As if on cue from its recent teardown, iFixit is selling its first Mac mini RAM replacement kit. Starting at $165, the toolkit includes 16GB of RAM compatible with your new Mac’s underequipped RAM slots as well as the items you need to pry the Mac mini’s metal shell open to access its RAM slots. Those include:
- A PC4-21300 16GB or 32GB RAM
- Angled tweezers
- Precision bit driver
- 4mm precision bits
- Spudger
- iFixit opening tool
For comparison, if you bought a new base model Mac mini directly from Apple and opted for more RAM, you’d pay $200 for the extra 8GB. On the other hand, if you bought iFixit’s DIY kit for $165, you’d get all the tools you need for current (and future) RAM replacements, as well as the 16GB RAM to use alongside the default stick your Mac mini shipped with, totaling 20GB of RAM. If that’s still not enough RAM, however, you can opt for the 32GB RAM replacement kit that costs $324.99.
Swapping out your own RAM can be cost-effective if you decide to get familiar with your Mac mini’s guts, but it’s also a learning experience. After all, time spent learning about the gadgets you use can be invaluable.