Upgrading Macbook
I'm considering taking the Macbook off my parents and upgrading it and using it as my primary computer since I don't own one for myself yet.
The first thing that needs to be upgraded is the RAM. Currently its 512mb and it lags too much for my liking opening up different applications. I'm thinking either 1GB or 2GB. Apple's charging $180 and $330 respectively. Since I'll go with places I know (like Best Buy or Amazon), I'm wondering if this is good and if it will do/be compatible:
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After that I'll buy a mighty mouse, applecare and another battery (when it dies). I'm also wondering since it has a 60GB HD if I could use a 320GB External HD with it and let it retrieve files off of it. For example all of the iTunes music could be on it and when I plug in ther 80GB iPod its actually syncing with songs that are on the external drive but showing up in iTunes.
Any assistance would be great because I want to round out the costs and see if its worth it in the end. Thanks.
[2126 byte] By [
kylo4] at [2007-11-11 21:24:51]
# 1 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Thats way too much for the ram, here is some good ram from a very reputable canadian site:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=18811&vpn=VS1GSDS667D2&manufacture=CORSAIR
This site is what most of the overclockers/pc enthusiasts I know in Canada use.
I would advise against the mighty mouse, once you get past the looks and the all direction scroll, its really a mediocre mouse that costs too much. Alternatives from Logitech and Microsoft are much better unless you value looks over performance.
Using the external drive shouldn't be a problem at all for Itunes.
# 2 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Thanks for the advice. I found the 1GB Corsair ram for $98 (two sticks) on Tiger Direct. I guess I'll skip that mighty mouse then. It didn't get the best of reviews over at Apple.ca so I see what you mean.
I didn't know you could do this yourself but I guess I can replace the hard drive as well. I'm sure it has to be a 2.5' drive like the PS3 so it shouldn't be too hard to find a well priced capacity drive. Its as if this computer was built to last since the ram, hd and battery are all user replaceable. Installing a 120 or 160GB drive would be fantastic as it could house all of my iTunes music.
I also have another question. In the first two weeks or so that we had the Macbook I idiotically popped in Warcraft 3 and it played for about 30 seconds and froze with the fan going off. You don't think that caused any ill effects do you? Its never (as well as other games) been used on this Macbook since.
kylo4 at 2007-11-15 17:56:39 >
# 3 Re: Upgrading Macbook
To be honest almost every laptop allows user upgradeable ram and hdd, so don't feel special :p. Just do your research on the hard drive as I'm not sure if your Macbook uses a SATA or PATA/IDE interface (I imagine its SATA).
I don't see why trying to USE your laptop for playing a game would be idiotic, but that kind of symptom would indicate an overheating problem. I doubt you damaged anything, but to me a computer that can't be used to its full extent is "damaged" anyways. I would try again once you have Apple Care, paid for and go to a Genius bar to get your laptop fixed if the problem persists. Warcraft is not a graphically intensive game, and should play well on the Macbook without any issues. The ~$800 PC I built in 2001, as well as the ~$1800 laptop I bought in 2003 played Warcraft with no issues, and there is no reason why your Macbook shouldn't be able to.
# 4 Re: Upgrading Macbook
I'm using a refurb (from Apple) 1'st gen Macbook that has a 60GB HD and 512mb of ram. It is using a SATA drive, I'm just wondering if its 2.5'. Watcraft 3 barely played in the lowest settings but its because of the graphics chip. The Macbook itself runs at a good 2 ghz.
I've been checking out the Corsair ram and am planning to purchase the two 1GB sticks for $97.99 because Corsair has a good rep and thats a great deal. 2GB of ram will really push this machine (its also only an Intel Core Duo, not Core 2). Once the ram is upgraded and a larger hard drive is installed (say 160GB) it will be almost as good as an iMac minus the larger display.
kylo4 at 2007-11-15 17:58:32 >
# 5 Re: Upgrading Macbook
The Intel Graphics are bad, but they aren't that bad. My old laptop with the same GPU as the Macbook ran WoW ok when my roommate borrowed it (and WoW is ages more advanced than WarcraftIII graphically).
# 6 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Just a quick word on the Mighty Mouse:
I'm not going to say "OMG GREATEST MOUSE EVARRRRRR!!!11!!!"
Because it isn't the greatest mouse ever, but for me, it is my favorite mouse, and I much prefer it over any other mouse I've used.
I'm not saying that there aren't better, but it's pretty subjective.
Look around though.
Razer has a really nice Mac mouse that you can't go wrong with.
And of course, M$ always makes good mice.
I just personally prefer the mighty mouse.
# 7 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Given that video memory is shared with onboard memory my guess would be that the low amount of ram on the macbook caused the warcraft issue. So more ram may fix it, or I guess it could have always been a bad install.
# 8 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Given that video memory is shared with onboard memory my guess would be that the low amount of ram on the macbook caused the warcraft issue. So more ram may fix it, or I guess it could have always been a bad install.
Thats possible. I just installed and played Starcraft for the very first time and while there was no lag or slowdown at all (very quick game play actually, except for the opening Blizzard logo skipped a bit but that fixed itself) The fan was going crazy and it was fairly loud although the game's dialogue/audio was louder. As soon as I quit playing and ejected the disc the fan died down. I also have the Macbook propped up a bit with four novels at the edges so it can ventilate properly. Stud is probably right and its just a ram issue since Apple decided to put two 256 mb sticks of ram into the computer. The two 1 GB sticks will really speed up this machine.
kylo4 at 2007-11-15 18:02:35 >
# 9 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Any processor intensive work will cause the Macbook fans to ramp, likely even with more ram. The macbook being thin needs more fan work to cool it because it has no "space" to dissipate heat too. It needs to fan to help facilitate this. The fans ramping up really is a good thing.
# 10 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Any processor intensive work will cause the Macbook fans to ramp, likely even with more ram. The macbook being thin needs more fan work to cool it because it has no "space" to dissipate heat too. It needs to fan to help facilitate this. The fans ramping up really is a good thing.
I took it as something bad because I was used to game consoles where if you hear that fan starting to really blow the game starts to skip etc so I thought it would be the same...that the processor was working too hard but its good to know that its like that because of how thin the Macbook is.
I'm really enjoying this Macbook and after the ram and some upgrades I'll have Leopard running on this machine. My goal is to make upgrades that make it less than the cost of an iMac but equally as effective (and portable).
kylo4 at 2007-11-15 18:04:45 >
# 11 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Replacing the HD in a Windoze notebook is tricky 'coz while on a desktop, one just simply hookup the new drive and go CLONE, typically can't hookup two HD simultaneously on a notebook... maybe on a MB, it's alot ezier, one hopes.
# 12 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Well I'm getting the two 1GB ram sticks from Corsair. It has been ordered. The PC 5400 will work right? It says the ram is designed for Macbooks, iMacs and Macbook Pros.
Edit: I'm thinking its a typo since on newegg its the same product and is 5300 and on Corsair's official site its 5300 with no mention whatsoever of 5400 ram. I guess I'll have to see when it shows up at my door.
I'm also noticing that the display doesn't seem as bright as before, but that could be the glare or something.
kylo4 at 2007-11-15 18:06:40 >
# 13 Re: Upgrading Macbook
Replacing the HD in a Windoze notebook is tricky 'coz while on a desktop, one just simply hookup the new drive and go CLONE, typically can't hookup two HD simultaneously on a notebook... maybe on a MB, it's alot ezier, one hopes.
If the replacement drive is simply bigger and the other drive is still going to be in good working order, they suggest you get a cheap external enclosure. First put the new drive in it, hook it up and clone the drive with mac Superduper! program, Pull out the old drive, remove the new from the enclosure and swap.
