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Can a PowerBook take DDR2 RAM?

E

EssentialParado

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 17, 2005
1,162
48
I just read about how much more efficient Samsung DDR2 RAM is and thought it would be great for my PowerBook, but I have no idea if it's compatible. Does anyone know if I can use DDR2 RAM in a PowerBook, or if it'll work but be limited, etc?

Thanks,
-Luke
 
No, just plane DDR 333.

Even if it did support it, the rest of the machine is probably not quick enough for you to notice a difference.
 
Oh. Okay, thanks. Maybe you can suggest the most efficient (power / price) purchase I should make, then. Currently I have 2x256MB RAM chips that came with the PowerBook. I do video, graphics, some minor 3D work.

thanky
-Luke
 
I assume that you are in the UK (.uk domain). Scan were (and probably still are) selling 1Gb sticks that work great in PowerBooks (I've got one) for around £100. This will give you a massive boost in memory at a reasonable cost whilst leaving you the flexibility of buying another one at a later date!
 
robbieduncan said:
I assume that you are in the UK (.uk domain). Scan were (and probably still are) selling 1Gb sticks that work great in PowerBooks (I've got one) for around £100. This will give you a massive boost in memory at a reasonable cost whilst leaving you the flexibility of buying another one at a later date!
Click to expand...
Yeah, that seems good - thanks.

I'm checking on the scan website now. There seems to be a few 1GB sticks... (just got your reply)... oh right. Yeah, I remember now, the PowerBook has strange little fat RAM cards. That one doesn't appear to be in stock right now. So is Scan the best place to buy from? (I've never heard of them before now) Not Ebuyer? Heh.
 
EssentialParado said:
Yeah, that seems good - thanks.

I'm checking on the scan website now. There seems to be a few 1GB sticks... (just got your reply)... oh right. Yeah, I remember now, the PowerBook has strange little fat RAM cards. That one doesn't appear to be in stock right now. So is Scan the best place to buy from? (I've never heard of them before now) Not Ebuyer? Heh.
Click to expand...
I got some cheap DDR memory for my PowerBook from ebuyer, ebuyer have just about the worst customer services though, so buying from then can be gamble, especially if anything goes wrong. Scan are usually very good (checkout today only).
 
EssentialParado said:
Yeah, that seems good - thanks.

I'm checking on the scan website now. There seems to be a few 1GB sticks... (just got your reply)... oh right. Yeah, I remember now, the PowerBook has strange little fat RAM cards. That one doesn't appear to be in stock right now. So is Scan the best place to buy from? (I've never heard of them before now) Not Ebuyer? Heh.
Click to expand...

Those strange fat cards are SO-DIMM (SO stands for Small Outline iirc) and are pretty standard for laptop RAM. I normally buy stuff from scan as they are normally cheap and are reliable. I also like the fact that they will tell you if something is not in stock and are generally honest about it. If you can get a 1Gb PC2700 SODIMM elsewhere for a similar price then go for it!
 
Hello,

This is my first post! :) Been registered for a little while now reading and now finally decided to take the plunge and dive in...

I found Orca Logic to be pretty good in the UK. Very fast too...

http://www.orcalogic.co.uk/

HTH.

EssentialParado said:
Yeah, that seems good - thanks.

I'm checking on the scan website now. There seems to be a few 1GB sticks... (just got your reply)... oh right. Yeah, I remember now, the PowerBook has strange little fat RAM cards. That one doesn't appear to be in stock right now. So is Scan the best place to buy from? (I've never heard of them before now) Not Ebuyer? Heh.
Click to expand...
 
Chryx said:
I'm running one of these in my 12" 1.33Ghz Powerbook right now
Crucial PC3200 1GB SoDimm for £90

Delivery is free from Crucial and their customer support is excellent, ergo I hearily recommend them.
Click to expand...

Wow. That really is a great deal. If I did not already have 1.5Gb in my PowerBook I'd probably be ordering now. 2Gb does have a nice round sound to it though...
 
beige matchbox said:
And they clock down ok? No reason why they shouldn't, but can't hurt to ask :)

If so i'm only £5 short :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sure, like I said, I've got on in the 12" 1.33Ghz I'm typing on right now.

system profiler has this to say about it:

DIMM1/J31:

Size: 1 GB
Type: DDR SDRAM
Speed: PC2700U-30330
 
Standard Advice: I recommend you order Mac RAM from a seller who tests and guarantees the RAM in your model Mac.

Yes you can get lucky with a generic module, but there are differences between Powerbooks. Crucial does not guarantee those modules for use in Macs -- if you use their product selector you will see that their Mac modules are more money. This is because the generic modules don't work in some Powerbooks, and they have to use a different build of module.

If you are a Mac Adept, you may be fine with experimenting and dealig with shipping and returns. But I wouldn't suggest it for a new Mac user.
 
CanadaRAM said:
Standard Advice: I recommend you order Mac RAM from a seller who tests and guarantees the RAM in your model Mac.

Yes you can get lucky with a generic module, but there are differences between Powerbooks. Crucial does not guarantee those modules for use in Macs -- if you use their product selector you will see that their Mac modules are more money. This is because the generic modules don't work in some Powerbooks, and they have to use a different build of module.

If you are a Mac Adept, you may be fine with experimenting and dealig with shipping and returns. But I wouldn't suggest it for a new Mac user.
Click to expand...

All the Mac model selector does it point you at the PC2700 SODimms, which are electrically the same, made to LOOSER timings... and cost more.

They are not 'specially designed for powerbook' sodimms by any intelligent measure.
 
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