Definitive Answer from UMBP v.5.3 8GB RAM Users...

[neowillendit]

Wut up friends, searched all over these forums and Google cache, and just can't find anything definitive as to whether the June 2009 UMBP v.5.3 (Latest) is able to USE 8GB of RAM in OS X. Please understand I mean use the RAM, not just "support" it as Apple says it does and sells it. All I find is forum after forum saying they have problems with anything over 4GB...but that's only for the 2008 series of UMBPs. Then I read articles buy NVIDIA as so forth saying that "Mid-2009 MacBook Pro will support up to 8GB RAM"...but of course that doesn't mean it'll actually use it in v.10.5.8 or v.10.6.2.

Could some actual users of 8GB RAM on v.10.5.8 or v.10.6.2, with June 2009 UMBP v.5.3, help me be more certain before I buy the RAM off NewEgg and find out the hard way? Thank you friends!!

 

[Sneakz]

It works. Why would Apple sell it with hardware that doesn't support it?

 

[maflynn]

I'm not sure why you're putting all that effort when apple sells the memory upgrade. You want/need 8 gig, go for it

 

[neowillendit]

Yes, I understand Apple sells it as I stated in my OP, but I still need a definitive answer as to whether it would be useful and utilized by OS X v.10.5.8 and v.10.6.2. I've heard this and that and need help to avoid problems.

Thank you in advance

 

[Cliff3]

8GB of memory will be recognized by OS X. As to whether it will be useful and utilized, the answer to that question is dependent on your usage patterns and is a question you need to be asking of yourself and not this forum.

I have 8GB arriving tomorrow from OWC for my MBP5,4. In my case, it will be useful and utilized, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it.

 

[neowillendit]

8GB of memory will be recognized by OS X. As to whether it will be useful and utilized, the answer to that question is dependent on your usage patterns and is a question you need to be asking of yourself and not this forum.

I have 8GB arriving tomorrow from OWC for my MBP5,4. In my case, it will be useful and utilized, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it.

Now I know that you know what I mean. This is not a question of whether I will, but whether OS X is designed to be able to utilize and not only recognize. Example for the "not-so-bright": Windows 7 32-Bit recogizes over 3.2GB but can't utilize it.

Don't try to start a "this isn't windows" topic cuz I know all about it. Don't try to start "OS X isn't limited by 32-Bit architecture" topic cuz I already know that.

 

[RaZaK]

Fully Using 8 GB RAM

i have a 13" MBP that supports 8 GB RAM. Snow Leopard sees all of the RAM. However, the only time I come close to utilizing all of it is when I'm running tests with my Virtual Machines on the Windows 2008 R2 Boot Camp partition that i created.

Bottomline, the hardware supports it, and if Windoze can use all of it, so can Mac OS X. It's just a matter of running enough tasks to take advantage of all that RAM. When you're running lots of VMs, 8 GB of RAM can quickly seem like too little memory.

 

[neowillendit]

i have a 13" MBP that supports 8 GB RAM. Snow Leopard sees all of the RAM. However, the only time I come close to utilizing all of it is when I'm running tests with my Virtual Machines on the Windows 2008 R2 Boot Camp partition that i created.

Bottomline, the hardware supports it, and if Windoze can use all of it, so can Mac OS X. It's just a matter of running enough tasks to take advantage of all that RAM. When you're running lots of VMs, 8 GB of RAM can quickly seem like too little memory.

Thank you for your answer RaZaK, I appreciate it.