What's different about "Mac Memory"? Will it work in a PC?

I've seen companies advertise "Mac Memory" and I've seen sites say that you should buy Mac Memory for a Mac computer. What's different about this memory? Will Mac memory work just fine in a PC, and vice versa? They're both pin-compatible SO-DIMMs, right?

 

I'm guessing it is marketing. Just like they have people convinced that somehow an x86 based computer is a different type of hardware because it has the Mac logo on it.

 

It is nothing but marketing...you are fine.

 

I stand corrected. They actually engineered in a way to price gouge on memory. It appears that macs are very unforgiving on RAM specs, and if they don't match exactly to what Apple declared from on high as THE RAM FOR THIS MACHINE, the machine won't even POST. Luckiy, it looks like lots of 3rd party memory companies are putting out RAM kits specifically for Mac that are 100% to Apple's specs. Apple is super anal about things like memory timings and other specs for the ram.

So yes, Mac RAM is "special", but no, you don't have to buy it from Apple. And yes, Mac RAM should work in all PCs, from what I gather. Also, it seems it would be safe to buy non-Mac "special" RAM for your MAC, as long as you triple check that the specs match up.

 

If it doesn't work with a machine, its the machine's fault. DDR spec is DDR spec, so that tells me Apple much barely meet the spec in some cases

Especially since Mac now uses Intel chipsets...they don't have that excuse anymore.

Anyway...

 

http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2359

They found a way to be elitist, even when they use the same hardware as everyone else, it seems. That page of that review talks about how the machines won't post without RAM that matches the RAM that came with the system.

 

Ive heard of cases of certain brand/model ram not working on a MBP. I though i saw it on the newegg reviews.

 

Important note: when I say "RAM that matches the RAM that came with the system", I don't mean size, I mean things like timing. You CAN upgrade to larger capacity, just not different functional specs outside of memory capacity. Just wanted to head that one off.

 

It is called JEDEC standards! If they Can't follow that? Why would you deal with engineers who can't even follow standards? I mean, hmm... this is the other PC5300/667Mhz? Mine is Apple! It is 668!

 

OK, thanks. I was mainly concerned with whether the new Corsair 667 MHz x 4 CAS RAM would be PC-compatible. Though with a $45 price premium over the G.Skill regular DDR2 RAM of the same specs it doesn't seem that it would really be worth it anyways, the curiosity was still there.

 

/i think it's a different of size, I remember something about high=profile and low-profile memory, but I don't think they do that anymore.