***Official Apple Macbook Upgrade Central***

[Mr.Mischief]

I just thought I'd compile a list of the upgrades that can be done to a Macbook.

One fact that is relevant to all Macbook's: You can NOT upgrade the CPU/Processor, it is soldered in.

The Intel Core Duo Macbooks can be upgraded to OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. All the other Intel Core Macbooks can run up to OS X 10.7 Lion.

If you have a question about if a certain upgrade is possible, please post.


Macbook 13


Macbook 1,1:

Max Memory: 2GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbook 2,1:

Max Memory: 4GB. Type: DDR2 PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbook 3,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbook 4,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type PC5300 667MHz

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbook 5,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz(Don't use 1333MHz memory, it wouldn't boot in mine)

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbook 5,2:

Max Memory 6GB. Type: PC6400 800MHz

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbook 6,1:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type PC8500 1066MHz(Don't use 1333MHz memory, it wouldn't boot in mine)

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbook 7.1:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz(Don't use 1333MHz memory, it wouldn't boot in mine)

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0


Macbook Pro 13/15/17


Macbookpro1,1:

Max Memory: 2GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro1,2:

Max Memory: 2GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro2,1:

Max Memory: 4GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro2,2:

Max Memory: 4GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro3,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro4,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type: PC5300 667MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 1.5(If you put a SATA 3 HDD in it will run at SATA 1.5 speed)

Macbookpro5,1:

Max Memory: 6GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro5,2:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro5,3:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro5,4:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro5,5:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro6,1:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro6,2:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

Macbookpro7,1:

Max Memory: 8GB. Type: PC8500 1066MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 3.0

MacBookPro8,1

Max Memory: 16GB. Type: PC10600 1333MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 6.0

MacBookPro8,2

Max Memory: 16GB. Type: PC10600 1333MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 6.0

MacBookPro8,3

Max Memory: 16GB. Type: PC10600 1333MHz.

Hard Drive: 2.5" SATA 6.0


Macbook Air 11"/13"

You can NOT upgrade the memory in any of the Air's. It is soldered onto the logic board.

MacbookAir1,1:

Max Memory: 2GB Type: 667MHz.(Not user upgradable)

Hard Drive: 1.8" PATA.

MacbookAir2,1

Max Memory: 2GB Type: 1066MHz.(Not user upgradable)

Hard Drive: 1.8" SATA(Some Air's use a 1.8" SSD)

MacbookAir3,1:

Max Memory 2GB/4GB Type: 1066MHz.(Not user upgradable)

SSD: 1.8" Mini SATA.

MacbookAir3,2:

Max Memory 2GB/4GB Type: 1066MHz.(Not user upgradable)

SSD: 1.8" Mini SATA.

MacBookAir4,1

Max Memory 2GB/4GB Type: 1333MHz.(Not user upgradable)

SSD: 1.8" Mini SATA.

MacBookAir4,2

Max Memory 2GB/4GB Type: 1333MHz.(Not user upgradable)

SSD: 1.8" Mini SATA.


Hard Drive Upgrades:

You can put just about any 2.5" hard drive in your Macbook(excluding Air's). Except for the 12.5mm drives, as they sometimes are too tall. If you put a 7200rpm hard drive in, it may vibrate a bit more than the stock Apple 5400rpm drive. If you want an SSD, I think the best ones are with Sandforce controllers, because they have built in TRIM, no software needed. Drives such as the OCZ Vertex 2, or the Mercury Extreme, have the SandForce controllers.

For Macbook Air's its just about the same thing, just 1.8" hard drives(or SSD's). The new Late 2010 Air's cannot have their hard drives replaced.

Optibay:

It is possible replace the DVD drive in your Macbook with a hard drive. You need a hard drive caddy shaped like an optical drive. You can buy optibay's here: http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/index.html, or on other sites.

Wireless Card:

For the Unibody Macbook's, its almost impossible to replace the wireless card, as it is located behind the screen. For older white Macbooks, the Wireless card is located under the keyboard, so it is quite easy to replace.

MacBook Pros with ExpressCard slots

Originally Posted by mmoy

MacBook Pros with ExpressCard slots can use the FileMate Ultra SSD cards for booting Mac OS X. The Ultras come in 48 GB (which is what I currently use) and 96 GB. I noticed that the prices dropped recently on these. I do not know if you can install Windows via BootCamp on these but it's not an issue for me. I saw a huge performance improvement on startup and application launch times, similar to what those with conventional 2.5 inch SSDs have reported.

So I guess you could have a three-drive setup with OptiBay and ExpressCard.

The advantage of an ExpressCard solution is that you can have a small SSD for the OS and Applications and use the HDD for user data. This keeps the costs down for the SSD. Another benefit of an ExpressCard solution is that you can take a bootable ExpressCard from one MBP and use it on another MBP for booting.

There are other companies besides FileMate that makes these things but the FileMate is the only one that I know of that boots Mac OS X.

[ajreynol]

Perhaps we should add dual-hard drive setups to the "upgrades" list?

after all, I took out my SuperDrive and replaced it with an SSD. I'd never, ever go back. it isn't the most obvious of upgrades, but it's definitely an upgrade.

[Mr.Mischief]

Originally Posted by ajreynol

Perhaps we should add dual-hard drive setups to the "upgrades" list?

after all, I took out my SuperDrive and replaced it with an SSD. I'd never, ever go back. it isn't the most obvious of upgrades, but it's definitely an upgrade.

I kinda touched on the subject with optibay. But, if you want, you can write up something about dual HDD's, and I'll ad it to the thread. I don't know much about dual HDD's

[doh123]

why list the macbook Air's as Max memory 2GB when they actually can run 4gb, though its not upgradable... saying 2GB max sounds wrong when people will see and hear about other people that have 4GB.

[Mr.Mischief]

Originally Posted by doh123

why list the macbook Air's as Max memory 2GB when they actually can run 4gb, though its not upgradable... saying 2GB max sounds wrong when people will see and hear about other people that have 4GB.

Fixed! But, only the latest 2 can have 4GB.

Apple MacBook Air Specs (All MacBook Air Technical Specs) @ EveryMac.com

[doh123]

Originally Posted by tHE j0KER

Fixed! But, only the latest 2 can have 4GB.

Apple MacBook Air Specs (All MacBook Air Technical Specs) @ EveryMac.com

since some people people might not understand what "soldered" means... you may put like "2GB/4GB, not user upgradable" or something similar.

[Mr.Mischief]

Originally Posted by doh123

since some people people might not understand what "soldered" means... you may put like "2GB/4GB, not user upgradable" or something similar.

Ok, I added that too

[junknstuff]

i found this to be helpful when needing to identify what model mac device you have

it's the "Ultimate Mac Lookup"
Lookup Mac Specs By Serial Number, Order, Model & EMC Number, Model ID @ EveryMac.com

using that along with the info from Macrumors would put you in the right direction:
6GB in MacBook (Pro); Yes it works. - 8GB... well... - MacRumors Forums

hope this helps others!

[ronnieb]

GPU's are not user replaceable/upgradeable don't forget that one :P

[mmoy]

MacBook Pros with ExpressCard slots can use the FileMate Ultra SSD cards for booting Mac OS X. The Ultras come in 48 GB (which is what I currently use) and 96 GB. I noticed that the prices dropped recently on these. I do not know if you can install Windows via BootCamp on these but it's not an issue for me. I saw a huge performance improvement on startup and application launch times, similar to what those with conventional 2.5 inch SSDs have reported.

So I guess you could have a three-drive setup with OptiBay and ExpressCard.

The advantage of an ExpressCard solution is that you can have a small SSD for the OS and Applications and use the HDD for user data. This keeps the costs down for the SSD. Another benefit of an ExpressCard solution is that you can take a bootable ExpressCard from one MBP and use it on another MBP for booting.

There are other companies besides FileMate that makes these things but the FileMate is the only one that I know of that boots Mac OS X.