Help! Ram-Yes another one bear with me:)

[kosxyz]

I was just reading the forums, because I wanted to get some new ram for my
12" 1.5 Ghz Powerbook. Ok, so far I know its 200pin, DDR 333, and it has 256built in plus a 256 hooked up to the slot.
So, here are my questions.

Would the difference upgrading to DDR2 Ram be noticeable/worth the money?
Crucial said that the ram limit is 1280MB? is this true? if it is ****ing ******** I am a corsair fan because I've used their Kick ass ram for my gaming rig and it just rocks, so It'd be cool to use Corsair? any issues with it? or for not -getting-an-ulcer's(sp?) sake should I stick with Kingston, Crucial?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[mad jew]

No advantage in getting faster RAM because the front side bus is still pathetically slow, not to mention the fact it'll have the speed automatically cut back to whatever the slot is rated at anyway. Crucial is right about the maximum amount of RAM, the memory controller only allows 1.25GB off the top of my head, maybe it's 1.28GB though...

As for brand names, there's no difference. Just make sure that they'll allow refunds if it doesn't work because OSX is pretty picky about the quality of RAM it uses.

 

[grapes911]

If your computer uses DDR, then you need DDR. If you computer uses DDR2, then you need DDR2. I don't think they are interchangeable.

You can have 1.25 MB of RAM. A 1 GB stick and the 256 MB built in.

Personally, I like RAM from DataMem.com. Crucial is very good, but pricey. Only purchase RAM that guarantees Mac compatibility. I don't know if Corsair or Kingston does, so check with the reseller.

 

[kosxyz]

Argh 1.25 is lame.. well I guess I'll have to deal with it.. thanks for the info guys. and I did search though I didn't get any to the point answers so I thought It'd be better to just post a q's/

 

[grapes911]

Argh 1.25 is lame.. well I guess I'll have to deal with it../

Lame? What can you possibly do on a 12-inch PowerBook that you need more than 1.25 GB of RAM?

 

[mad jew]

If your computer uses DDR, then you need DDR. If you computer uses DDR2, then you need DDR2. I don't think they are interchangeable.

Good advice that. Although, I thought faster RAM would just be throttled back in speed. Where's that crazy Canadian when you need him...

and I did search though I didn't get any to the point answers so I thought It'd be better to just post a q's/

Good stuff, always good to search.

 

[CanadaRAM]

I was just reading the forums, because I wanted to get some new ram for my
12" 1.5 Ghz Powerbook. Ok, so far I know its 200pin, DDR 333, and it has 256built in plus a 256 hooked up to the slot.
So, here are my questions.

Would the difference upgrading to DDR2 Ram be noticeable/worth the money?
Crucial said that the ram limit is 1280MB? is this true? if it is ****ing ******** I am a corsair fan because I've used their Kick ass ram for my gaming rig and it just rocks, so It'd be cool to use Corsair? any issues with it?

Your machine uses PC2700 DDR RAM, it has 256 soldered on the motherboard and one DDR SODIMM socket. The maximum module you can put in the socket is 1 Gb, because
a) that's how Apple built it, and
b) there are no 2 Gb non-ecc, non-stacked, non-registered, low profile SODIMMs on the market.

As Grapes said, you cannot use DDR-2 RAM - they are completely different.

Corsair is usually not a great choice for Macs, they do not support Macs with their gaming line (and there would be no advantage to using faster RAM anyway, as Mad pointed out - the Mac sets the speed, not the RAM). Although Corsair have some Mac RAM in their System Select series, they are selling standard-issue modules which are no better or worse than other vendors. In fact, I am disappointed at the PC Board quality of their Value Select DDR-2 DIMMs, really thin and flexible. (that's a BAD thing in the RAM world)

So your option is to remove the 256 Mb SODIMM you have in the socket, and replace it with a 1 Gb SODIMM from any reputable vendor who tests and guarantees their RAM's compatibility with your model Powerbook.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

 

[grapes911]

Good advice that. Although, I thought faster RAM would just be throttled back in speed. Where's that crazy Canadian when you need him...

I just did some quick googling and it appears they are not compatible. They are about the same size with different voltages and pin configurations. I found this info on a couple of different sites, but none that I recognized as credible sites. So if Canada or anyone else can confirm this, I'd appreciate it.

Edit: Canada is faster than I give him credit for

 

[kosxyz]

Lame? What can you possibly do on a 12-inch PowerBook that you need more than 1.25 GB of RAM?

Java
Maya 3d Rendering, design, etc etc
Photoshop CS2 touch-ups.

Computer Programming, Graphic Design Dual mayor.

And I've got a dell LCD which I use as a screen for my projects so I basically got this for its portability and on-the-go-bored-out-of-my-mind projects.


EDIT: I am thinking of some crucial Value ram kinda thing 1gb stick for $109 at newegg.com looks like a good choice to me? would a few extra bucks be worth it? this ram already's got 2.4 latency and all that but now that you mention flexibility and all that this ram looks very errr sheety as in sheet of paper. So I don't know now

 

[mad jew]

Thanks grapes911 and CanadaRAM. That's the second thing I've learned today and it's only 2:30PM! I'm on a role.

 

[grapes911]

I can't make a blanket statement, because I don't know what you personally do with each of those apps. I will say that unless you use a bunch of those apps at once, you should be more than fine with 1.25.

 

[kosxyz]

I can't make a blanket statement, because I don't know what you personally do with each of those apps. I will say that unless you use a bunch of those apps at once, you should be more than fine with 1.25.

Java is just a programming language like C++ or FORTRAN, is what they use to make those pretty buttons you are clicking and all that. This even 512 is enough with no other apps running.

Maya 6. is a 3d Image sofrware is the kind of programs that ppl use to create images like thishttp://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce11b3127cce94a5c2b28e7700000006108AauGjdy5cNT
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce11b3127cce94a5c2bc8e7900000016108AauGjdy5cNT

and no ammount of ram is ever enough for this app if you can afford 8gb do it just because when you get down to hardcore images or clips you have to switch back and forth between photoshop and that save render etc.

Photoshop CS2 just makes images pretty. Memory HUNGRY 100%

 

[CanadaRAM]

EDIT: I am thinking of some crucial Value ram kinda thing 1gb stick for $109 at newegg.com looks like a good choice to me? would a few extra bucks be worth it? this ram already's got 2.4 latency and all that but now that you mention flexibility and all that this ram looks very errr sheety as in sheet of paper. So I don't know now

2.4 latency isn't right..?

NewEgg doesn't sell Mac RAM, they sell the generic PC modules which may or may not work in your machine -- they don't guarantee compatibility at all.

Your best bet is to go with a reputable dealer who tests and guarantees compatibility -- either Crucial themselves, or my recommendation is Data Memory Systems

 

[kosxyz]

2.4 latency isn't right..?

NewEgg doesn't sell Mac RAM, they sell the generic PC modules which may or may not work in your machine -- they don't guarantee compatibility at all.

Your best bet is to go with a reputable dealer who tests and guarantees compatibility -- either Crucial themselves, or my recommendation is Data Memory Systems

Typo its 2.5. True they do not offer "Mac Ram" Though there's a couple of crucial, kingstone rams with a fair quantity of reviews from mac users and said that it works though yes I would not like risking it that much.

I'll check that website out.. again thanks a lot for all the precious help

 

[grapes911]

Java is just a programming language like C++ or FORTRAN, is what they use to make those pretty buttons you are clicking and all that. This even 512 is enough with no other apps running.

Maya 6. is a 3d Image sofrware is the kind of programs that ppl use to create images like thishttp://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce11b3127cce94a5c2b28e7700000006108AauGjdy5cNT
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce11b3127cce94a5c2bc8e7900000016108AauGjdy5cNT

and no ammount of ram is ever enough for this app if you can afford 8gb do it just because when you get down to hardcore images or clips you have to switch back and forth between photoshop and that save render etc.

Photoshop CS2 just makes images pretty. Memory HUNGRY 100%

I know what the programs are. I said didn't know how you personally used those apps. For example, if you opened all of them at once, 4 GB of RAM may not be enough.

 

[kosxyz]

I know what the programs are. I said didn't know how you personally used those apps. For example, if you opened all of them at once, 4 GB of RAM may not be enough.

oh oh my bad. I ussually have Maya and Photoshop Opened at the same time at the school's Gual G5 and Dual screen monster.

 

[Xeem]

1.25 GB is a one gig stick and a 256 stick, but since 1 GB of RAM is actually 1024 MB, it ends up being 1280 MB, so 1.25GB=1280 MB. Usually people just aren't that precise when talking about RAM amounts. About a month ago I got a one gig, DDR333 Crucial module (it was on a Newegg one day sale for like $85) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145068.

It works perfectly in my 12" iBook, and several reviewers say that it runs great in their 12" Powerbooks, so chances are good your Powerbook will like it too.