Or do I have to buy RAM that only has 1333MHz? In other words, if I buy 8gb RAM at 1600MHz, will it work at 1600 or only work at 1333MHz? Is 1600+ compatable with my early 2011 13" MBP?
Thanks
MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.4)
Call OWC (www.macsales.com) at "Phone: 800.275.4576 | International: 815.338.8685" - they're selling both 8 and 16GB kits for the new MBPs and will likely be able to answer your question.
Clinton
Download and run the Crucial System Scanner on your MBP. It will tell you what memory is compatible.
The faster memory may or may not work but it will only run at the speed of your MBP's bus.
Mac's are very picky about RAM, & you should only use RAM spec'd for your computer. The use of RAM not spec'd for your computer could result in a machine that fails to boot or run properly. If your computer runs at all, you will get no benefit of faster RAM, as your computer will default to the speed originally spec'd for your computer.
It may, but you're asking for trouble; get 1333mhz RAM. It used to be that faster RAM could be used in slower machines and it would just run at the slower speed. That is not the case any longer.
Faster RAM never works faster. If it could have run faster, they would have shipped it with faster to begin with. The RAM itself is never the limitation.
Will after run at all? Maybe yes, maybe no.
clearly you don't know all cases. lots of 2011 macbook pro 15" (because of the i7 architecture) have been upgraded to 1600 mhz memory. I did for both of the ones I've owned. and the system shows them recognized at 1600. I have had no problems.
I certainly don't know all cases. But I do know a lot about Macs and RAM. I stand by my statement that if the Mac could run without issue at faster speeds, they would have shipped it that way. There are no hidden capabilities to run faster than specified built into any Mac shipped to date.
My general advice is "don't pay extra for faster RAM -- your Mac will not be able too use the extra speed".
Some of the readouts you get on your Mac are reporting only what the RAMs self-report as their ROM-specified TOP speed. It takes a lot more work to determine if they are actually running at the speed they self-report. You may be fooling yourself into thinking they are faster.
Some RAMs can do proper gear-shifting to run at slower than their specified speeds. There are too many reports from folks who installed RAM with a faster nominal speed, only to find their Mac became flaky because the particular RAMs they installed could not downshift properly and run at the Mac's Bus speed.
Will my early 2011 13" MBP accept RAM with faster speeds than 1333MHz?
