I was surfing the internet today and came across a report talking about RAM ... it comes in 4 GB Sticks (yikes!). So I'm curious, if you put a couple of them in a MBP (Santa Rosa) would it recognize it? (ie 8 GB of RAM), or is there a 4 GB limit on the current MBP's. Thanks!
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4 GB RAM Sticks
- Thread starter arcobb
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The SR MBP uses the SR chip set which can use 8 Gbs if RAM. Where did you see these exactly? They can't advertise it because virtually nobody makes them.
Well, the Mac Pro lists a 16 Gb limit yet Crucial says that it can take the 4 gig modules to make a 32 gb limit.
Perhaps the MBP can use 8Gb, or maybe it will with Leopard?
It will be an expensive experiment to find out, though.
I don't know where people get this, but the operating system on a Mac has NOTHING, to do with how much ram a particular Mac can take. Leapard, Tiger and Panther and even the later versions of Jaguar could handle more ram than is phsically possible to put in any Mac (don't know the exact number but I know they can address at least 32Gb, probably 64 without breaking a sweat).
The ram limit on a Mac is based on two things. The number of slots and the ram controller, ie, hardware.
The ram limit on a Mac is based on two things. The number of slots and the ram controller, ie, hardware.
Yup. And the Macbook Pro has two slots and theoretically can support up to 8GB (2x4GB) according to intel's proof of concepts docs on their website.
But nobody makes 4GB sodimms for laptops yet. You probably saw a desktop module or a 4GB kit (2x2GB).
Are you sure that it was RAM for notebooks and not desktops? The current MBPs should be able to take 4GB sticks when they are out, but if they are actually out then they are probably more expensive than they are worth.
Apple usually will officially have a limit that is based off of what sticks are available when that model ships, but sometimes when larger sizes become available they are able to access more RAM than Apple says they can. I think that some of the iMac G3s were like this too where they could only officially support 512MBs but they actually can use up to 1GB.
Apple usually will officially have a limit that is based off of what sticks are available when that model ships, but sometimes when larger sizes become available they are able to access more RAM than Apple says they can. I think that some of the iMac G3s were like this too where they could only officially support 512MBs but they actually can use up to 1GB.
thats funny, because right after you said that you immediately contradicted yourself lol
YES the OS has much to do with how much ram it can handle NO simply upgrading the OS will not allow it to handle more than the chipset
OSX will handle 4gb or more, however try running 4gb in os 8.6 then tell me the OS has nothing to do with it.
but saying that i understand your frustration with everyone thinking it will magically make it use more.
I don't remember ... it was an article talking about them and not actually a company listing them for sale ... something to do about shrinking the process they use and that 4 GB on a stick was possible due to the new process. I Can't remember the link as it was a link from a link from link from the original page I was surfing. So it sounds like if their not available at the moment ... the are possible.
So ... I guess I was just trying to figure out it the 4 GB limit was due to the lack of availability of larger sticks, or locked at the memory controller level.
Ya this is defiantly correct, but I don't even think if you put in 4GB of RAM that the latest OS will recognize it. I thought that the most it would recognize would be 3GB of RAM. Let me know if I am wrong, if I am I will get another 2GB stick.
If you have one of the new Santa Rosa MacBook Pros it will recognize up to 4 GB of Ram. Mac OS X can recognize at least 16 GB+ Ram, however, the question is whether the hardware will. For laptops, you need the new SR MacBook Pro (2.2 or 2.4 Ghz Core2 Duo) released in June.
I need something clarified, (because reading this thread has done nothing but confused me, with what I thought I knew). Once 4 gb ram notebook sticks come out, will a SR macbook pro, be able to use two 4gb sticks? for a total of 8 gbs of ram.
Also what would you use that much ram for (running vista :
)?
Also what would you use that much ram for (running vista :
)?I need something clarified, (because reading this thread has done nothing but confused me, with what I thought I knew). Once 4 gb ram notebook sticks come out, will a SR macbook pro, be able to use two 4gb sticks? for a total of 8 gbs of ram.
Also what would you use that much ram for (running vista :
yes it will be able to. Currently most programs will not benifit from much more than 2 or 4GB, so your only advantage would be if you are running lots of apps that all use lots of memory, or at some point in the future when that much RAM is necessary to run the latest software.
I am definitely in the "won't believe it until I see it" camp. Currently the specs on the Apple SantaRosa machines state that the maximum number of chips on a module is 16 (2 ranks of 8) and the maximum density per chip is 1024 Mbits. Consequently, the maximum module size is 2 GB.
In order to get 4 GB on one module you have to be able to recognize either 2048 Mbit density chips, or 32 chips. That's the only way.
If the particular memory controller cannot recognize 2 Gbit density devices, then it's game over for 4 GB modules.
In order to get 4 GB on one module you have to be able to recognize either 2048 Mbit density chips, or 32 chips. That's the only way.
If the particular memory controller cannot recognize 2 Gbit density devices, then it's game over for 4 GB modules.
I recently had a chat with the sales manager of Swissbit about the availability of 4GB SODIMMS. According to him, they will not be available for the next foreseeable future . The only option would be a double stack die, but that wouldn't comply with the thermal specs.
Jochen
. The only option would be a double stack die, but that wouldn't comply with the thermal specs.Jochen
http://www.pclaunches.com/other_stuff/samsung_develops_4gb_ddr2_dimm_via_new_stacking_technology.php
Not SODIMM, but I guess it would also be possible.
Not SODIMM, but I guess it would also be possible.
4GB sticks
Saw this page thought i was relevant.
http://www.memoryx.net/apple8gbmacpro.html
4GB sticks that come with a guarantee to work in the Mac Pro towers.
Saw this page thought i was relevant.
http://www.memoryx.net/apple8gbmacpro.html
4GB sticks that come with a guarantee to work in the Mac Pro towers.
That has absolutely no relevance to the Macbook Pro.
btw: http://www.intel.com/business/casestudies/proof_of_concepts_dcs.pdf
^ 36-bit memory controller with support for 4GB ram and the ability to scale up to 8 GB when sodimms are available.
We'll see when we can actually get our hands on 4GB modules... either it works or it doesn't. And no, and OS upgrade isn't going to affect it (Though a firmware update *could*).
/me is sad his C2D 2.33GHz MBP will forever be stuck with an unmatched pair at 3GBs
/me is sad his C2D 2.33GHz MBP will forever be stuck with an unmatched pair at 3GBs
Is this it?
I think I found what you were talking about. Theoretically could i throw 2x4's in my new SR 2.2 macbook? They're not that expensive either which worries me. I don't know corsairs reputation for memory sticks but if you guys think it's worth a shot I'll try it out.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007547&prodlist=dealram
I think I found what you were talking about. Theoretically could i throw 2x4's in my new SR 2.2 macbook? They're not that expensive either which worries me. I don't know corsairs reputation for memory sticks but if you guys think it's worth a shot I'll try it out.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007547&prodlist=dealram