In a nutshell: ABSOLUTELY. The real question is when ? and what do I do with the current 2x2GB I have installed... (FB-SODIMM 1066Mhz DDR3)
I've been monitoring my new laptop for a while with 'Activitity Monitor', and free memory is just between 15-100MB all the time. And I'm just using standard stuff: Spotify in the background, evernote for brain dumps :), a browser (firefox), Socialite (real time web client...). So indeed I need more memory, because I regularly get stuck with the beach ball. But are memory prices going up or down ? Macsales.com says up.
It's a pity, as I just got my MBP a couple of months ago. So let's check prices online at the usual places (1 EUR = 1,3641 USD today):
- Macway.fr in Paris says €399,00 (=$537 at today's forex rate) with a few extra if you reserve or ship. You can always pick it up at their store.
- macsales.com says only $374,99 and $60 rebate if I send in my used RAMs... Hence only $314,99 (= 234€). But those are US prices without shipping to Europe.
If we put the rebate aside (I don't see that working easily for France), it's $374,99+$27 for Fedex Int'l = $404,09 = 296€. That's still a ~25% discount on French prices, and even with a 19,6% VAT tax at customs, that is still 5% cheaper than buying local.
So are there other alternatives ? Let's try to famous brands for memory chips :
- RAMshopping.fr is a site I've used over the years. They offer Kingston RAM for 366,40€ and 6,50€ for shipping = 372,90€ = $508 (6,5% cheaper over Macway without shipping, with a renowned brand)
- interestingly Kingston in France prices a different SKU at 440,00€ and sells indirect through retail channels. If you click through to RAMshopping.fr you do get the above reference and price.
- Crucial.fr offers it at 366,99€ + VAT at 71,93€ = 438,92€ (shipping free).
So bottom line,
- if you're willing to buy in France, and want to try a FedEx shipment (bypassing customs), then MacSales.com wins with 296€
- if you want to buy from France, best option is RAMshopping.fr at 376€, a nice 80€ extra (mainly VAT I suppose, and a little retail gross margin).
