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Apple store bought memory question

P

PieMac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2002
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I just took delivery of my new MBP this past week and decided to go ahead and upgrade the RAM to a total of 2 GB. I took out the stock RAM and made note of the specs and brand (Samsung).

I researched prices online and much to my surprise, I found that if I ordered a 1GB stick from Apple I would actually save money (bear in mind I was looking at Samsung brand only as I wanted it to be as much of an exact match as possible).

The RAM arrived today and the specs appear to match except that the brand is Micron, not Samsung. I had read where you should try and match the brand as well as the specs in order for the dual channel to work but since this is memory direct from Apple, I figure that it should be capable of achieving the dual channel speeds. Do you thing that this assumption would be correct?
 
Z

Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Jun 10, 2006
7,267
1,965
I doubt you need matching brand to take advantage of the RAM. The same specs should be fine.
 
S

Skrilla™

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2007
162
0
Houston
Zwhaler said:
I doubt you need matching brand to take advantage of the RAM. The same specs should be fine.
Click to expand...

not sure about that...

however, I don't remember reading anywhere that these laptops support dual channel RAM. Can someone confirm? I will look for an answer in the meantime.

The tech specs don't mention anything about dual channel, so I would assume this is not a feature (therefore it really doesn't matter that you have two different brands)

http://www.apple.com/macbook/specs.html
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html
 
S

Skrilla™

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2007
162
0
Houston
Zwhaler said:
That you can't take advantage of the RAM, or the dual channel RAM? I know the RAM will work fine, but I don't know about dual channel. I should have clairified that.
Click to expand...

I was not sure about the dual channel thing, I am sure about the RAM working together though.
 
P

PieMac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2002
769
29
Well, talked to three different Apple reps (just for good measure)-they all said that the brand is insignificant as long as the rest of the specs match as far as it working in dual channel mode. Also it's good to know that Apple bought RAM is supported under Applecare-didn't realize that before.
 
P

PieMac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2002
769
29
Skrilla™ said:
I still have not seen any proof of these laptops supporting dual channel RAM.
Click to expand...

From Apple's website:

"If both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM, you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling Intel based Mac systems to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps."
 
S

Skrilla™

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2007
162
0
Houston
PieMac said:
From Apple's website:

"If both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM, you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling Intel based Mac systems to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps."
Click to expand...

thanks, can you provide a link? ;)
 
S

Skrilla™

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2007
162
0
Houston
P

PieMac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2002
769
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Skrilla™;3271720 said:
I don't trust it coming from that site. It may be correct for other models, but how do we know it is correct for the laptops?
Click to expand...

OWC has been around for a while and they are highly regarded as one of the most reputable Apple resellers. I've bought their brand RAM many times before with no problem when Apple's RAM was priced way high.

And they do say that it's a direct quote from Apple's site. I've talked to three different Apple tech reps and they all say the MBP is dual channel capable. I actually thought it was pretty much common knowledge, really. The minute the Intel MBP's came out it was all over the Apple discussion boards.
 
S

Skrilla™

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2007
162
0
Houston
PieMac said:
OWC has been around for a while and they are highly regarded as one of the most reputable Apple resellers. I've bought their brand RAM many times before with no problem when Apple's RAM was priced way high.

And they do say that it's a direct quote from Apple's site. I've talked to three different Apple tech reps and they all say the MBP is dual channel capable. I actually thought it was pretty much common knowledge, really. The minute the Intel MBP's came out it was all over the Apple discussion boards.
Click to expand...

I am not saying you or that website is wrong, but it is hard for me to believe without some proof on :apple:'s website. I would think :apple: would state it in the tech specs if it was a feature.
 
P

PieMac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2002
769
29
Skrilla™ said:
I am not saying you or that website is wrong, but it is hard for me to believe without some proof on :apple:'s website. I would think :apple: would state it in the tech specs if it was a feature.
Click to expand...

Well, you could go to the apple discussion boards and look it up, or just call Apple yourself for verification...as I stated earlier, I did talk to three different Apple techs...don't know why they would have reason to mislead me.
 
I

ianhhh

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2006
62
0
so..

"*Apple's Intel processor Mac models use "one of the fastest memory technologies available today—667 MHz, double data rate (DDR2), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM). It ensures high performance and reliability by synchronizing memory speed with the speed of the central processor so that data can be delivered continuously and more rapidly to the processor. And if both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM, you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling Intel based Mac systems to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps."

.. is it better to hav 2gb or 3gb of ram? will havin 3gb ram actually slow it down???
 
Jiddick ExRex

Jiddick ExRex

macrumors 65816
May 14, 2006
1,469
0
Roskilde, DK
ianhhh said:
so..

"*Apple's Intel processor Mac models use "one of the fastest memory technologies available today—667 MHz, double data rate (DDR2), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM). It ensures high performance and reliability by synchronizing memory speed with the speed of the central processor so that data can be delivered continuously and more rapidly to the processor. And if both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM, you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling Intel based Mac systems to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps."

.. is it better to hav 2gb or 3gb of ram? will havin 3gb ram actually slow it down???
Click to expand...

Do you honestly think that the laptop will be slower with 3gb than with 2gb? Of course it won't be slower, it just won't be faster than a 3gb running in dualchannel (which is impossible).
Dual channel is overrated anyway.
 
I

ianhhh

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2006
62
0
dunno thats why i asked! but is the speed inncrease worth the extra £380 ?
what sort of increase wil it giv..10%? 20% ? my g4pbook is pretty solid with lots apps open runnin on 2gb.. but i want best spec poss but seems a rip off..

[if you allow for the fact u get 1gb ram less and 2gb ram instead then that 2gb ram costs £500!!!!!!]
 
Jiddick ExRex

Jiddick ExRex

macrumors 65816
May 14, 2006
1,469
0
Roskilde, DK
You won't see a "speed boost", more like a "harddrive doesn't need to be accessed as much when switching apps or using Photoshop" boost. The overall intensity with what you do won't be faster, for instance adding effects to pictures and such.

Buying 3gb is only worth it if you use more than 2gb of RAM atm. I wouldn't decide going from a g4 powerbook to a mbp, but rather on the mbp's speed with 2gb. If you say it's pretty solid, you won't need to spend the extra 500£ on it :)
 
I

ianhhh

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2006
62
0
2gb sounds ok then .stil want best but may as well getta atv with th cash i save!
 
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