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MBP RAM question

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bigiffo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 16, 2007
79
0
I want to get some more RAM for my MBP core 2 duo. It is a few months old so reviews say it can only take 3GB RAM. Is this true and if so is it better to get two 2GB chips as it is apparently faster?
 
Non- Santa Rosa Macbook Pros (and Macbooks) can only take a maximum of 3GB RAM. SR MBPs (the latest 1.5 week old revision) can take at least 4.

Don't bother getting 2x2GB sticks. It is firstly way too expensive, secondly, I doubt whether you'd get the dual channel memory speed boost, and thirdly, the boost is only very small anyway.

Just buy a 2GB stick, and a 1GB stick if you need it. The speed benefit from adding extra RAM should easily outweigh the loss of dual channeling. And remember, Vista's performance rating thing gives the lowest score to the RAM, so increasing RAM should give a nice performance boost.

Or just buy a new MBP. :D
 
Thanks.
I don't think I'll follow your last suggestion however!:cool:
 
bigiffo said:
I want to get some more RAM for my MBP core 2 duo. It is a few months old so reviews say it can only take 3GB RAM. Is this true and if so is it better to get two 2GB chips as it is apparently faster?
Click to expand...

Ok, this really depends on how you are going to use your computer.

Having 2 x 1GB SODIMM's installed in your machine will be quicker than 1 x 2GB and 1 x 1GB.

This is because the memory will operate in dual channel, that effectively doubles data throughput from RAM to the memory controller.

However, if you are going to use more than 2GB regularly, 3GB of physical RAM operating without dual channel will be massively quicker than virtual memory on your hard disk.

Just buy a 2GB stick
Click to expand...

Getting 2 x 1GB is perferable to this.
 
nicklad said:
This is because the memory will operate in dual channel, that effectively doubles data through output from RAM to the memory controller.
Click to expand...

I believe the real world benefits of dual channel memory are pitifully small. ie. ~5% increase in speed. More RAM should enable the computer to load more of an application into RAM, therefore it will perform faster. I think this will work with pretty much any app, although would become more pronounced with pro apps.

I believe that in all cases, 3GB should be faster than 2, even without dual channel.
 
My MBP often maxes out and sometimes even crashes. I do use vista. What about using memory sticks as RAM. I have heard this is a new feature of vista?
 
Erasmus said:
I believe the real world benefits of dual channel memory are pitifully small. ie. ~5% increase in speed. More RAM should enable the computer to load more of an application into RAM, therefore it will perform faster. I think this will work with pretty much any app, although would become more pronounced with pro apps.

I believe that in all cases, 3GB should be faster than 2, even without dual channel.
Click to expand...

Fair point! I think you're probably right...

Following the philosophy that unused RAM is wasted RAM (operating systems are becoming increasingly aggressive at caching...), I've considered what I said and now think that having more RAM is more important...
 
nicklad said:
Fair point! I think you're probably right...

Following the philosophy that unused RAM is wasted RAM (operating systems are becoming increasingly aggressive at caching...), I've considered what I said and now think that having more RAM is more important...
Click to expand...

Following on from this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/MacBook/Testing/Memory_Benchmarks

In conclusion

More memory is overall better than having less memory that is interleaved. There is a huge benefit to upgrading even just to 768MB (replacing a one of the 256MB with a 512MB) from a factory 512MB config. General performance is better having more 1.25GB or 1.5GB by replacing one of the stock modules with a 1.0GB Memory Module vs. buying two 512MB modules for about the same cost and only having 1.0GB total. Going to 2.0GB or 3.0GB is, of course, even better - but most any increase to the memory gives you an immediately appreciated benefit.
Click to expand...
 
macbookproreall said:
well im not mac smart and someone on here noticed it on a pic of my about this mac and said wow howd u do that. apparently it was an apple defect. my luck.
Click to expand...

Someone on this bored noticed it on a post pic you made even though the only 2 posts you have made are in this thread?

TROLL!
 

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your MPB can take up to 3gb of ram. i wouldn't worry too much about dual-channel, just make sure you indeed need more memory. otherwise you may not see any performance gain.

macbookproreall said:
my mbp is 2 wks old and has 8gb ram. u could do 8gb i suppose.
Click to expand...

here with go with the 8gb ram MBP again.

do you want to get banned (again)? :)
 
I believe the kit has two ram modules. Still, at $8477.15 who would be able to afford this?
 
BiTurboMunkie said:
here with go with the 8gb ram MBP again.

do you want to get banned (again)? :)
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

12GB RAM in a Blackbook!!!

*ROFLMAO*

Well, at least 4GB SODIMMs actually exist now...

Of course the kit has 2 RAM modules... But it's two RAM modules of 4GB each. And the MBP has two RAM slots, so you should be able to put them in the SR MBP. Of course, 100:1 chance of them actually working...
 
whateverandever said:
Why are you still around?

Haven't you been ridiculed enough yet?
Click to expand...

Clearly he wishes to be taunted a second time... (Monty Python)

His order must have been a refurb. Previous owner worked at Area 51...

It LOOKS like a MBP, but it's really an Alien Hypercomputer!
And it shall destroy us!
 
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