Upgrading Your Mac mini's RAM

Let's say you're buying a Mac mini and would like to bump the RAM up to 1GB, so you select the option and Apple wants $425US for the RAM. Holy Hell!

The tech specs say that the Mac mini takes a single PC2700 (333MHz) DDR SDRAM module, and dealram prices the same RAM at $155 to $200US across a wide spread of vendors. Plus, you get to keep or eBay the 256MB stick that the mini comes with! (Worth about $30US)

So, how do you save more than $250 and upgrade the RAM yourself? The hardest part is opening the Mac mini's case. Luckily, what appears to be an Apple training video has surfaced which shows you how to do just that. I found it on smash's world and I have it mirrored here.

The video says to use a putty knife with a beveled edge to pry the case open, but a quality precision screwdriver might work just as well or better. I'll know for sure when I get a mini of my own and can give it a try.

Once you get the computer open, the RAM is probably easily accessible based on this picture of the Mac mini's mainboard. Although you can't really see much of it, at the end of the video the RAM is on the right side of the computer. It doesn't seem to be obstructed by anything so it should just pop out using the levers at each end of the RAM slot. Pop in your new 1GB module and snap the computer back together.

All said and done, it should be pretty easy but don't blame me if you destroy your computer trying to do this.

2004-01-18 20:52 C&T