{"id":44610,"date":"2018-05-16T09:56:40","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T14:56:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=44610"},"modified":"2018-05-16T10:01:27","modified_gmt":"2018-05-16T15:01:27","slug":"mac-101-how-to-upgrade-a-computer-with-soldered-components","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/44610-mac-101-how-to-upgrade-a-computer-with-soldered-components\/","title":{"rendered":"Mac 101: How to Upgrade a Computer with Soldered Components"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
(Neither the SSD nor memory is upgradable in the 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, pictured above.)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On January 15, 2008, Apple took a major step with its laptop line. The first edition of the ultra-thin MacBook Air was announced that day, and it featured <\/span>memory<\/span><\/a> that was soldered into the board, eliminating users\u2019 ability to perform DIY RAM upgrades. Previous generation Apple laptops had contained user-upgradable memory, but the new MacBook Air locked owners into the amount of RAM that was installed at the factory.<\/span><\/p>\n

The trend toward soldering expanded beyond memory in 2015 when Apple attached the solid-state drive directly into the board of its newly refreshed MacBook line and again in 2016 with certain MacBook Pro models. As with the memory, the <\/span>SSD<\/span><\/a> would not be user-upgradable.<\/span><\/p>\n

The choice to solder crucial components that were previously replaceable has brought criticism from the DIY repair community and left many Mac owners frustrated by their lack of options to add performance or replace failed parts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"However, there are options for owners of these non-upgradable Mac models to get more from their computers while extending their lifespan and reducing e-waste. While it is still impossible to upgrade memory externally, there are many ultra-fast <\/span>external storage solutions<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>docks that add ports<\/span><\/a>, or even <\/span>external GPU<\/span><\/a> solutions for Macs with non-upgradable components.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can you find out which DIY or external upgrades are compatible with your particular Mac model? The easiest way is to use OWC\u2019s proprietary <\/span>My Upgrades tool<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

OWC created the My Upgrades process to help users quickly and painlessly find the right upgrades for their specific Macs. With My Upgrades, users will see only the hardware and software results that are compatible with their machine, and they\u2019ll instantly be able to find and order whichever upgrades and solutions they need. In fact, if there is an upgrade available, it\u2019s a good bet that OWC has it. You can also upgrade your specs with a full swap with OWC\u2019s selection of <\/span>new, used and factory refurbished Macs<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

For step-by-step instruction on how to use OWC\u2019s My Upgrades tool and add performance and capabilities to your Mac with soldered components, please read this recent Rocket Yard article: <\/span>eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/40000-see-all-upgrades-compatible-with-your-mac-with-my-upgrades-tool<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

When buying a Mac with non-upgradeable memory or SSDs, we always recommend buying as much memory as you can afford. We also recommend that you carefully calculate the right amount of SSD storage you need in order to avoid overbuying, as factory SSD storage can still be costly. In general, the sweet spot for working storage for many users is 500GB to 1TB.<\/span><\/p>\n

Need to know if your Mac has soldered components? Contact OWC customer service<\/a> for assistance!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On January 15, 2008, Apple took a major step with its laptop line. The first edition of the ultra-thin MacBook Air was announced that day, and it featured memory that was soldered into the board, eliminating users\u2019 ability to perform DIY RAM upgrades. Previous generation Apple laptops had contained user-upgradable memory, but the new MacBook […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":44591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"class_list":["post-44610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-powered-by-owc"],"yoast_head":"\nMac 101: How to Upgrade a Computer with Soldered Components<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The choice to solder crucial components that were previously replaceable has brought criticism from the DIY repair community and left Mac owners frustrated.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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