Memory for new iMac question...

[keithcobbett]

I just picked up my new iMac at the Apple Store in NH last night. I got the 800MHz version with the Superdrive. I want to add a 512MB chip to the "user's slot" and these are the prices and specs I have received:

from www.macsolutions.com

512MB CL=2 for $129.00 (1GB kit for $243.00)

from www.crucial.com

512MB CL=3 for $235.79

what is the CL=? does this matter? I remember reading on this site, not too long ago, that people who bought some memory found it useless when they upgraded their firmware. Macsolutions "guarantees" their memory? Any advice? Thanks.

[arn]

CL-2 is rated faster than CL-3...

so, go with the cheaper/guarenteed Mac-vendor.

arn

[irmongoose]

if the macsolutions one is faster AND cheaper AND guaranteed, why would anyone buy from crucial?



irmongoose

[buffsldr]

How good can they be? MAcsolutions.com website is down

[AmbitiousLemon]

i really like www.memoryx.net these guys are cheap and they ship very fast. 512 for $132

[King Cobra]

keithcobbett, CL refers to Cache Level. All computers shipped since the 233 iMac have come with a Level 2 Cache. The high-end Powermacs come with a 1 or 2MB Level 3 Cache.

Another excellent website for cheap memory is www.18004memory.com However, the last time I checked (March 15) the company did not update their site to have memory for the G4 iMac. (It might be there; maybe I missed it.)

I just tried www.macsolutions.com and their website works fine.
________________________

Bad PC Advertiser: All you need to upload pictures from your camera is a PC and some expensive software.

KC: Well I have a Mac, and the software I use is free. Does that make me better than you?

[AmbitiousLemon]

hey cobra, good link. they rnt that well organizeed but good prices. here is their price for a 512mb chip for the new imac:

MLG1364U/512/TI3I 512MB FOR NEW IMAC 700MHZ OR OVER PC133 TYPE $141.20 $127.45

(the 141.20 is what is marked down from, so they are selling it for $127.45)

[King Cobra]

My father has already purchased two half gig memory chips for the Half Gig Cube for OS X from 18004memory, and it hasn't failed once.

However, my father also purchased memory from MacWarehouse (for my iBook Firewire), and the morons sent us PC100 chips. I need PC66 Ram.

So my father gave it a second try and returned the memory. Guess what? We got PC133 Ram! Where the . . . does an iBook using PC133 Ram exist?

So, do not purchase memory from MacWarehouse!
________________________

Bill Gates: All you need to upload pictures from your camera is a fast PC and some boring software.

KC: Well I have a Mac, and the software I use operates in OS 10. Does that make me better than you?

[IndyGopher]

So does that mean that Apple is moronic for using PC133 memory in the iMacs, even though they have 100MHz buses? if the SPD eeproms on the DIMMs are programmed correctly, they should be perfectly backwards compatible.

[menoinjun]

Originally posted by King Cobra
keithcobbett, CL refers to Cache Level. All computers shipped since the 233 iMac have come with a Level 2 Cache. The high-end Powermacs come with a 1 or 2MB Level 3 Cache.

CL does not refer to cache level. I don't actually know what the letters stand for, I do know that it refers to the writing speed of the RAM. CL2 ram is actually faster than CL3 ram, but only for the initial burst of information. The CL2 ram will write every 2 clock cycles (to start) , while the CL3 will do it every 3 cycles. The difference is minimal. Go with the cheaper ram, but keep in mind that CL2 ram usually is simply better quality RAM.

The cache level of the chip in your iMac is irrelevant to the ram you are using. The quote above is right about the level cache you have in your iMac though. The new G4 towers (933 and 1gig) have 2mb of DDR ram in a level 3 cache.

-Pete

[Hemingray]

Okay, let's clear this up:

CL is short for CAS Latency, which stands for Column Address Strobe Latency. Now you know why they call it CL.

And as for using 133 in a 66 bus, there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with that. It's the other way around where you run into problems.

[kaltsasa]

I can't vouch for anyone else but I always buy from crucial, great ram at reasonable prices.

[King Cobra]

Originally posted by Hemingray
Okay, let's clear this up:

CL is short for CAS Latency, which stands for Column Address Strobe Latency. Now you know why they call it CL.

And as for using 133 in a 66 bus, there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with that. It's the other way around where you run into problems.

Check that.

You heard it from Hemingray!

Here is an interesting question . . . Where did you guys find the best service or prices for memory? I plan on getting a Titanium G4, but I refuse to pay over $300 for 1GB of ram.

Finally, when do you guys expect memory prices to drop? (Just a quick question.)
________________________

Bill Gates: All you need to upload pictures from your camera is a fast PC and some boring software.

KC: Well I have a Mac, and the software I use operates in OS 10. Does that make me better than you?

[AlphaTech]

There is a reason why the GB memory kit for a TiBook costs that much... The 512MB chips for the TiBook (either rev) are smaller because of space constrictions. Typically the kits for the rev a include one of the smaller chips (for the upper slot) and one of the larger (for the lower slot). That is what I have installed into my rev a TiBook (500MHz). Works like a charm. The lower slot has a PC100 chip, while the upper has a PC133 (profiler lists them both as 100 222S).

As for the chip speeds.. as long as the pins line up, you can use PC133 in just about any system that uses either PC66 or PC100 memory. The only ones you need to be careful with are the G3 beige desktops (height restrictions for memory in those).

I wouldn't buy memory from anyplace that didn't stand behind it for as long as the computer is alive, no matter who owns it. I confirmed that with my G4 tower that I just sold, since all it's memory are from www.mohawkmem.com. They gurantee it for the life of the computer, not just the person that owns it when the memory is installed. I have only had one or two bad chips from them, among the hundreds we have purchased over the past 2+ years. They ship a replacement chip along with a return box for the bad one, postage already paid so it costs $0.

As for the memory prices... don't expect them to go down by more then a few dollars over the next year or so. Unless the bottom falls out of the memory market that is.

[buffsldr]

I have bought from mohawk mem also and they are straight up and reliable. They sell mostly mac ram. Dont judge them on their simpleton website. they are legit.

AlphaTech, what Tibook do you have? What do you like/dislike about it? COMPUSA has some, but the viewing angle seems worse than the ibook. What do you think? Thanks

[AlphaTech]

Rev A TiBook 500MHz... mostly it is good... I use it mostly at home, where the light is lower then at work. I put the info in my previous post..

I do have a call into Apple about an issue, but waiting to get a new system before I send it in. Something is up with the screen where it flickers in one corner. It only happens after it has been on for a while, and then not all the time. Just enough to annoy me.

Since I called Apple on it, they have a case ID and such in the system, so that I can get it taken care of at any point in the future. The Applecare protection doesn't hurt either. It still has almost two years left to it. Who knows, maybe by then I will be certified to work on laptops too.