Skip to main content
Help

Current version by: gabisfromme

Title:

Ram Upgrade: can I use DDR3L instead of DDR3?

Text:

Last year I upgraded my macbook ram from 8gb to 16gb. (It's a Macbook Pro 13'' mid 2012 - model A1278)

It originally came with 2x4gb DDR3, and I replaced with 2x8gb DDR3L, as advised by a friend and after checking several online foruns.

About 6 months later the macbook died and I had to get the logic board replaced.

The thing is: "the guy" at the repair shop said the ram was probably the cause, because using a low-voltage ram on the system originally designed to use DDR3 ram caused the system to have "extra energy running around" and it fried the logic board.

I checked around online in all kinds of foruns and didn't find anyone talking about it. Lots of posts says it's fine to replace DDR3 with DDR3L. My friend still uses his macbook and nothing happened.

Has anyone heard about this?

The macbook is currently using its original DDR3 ram, but I still have the 2xDDR3L with me and I don't know if I should replace it again.

Device:

MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012

Status:

open

Accepted Answer:

+373096

Edit by: Dan

Title:

Ram Upgrade: can I use DDR3L instead of DDR3?

Text:

Last year I upgraded my macbook ram from 8gb to 16gb. (It's a Macbook Pro 13'' mid 2012 - model A1278)

It originally came with 2x4gb DDR3, and I replaced with 2x8gb DDR3L, as advised by a friend and after checking several online foruns.

About 6 months later the macbook died and I had to get the logic board replaced.

The thing is: "the guy" at the repair shop said the ram was probably the cause, because using a low-voltage ram on the system originally designed to use DDR3 ram caused the system to have "extra energy running around" and it fried the logic board.

I checked around online in all kinds of foruns and didn't find anyone talking about it. Lots of posts says it's fine to replace DDR3 with DDR3L. My friend still uses his macbook and nothing happened.

Has anyone heard about this?

The macbook is currently using its original DDR3 ram, but I still have the 2xDDR3L with me and I don't know if I should replace it again.

Device:

-MacBook Pro 13'' Unibody Mid 2012
+MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012

Status:

open

Original post by: gabisfromme

Title:

Ram Upgrade: can I use DDR3L instead of DDR3?

Text:

Last year I upgraded my macbook ram from 8gb to 16gb. (It's a Macbook Pro 13'' mid 2012 - model A1278)

It originally came with 2x4gb DDR3, and I replaced with 2x8gb DDR3L, as advised by a friend and after checking several online foruns.

About 6 months later the macbook died and I had to get the logic board replaced.

The thing is: "the guy" at the repair shop said the ram was probably the cause, because using a low-voltage ram on the system originally designed to use DDR3 ram caused the system to have "extra energy running around" and it fried the logic board.

I checked around online in all kinds of foruns and didn't find anyone talking about it. Lots of posts says it's fine to replace DDR3 with DDR3L. My friend still uses his macbook and nothing happened.

Has anyone heard about this?

The macbook is currently using its original DDR3 ram, but I still have the 2xDDR3L with me and I don't know if I should replace it again.

Device:

MacBook Pro 13'' Unibody Mid 2012

Status:

open