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with one 8 GB module and one 4 GB module): $879.99
- 16 GB (Replace existing 2 GB modules with 8 GB modules): $1599.99

Trade-in rebates of $13 per 2 GB module from Apple can also be applied.

OWC maintains a "MaxRAM" testing lab of Apple machines and has verified that the new MacBook Pros can accept up to 16 GB of RAM.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro

Top Rated Comments

throAU Avatar
163 months ago
I do not understand why anybody would want to have 16 Gb RAM. I have 16 Gb and it is utterly useless. Never ever have I seen my rMBP use more than 6-7 Gb. And that is using FCX and compressor and Parallels and Safari and Excel and Word at the same time. Buy 8 Gb and use the money you save for something nice.
And 16 Gb does slow wake-up from deep sleep by 4 seconds or so in comparison with 8 Gb.

Not everybody does as little with their machine as you do.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
volvo64 Avatar
162 months ago
But who needs 16Gb? And I speak from experience. My rMBP has 16 Gb and it NEVER uses more than 7GB and that is doing heavy duty video-editing and rendering and audio-editing at the same time. It will be years before 16Gb is essential. Save the money now and from that money get a new computer in 2-3 years.
And 16Gb slows wake-up time from deep sleep by about 4 secs in comparison of 8 Gb.
Just my personal experience...

----------



So give me an example of people doing more. What tool or combination of tools actually runs slow because there is only 8 Gb?

I need 16GB. I support Windows and Macs in a domain environment. I can't very well be asking people 'please hang on while I reboot into Windows' or vise-versa, so I run them side-by-side with VMWare Fusion. With stock 8GB I was able to give 4GB to each OS but that's a pretty small amount by today's standards (and considering I'm currently running 13 management-type programs just in Windows), so I upgraded to 16GB total and gave 8GB to each. The difference was night and day.

After that I put in a 7200RPM hybrid drive and it got even better...

When I first saw those prices on the front page I was sure it was a typo until I read the date...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
throAU Avatar
163 months ago


So give me an example of people doing more. What tool or combination of tools actually runs slow because there is only 8 Gb?
1. VMware + GNS3 to simulate an 2 active directory sites, with a WAN between them - is my personal use case where the more ram the better.
2. Alternatively, simulating trust relationships between AD domains, development lab for Exchange upgrades, etc.


There are plenty of uses for 16gb of RAM or more, if i had 32GB in my laptop i could certainly make use of it. I'm constantly hitting the limitations of 8GB at the moment at work and am likely to pop 16GB in my home machine (the MBP below) shortly so I can get things done at home instead.

Having a heap of RAM in my personal laptop means I can simulate a hell of a lot of stuff without needing to build a test lab.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Snarl Avatar
164 months ago
Why would anyone pay these ridiculous prices for memory when you go get the same memory from Crucial.com? I bought the 16GB kit from Crucial for my mid-2012 MacBook Pro for $75 and that was including shipping!!! Crucial has Mac specific memory, even though it really doesnt matter as long as you get the same type such as DDR2 or DDR3.

----------


original Post/Price was almost 2 years ago :)

although it is amazing how much the pricing has dropped..
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Skunk Avatar
161 months ago
Great! Now let's bring on that 17" rMBP with 4 DIMM slots.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
el-John-o Avatar
163 months ago
1. VMware + GNS3 to simulate an 2 active directory sites, with a WAN between them - is my personal use case where the more ram the better.
2. Alternatively, simulating trust relationships between AD domains, development lab for Exchange upgrades, etc.


There are plenty of uses for 16gb of RAM or more, if i had 32GB in my laptop i could certainly make use of it. I'm constantly hitting the limitations of 8GB at the moment at work and am likely to pop 16GB in my home machine (the MBP below) shortly so I can get things done at home instead.

Having a heap of RAM in my personal laptop means I can simulate a hell of a lot of stuff without needing to build a test lab.
That's exactly it. The use for 16 gigs of RAM, or two 6 core CPU's in a Mac Pro, or a retina display on a laptop, are limited to certain needs.

What 95% of people do 99% of the time on their computers could be done with an iPad. It's what 95% of people do 1% of the time, or the other 5% do a little bit more often, that demands a desktop class computer (including laptops these days), faster CPU's, more RAM, etc.) Even some who push technology to the limits STILL check their email, browse facebook, check internet forums, shop online, etc. All things any cellphone from the last 5 years (or more) can do. It's the once in a while, niche, odd, intense situation you need it for.

Or, in the case of RAM, simply because the cost (when you do it yourself) is so much minimally more than an 8 gig upgrade.

In my own personal use though, it's being able to run applications like photoshop, while simultaneously running Linux and Windows 7 in two separate VM's on separate desktops (swiping between them like desktops, such a great way to use the 'full screen' apps feature!)

I could squeeze that into 8 gigs depending on what apps I'm running, or spill over into Virtual memory, but, when it's $20 more to go to 16 gigs over 8 gigs, why the heck not? It allows me to do those rare, once in a while tasks like that. Or, heck, just be lazy and leave the VM's running even when I'm not using them. It's easily worth $20.

Plus, I've got a 500 gig SSD (well, two 256 gigs in RAID 0), and I use about 120 gigs right now. How silly would it be to have a 128GB SSD, then swap it to a 256GB SSD when that gets full, etc. etc., Why not just get setup with 500 gigs of storage knowing that, down the road, I might use it? Again, the costs of buying it all at once is cheaper than incremental upgrades.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...