Apple MacBook Pro 15-Inch 'Core i7' 2.0 Early 2011 Specs
The MacBook Pro 'Core i7' 2.0 15-Inch (Early 2011/Thunderbolt) features a 32 nm 'Sandy Bridge' 2.0 GHz Intel 'Core i7' processor (2635QM), with four independent processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip, a 6 MB shared level 3 cache, 4 GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-10600) installed in pairs (two 2 GB modules), a 500 GB Serial ATA (5400 RPM. The Air 11″ 2011 motherboard looks very different from that photo. There are no pads anywhere near the keyboard connector. The area just above the keyboard connector has a large component and no solder pads. I see that the Macbook Pro 13″ 2011 has pads in a completely different place on the board (at the top).
Identifiers: Early 2011 15' - MC721LL/A - MacBookPro8,2 - A1286 - 2353-1*
All MacBook Pro 15-Inch Models | All 2011 Models | Dynamically Compare This Mac to Others
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The MacBook Pro 'Core i7' 2.0 15-Inch (Early 2011/Thunderbolt) features a 32 nm 'Sandy Bridge' 2.0 GHz Intel 'Core i7' processor (2635QM), with four independent processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip, a 6 MB shared level 3 cache, 4 GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-10600) installed in pairs (two 2 GB modules), a 500 GB Serial ATA (5400 RPM) hard drive, an 8X DL 'SuperDrive', dual graphics processors -- an AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and an Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor that shares 384 MB of memory with the system -- and an integrated FaceTime HD webcam.
The standard configuration of this model has an LED-backlit 15.4' widescreen TFT active-matrix 'glossy' display (1440x900 native resolution), but it also was available via custom configuration with a 'high-resolution glossy' 1680x1050 display and a 'high-resolution antiglare' 1680x1050 display for an additional US$100 and US$150, respectively.
Connectivity includes AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, a Firewire '800' port, two USB 2.0 ports, separate audio in and out ports, an SDXC card slot, and a new 'Thunderbolt' port that is backwards compatible with Mini DisplayPort and, likewise, supports an external display at 2560x1600 and passes an audio signal. Thunderbolt also supports other peripherals that use the Thunderbolt standard which provides up to 10 Gbps of bandwidth in both directions.
This model uses a 'Unibody' aluminum case design -- milled from a single piece of aluminum -- and has a backlit keyboard, a 'no button' glass 'inertial' multi-touch trackpad, and a non-swappable battery design that provides an Apple estimated 7 hours of battery life.
Compared to its predecessor, this model has a very similar external enclosure, apart from a higher-resolution webcam and the aforementioned Thunderbolt port. Internally, however, it has a significantly faster architecture, faster RAM, and improved graphics.
Also see:
- What are the differences between the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models?
- What are the differences between the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models and the 'Mid-2010' MacBook Pro models that they replaced?
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- Tech Specs
- Ports
- Global Original Prices
- Popular Q&As
Click on a category for related details. The most commonly needed info is 'open' by default, but all info is important. Asterisks (*) reference data in details fields.
| Introduction Date: | February 24, 2011 | Discontinued Date: | October 24, 2011 |
| Details: | The 'Introduction Date' refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The 'Discontinued Date' refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended. Also see: All Macs introduced in 2011. |
| Details: | Also see: All models with a 64-Bit processor courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Sort. |
| Details: | Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit and 64-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 2 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 32-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 32-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 64-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 64-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 64-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 4 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 4 benchmarks are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 4 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 4 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 5 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 5 benchmarks for the Mac are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 5 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 5 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Processor Speed: | 2.0 GHz | Processor Type: | Core i7 (I7-2635QM) |
| Details: | This model is powered by a 'Quad-Core' 32 nm, 64-bit Intel Mobile Core i7 'Sandy Bridge' (I7-2635QM) processor which includes four independent processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip. Each core has a dedicated 256k level 2 cache, shares 6 MB of level 3 cache, and has an integrated memory controller (dual channel). This system also supports 'Turbo Boost 2.0' -- which 'automatically increases the speed of the active cores' to improve performance when needed (up to 2.9 GHz for this model) -- and 'Hyper Threading' -- which allows the system to recognize eight total 'cores' or 'threads' (four real and four virtual). Also see: How fast are the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models compared to one another? How fast are they compared to the models each replaced? |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Also see: Can you upgrade the processor in the 'Unibody' MacBook Pro? |
| System Bus Speed: | 5 GT/s* | Cache Bus Speed: | 2.0 GHz (Built-in) |
| Details: | *This system has a 'Direct Media Interface' (DMI) that 'connects between the processor and chipset' in lieu of a traditional system bus. Intel reports that it runs at 5 GT/s. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Each core has its own dedicated 256k level 2 cache and the system has 6 MB of shared level 3 cache. |
| Details: | Supports 1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM. Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models? How much RAM of what type do they support? |
| Details: | 4 GB of RAM is installed as two 2 GB modules, no slots free. *Apple officially supports a maximum of 8 GB of RAM, but as first confirmed by site sponsor OWC, this model actually is capable of using up to 16 GB of RAM with two 8 GB memory modules. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this MacBook Pro. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In Germany, site sponsor CompuRAM sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | *This system has dual graphics processors -- an AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics processor with 256 MB of dedicated GDDR5 SDRAM and Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory. The system automatically switches between graphics systems based on use (when applications use OpenGL, Core Graphics or other graphically demanding technologies, the system will use the dedicated graphics card, otherwise it will use Intel HD Graphics to conserve battery life). Also see: What type of video processor is provided by the 'Unibody' MacBook Pro models? Is it upgradable? Which models have 'dedicated' and 'integrated' video memory? |
| Details: | The AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics processor has 256 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory. On the other hand, the Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor shares system memory. Apple reports that when using Intel HD Graphics, the 'memory available to Mac OS X may vary depending on graphics needs. Minimum graphics memory usage is 384 MB'. If the system is upgraded to 8 GB of RAM (or more), the amount of system memory used by the Intel HD Graphics 3000 is 512 MB. |
Macbook Pro 2011 Update To Big Sur
| Built-in Display: | 15.4' Widescreen | Native Resolution: | 1440x900 |
| Details: | By default, this model has a 15.4' color widescreen LED-backlit TFT active-matrix 'glossy' display with a 1440 by 900 native resolution. However, it also was available via custom configuration with a 'high-resolution glossy' 1680x1050 display and a 'high-resolution antiglare' 1680x1050 display for an additional US$100 and US$150, respectively. In addition to the native resolution, Apple reports that this system also supports '1280 by 800, 1152 by 720, 1024 by 640, and 800 by 500 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio stretched; 720 by 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio; 720 by 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio stretched.' In the UK, site sponsor ALB Repair offers component-level logic board repair, display repair, and other repair services for this MacBook Pro. No fix, no fee! In Germany, site sponsor Conodi provides high quality Mac and PC repair services as well as remote home office setup and troubleshooting. In-person and mail order repair services include the display, motherboard, water damage and more for this MacBook Pro. In Spain, site sponsor iRepairs provides affordable repair and data recovery services. In-person and by mail repair services include the display, battery, keyboard, motherboard, and more for this MacBook Pro. In Singapore, site sponsor Esmond Service Centre provides highly regarded repairs for the display, motherboard, battery, water damage issues, and more, all with a free estimate and fast turnaround for this MacBook Pro. |
| 2nd Display Support: | Dual/Mirroring | 2nd Max. Resolution: | 2560x1600 |
| Details: | The maximum resolution supported on an external display is 2560x1600. Also see: Are there any adapters or 'hacks' that make it possible to connect a second external display to a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air model? |
| Standard Storage: | 500 GB HDD | Std. Storage Speed: | 5400 RPM |
| Details: | By custom configuration, this model could be equipped with a 500 GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA hard drive or a 750 GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA hard drive for an additional US$100 or US$150, respectively. It also could be configured with a 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB SSD for an additional US$200, US$600, or US$1200, respectively. Also see: How do you upgrade the hard drive in the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models? What type of hard drive do these models support? Can one replace the hard drive with an SSD? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells SSDs and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro. In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Pro. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Storage Dimensions: | 2.5' (9.5 mm) | Storage Interface: | Serial ATA (6 Gb/s) |
| Details: | This model supports a single SATA III (6 Gb/s) 2.5' hard drive or SSD that is up to 9.5 mm thick. |
| Standard Optical: | 8X DL 'SuperDrive' | Standard Disk: | None |
| Details: | Apple reports that this slot-loading 'SuperDrive' (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) has a maxium write speed of '8x DVD-R, DVD+R; 4x DVD-R DL (double layer), DVD+R DL (double layer), DVD-RW, DVD+RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW' and a maximum read speed of '8x DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-ROM; 6x DVD-ROM (double layer DVD-9), DVD-R DL (double layer), DVD+R DL (double layer), DVD-RW, and DVD+RW; 24x CD'. Site sponsor Other World Computing offers a 'Data Doubler' mounting kit that may be of interest. It makes it simple to install a second hard drive or SSD in the optical drive bay of this MacBook Pro. |
| Standard Modem: | None | Standard Ethernet: | 10/100/1000Base-T |
| Standard AirPort: | 802.11a/b/g/n (450 Mbit*) | Standard Bluetooth: | 2.1+EDR |
| Details: | AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard. *This model unofficially supports 450 Mbit/sec 802.11n Wi-Fi using MIMO. Also see: What is 802.11n? How is it different from 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a? |
| Details: | Two 480-Mbps USB 2.0 ports, one 800-Mbps Firewire '800' port. |
| Details: | This model has an SDXC card slot. No expansion bays are provided. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells a wide variety of external expansion options and accessories, including docks, adapters, cables, input devices, cases, and more for this MacBook Pro. In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit offers an extensive selection of external expansion options and accessories like docks, stands, chargers, cases, security products, and more for this MacBook Pro. Also see: Are SD Card slot storage expansion options available for the 'Unibody' MacBook Pro models? Which are compatible? Is this type of storage a good idea for these models? |
| Incl. Keyboard: | Full-size | Incl. Input: | Trackpad (Inertial) |
| Details: | Apple reports that the backlit integrated keyboard has '78 (US) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted 'T' arrangement).' The glass multi-touch trackpad supports 'inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities'. |
| Case Type: | Notebook | Form Factor: | MacBook Pro (Unibody) |
| Details: | By default, this MacBook Pro uses a black and silver 'unibody' case design milled from a single piece of aluminum with a 'catchless' magnetic latch. However, if configured with an 'anti-glare' (matte) display, it has a silver border framing the display rather than a black border. |
| Apple Order No: | MC721LL/A | Apple Subfamily: | Early 2011 15' |
| Details: | The Apple order number should be unique to this system. |
| Apple Model No: | A1286 (EMC 2353-1*) | Model ID: | MacBookPro8,2 |
| Details: | *Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model. In this case, please also note that the EMC number is not externally listed on the notebook so it cannot be used readily for identification. Also see: All Macs with the A1286 Model Number, the 2353-1* EMC Number, and the MacBookPro8,2 Model Identifier. For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Details: | Apple reports that this model has a '77.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery' that provides 'up to 7 hours of wireless web' use. Also see: What is the 'real-world' battery life of the 'Early 2011' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models? How does the battery life of each compare to the model each replaced? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells quality batteries for this MacBook Pro. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx is a local distributor of OWC batteries for this MacBook Pro. In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit is a local distributor of OWC batteries for this MacBook Pro. |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: | X 10.6.6 (10J3210) | Maximum MacOS: | X 10.13.x* |
| Details: | *This system fully supports the last version of OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion' as well as OS X 10.9 'Mavericks' with the exception of the 'Power Nap' feature. It also supports the last version of OS X 10.10 'Yosemite' and OS X 10.11 'El Capitan' -- including Mac-to-Mac AirDrop and AirPlay Mirroring capability -- but other advanced features are not supported. It is capable of running macOS Sierra (10.12) as well, although it does not support the Universal Clipboard, Auto Unlock, or Apple Pay features. Finally, this model is capable of running macOS High Sierra (10.13), and it supports HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), but it does not support hardware accelerated HEVC. It is not compatible with macOS Mojave (10.14) or later versions of the operating system. Additionally, please note that OS X 'Lion' 10.7 and subsequent versions of OS X are not capable of running Mac OS X apps originally written for the PowerPC processor as these operating systems do not support the 'Rosetta' environment. To run PowerPC applications on this Mac, it will be necessary to use Mac OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard'. Also see: Which Macs are compatible with macOS High Sierra (10.13)? What are the system requirements? Which Macs support HEVC? |
| Minimum Windows: | 7 (32-Bit)* | Maximum Windows: | 8.1 (64-Bit)* |
| Details: | *Apple's Boot Camp 4 supports the 32-bit of Windows 7 on this model. Boot Camp 5 supports the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8. Earlier versions of Windows are not supported. Although Apple does not support Windows 10 via Boot Camp 5 (officially or otherwise), this system meets Microsoft's hardware requirements and it very well may be possible to boot Windows 10 on this Mac. If you have installed Windows 10 on this system (successfully or unsuccessfully), please share the results of your experiment. Thank you. |
| MacOS 9 Support: | None | Windows Support: | Boot/Virtualization |
| Details: | Also see: Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs? Site sponsor OHS specializes in heavily upgraded Macs capable of running both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 applications. For more on running Windows on Intel Macs, please refer to the exhaustive Windows on Mac Q&A. |
| Dimensions: | 0.95 x 14.35 x 9.82 | Avg. Weight: | 5.6 lbs (2.54 kg) |
| Details: | In inches while closed - height by width by depth, (2.41 cm, 36.4 cm, 24.9 cm). |
| Original Price (US): | US$1799 | Est. Current Retail: | US$300-US$450 |
| Details: | Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated). Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. |
Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is 'open' by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.
| Video (Monitor): | 1 (Thunderbolt) | Floppy (Ext.): | None |
| Details: | This model is equipped with a Thunderbolt port in place of a Mini DisplayPort. It is backwards-compatible with Mini DisplayPort-equipped displays as well as adapters that are compatible with Mini DisplayPort (DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI and HDMI). It also can support other peripherals that use the Thunderbolt standard, which provides a maximum theoretical 10 Gbps of bandwidth in both directions. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Two 480-Mbps USB 2.0 ports, one 800-Mbps Firewire '800' port. |
| Details: | No internal modem. Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme (802.11g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR standard. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Internal omnidirectional microphone. Independent audio line in minijack (digital/analog) and audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog). |
| Details: | Has an independent audio line in minijack (digital/analog) and audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog). |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | 100V-240V AC, 85W 'MagSafe' power adapter. Also see: What is the 'Magsafe' power connector? How does it work? How was it designed to not cause data loss? |
Global original prices for the MacBook Pro 15-Inch 'Core i7' 2.0 Early 2011 in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.
For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.
Original Prices - North & South America
| Mexico: | MXN $26,999 | United States: | US$1799 |
Original Prices - Europe
| Denmark: | DKK 13,799 | Finland: | ¤1799 |
| Ireland: | ¤1799 | Italy: | ¤1749 |
| Norway: | NOK 14.990 | Portugal: | ¤1799 |
| Switzerland: | CHF 2'099 | United Kingdom: | £1549 |
Original Prices - Asia
| India: | Rs 104,900 | Indonesia: | Rp 17,999,000 |
| Malaysia: | RM 5,499 | The Philippines: | PHP 91,990 |
| Thailand: | THB 59,900 | Vietnam: | VND 43,999,000 |
Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand
Macbook Pro 2011 Update Ram
If you have additional original prices for this model, please get in touch. Thank you.
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the MacBook Pro 15-Inch models follow.
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Unibody MacBook Pro Q&A
Update Published May 10, 2016
All Mac Q&As >>Unibody MacBook Pro Q&A | Also See: All MacBook Pro Specs
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How do you upgrade the RAM in the 'Mid-2009' through 'Mid-2012' MacBook Pro models? What type of RAM do they use? How much RAM does each model actually support?
Please note that this Q&A is up-to-date and covers pre-Retina 'Unibody' MacBook Pro models. EveryMac.com also provides details about RAM options for the subsequently introduced Retina Display MacBook Pro line.
The RAM upgrade procedure for the 'Mid-2009,' 'Mid-2010,' 'Early 2011,' 'Late 2011' and non-Retina Display 'Mid-2012' MacBook Pro models is fairly easy. It's not quite as easy as it is for earlier 'pre-Unibody' MacBook Pro systems, as these later models require a screwdriver, but it still is simple and straightforward.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. ('Unibody' MacBook Pro Models)
Identification Help
If you're not sure which MacBook Pro you have, these models can be identified by the Model Identifier 'closely enough' to an exact match for the purpose of upgrading the RAM. In turn, each model can be uniquely identified via model identifier and one or more secondary identifiers (like processor speed and/or processor type).
EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature -- as well as the EveryMac app -- also can uniquely identify these models by the Serial Number, which is listed on the bottom of the notebook in small type toward the hinge, as well as within the operating system alongside the model identifier. More details about specific identifiers are provided in EveryMac.com's extensive Mac Identification section.
To locate the model identifier in software, select 'About This Mac' under the Apple Menu on your computer and click the 'More Info...' button. If the MacBook Pro is running OS X 10.7 'Lion' or later, you will need to click the 'System Report' button after clicking 'More Info...' as well. EveryMac.com has carefully hand documented each model identifier for your convenience.
The model identifiers for each of these models follow:
Macbook Pro 2011 Update Firmware
MacBook Pro | Subfamily | Model Identifier |
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Mid-2010 | ||
Mid-2010 | ||
Mid-2010 | ||
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Mid-2010 | ||
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Mid-2010 | ||
Early 2011 | ||
Early 2011 | ||
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Early 2011 | ||
Late 2011 | ||
Late 2011 | ||
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Late 2011 | ||
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Mid-2012 | ||
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Mid-2012 |
RAM Types & Actual Maximum RAM Capacities
All of these systems have two memory slots that are accessible by removing the bottom case, but the type of RAM as well as the actual maximum capacity varies for different models. Apple formally recommends that you 'fill both memory slots and install an identical memory module in each slot' for all of these systems.
The 'Mid-2009' and 'Mid-2010' MacBook Pro models support 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs and officially and unofficially support a maximum of 8 GB of RAM with one odd exception.
Specifically, as discovered by OWC, the 13-Inch 'Mid-2010' MacBook Pro models (and only the 13-Inch models) -- the MacBook Pro 'Core 2 Duo' 2.4 13' Mid-2010 and 'Core 2 Duo' 2.66 13' Mid-2010 identified by MacBookPro7,1 -- can support up to 16 GB of RAM with dual 8 GB memory modules if they are running OS X 10.7.5 or higher, have been updated to use the latest EFI, and are equipped with proper specification memory modules. If running a version of Mac OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard,' these models only can use 8 GB of RAM.
The 'Early 2011' and 'Late 2011' MacBook Pro models use faster 1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SO-DIMMs. They officially support 8 GB of RAM, but OWC has determined that they actually support 16 GB of RAM regardless of the operating system installed, although only the 'Early 2011' MacBook Pro models are capable of running a version of Mac OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard.'
Finally, the 'Mid-2012' non-Retina Display MacBook Pro models use faster still 1600 MHz PC3-12800 DDR3 SO-DIMMs and likewise officially support 8 GB of RAM, but actually can support as much as 16 GB of RAM. These models do not run versions of OS X prior to OS X 10.7 'Lion.'
Much like the identification help, these details are easiest to visualize as a chart:
MacBook Pro | Model Identifier | SO-DIMM | Max |
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 16 GB† | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 16 GB† | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1066 PC3-8500 | 8 GB | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1333 PC3-10600 | 16 GB* | ||
1600 PC3-12800 | 16 GB* | ||
1600 PC3-12800 | 16 GB* | ||
1600 PC3-12800 | 16 GB* | ||
1600 PC3-12800 | 16 GB* | ||
1600 PC3-12800 | 16 GB* |
† Officially, these two models support 8 GB of RAM, but they actually can support 16 GB of RAM. However, this is if and only if they are running OS X 10.7.5 or higher, have been updated to use the latest EFI, and are equipped with proper specification memory modules.
* Officially, these models all support 8 GB of RAM, but they actually support 16 GB when running any compatible version of (Mac) OS X.
RAM Upgrade Instructions
Apple explains how to install memory starting on page 35 of the 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch 'Mid-2009', 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch 'Mid-2010,' and 13-Inch, 15-Inch and 17-Inch 'Early 2011' MacBook Pro User Guides, respectively, and this provides most of what you need to know to upgrade the pre-installed memory.
The 'Late 2011' MacBook Pro models are so similar to the 'Early 2011' models that Apple didn't bother to release an updated instruction manual. For the 'Mid-2012' MacBook Pro line, Apple's 'Quickstart' Guide does not cover RAM installation, but the procedure is the same as earlier models.
However, perhaps even better than drawings, OWC provides convenient step-by-step videos of the process for the 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch models alike.
13' MacBook Pro RAM Upgrade Video
Mid-2009, Mid-2010, Early 2011, Late 2011 & Non-Retina Mid-2012
15' MacBook Pro RAM Upgrade Video
Mid-2009, Mid-2010, Early 2011, Late 2011 & Non-Retina Mid-2012
17' MacBook Pro RAM Upgrade Video
Mid-2009, Mid-2010, Early 2011 & Late 2011
After watching these videos, it should be clear that upgrading the RAM is easy. However, if you do not feel comfortable -- or have the time -- to perform the upgrade yourself, hiring a professional always is a good option.
MacBook Pro RAM Purchase Options
Just because RAM meets the minimum listed criteria does not mean that it will necessarily function as intended in a particular Mac. Be sure to buy from a quality vendor that has tested their RAM with your Mac to ensure full compatibility.
In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory as well as storage for all MacBook Pro models for do-it-yourself upgrades.
In the UK and Ireland, site sponsor Flexx sells MacBook Pro compatible memory with free shipping. The company provides flat rate shipping to France, Germany, and Switzerland and inexpensive shipping for all of Europe, too.
In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells memory for all MacBook Pro models with guaranteed compatibility, fast shipping, and no customs.
In Germany, site sponsor CompuRAM sells quality memory for all MacBook Pro models with affordable delivery country-wide and in person pick up and professional installation service available in Munich.
In Australia, site sponsors Macfixit and Upgradeable sell MacBook Pro compatible memory with fast shipping, a money-back guarantee and more.
In New Zealand, site sponsor Upgradeable New Zealand sells MacBook Pro memory with fast delivery to all corners of the country, precise compatibility, a lifetime warranty, and a money-back guarantee.
Also see:
- How do you upgrade the hard drive in the 'Mid-2009' through 'Mid-2012' 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models? What type of hard drive do these models support? How do you replace the hard drive with an SSD?
- How do you replace the optical drive in the 'Unibody' MacBook Pro models with a hard drive or SSD? Is it possible?
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