iBook - can it support 2.5Gb?

[Legacy]

Now I cant find any 2GB chips but, in the future when there are single 2GB chips, can the iBook's max memory support 2.5Gb? Apple is saying tops 1.5GB but there are no 2GB laptop memory chips atm...what happens when theyre available?

 

[stridey]

Now I cant find any 1GB chips but, in the future when there are single 2GB chips, can the iBook's max memory support 2.5Gb? Apple is saying tops 1.5GB but there are no 2GB laptop memory chips atm...what happens when theyre available?

I doubt it would support 2.5GB if it's advertised as 1.5GB. But I guess the only way to be sure is to buy an iBook and wait.

 

[shadowmoses]

I don't see 2gb laptop chips becoming available for a while and when they do you will be paying a large premium on them...

SHADow

 

[Legacy]

I don't see 2gb laptop chips becoming available for a while and when they do you will be paying a large premium on them...

SHADow

End of 2006 I would see them...Vista will need 1GB to function like XP under 256Mb...(not to mention Leopard as well) i think early 2007 they will be retailed for sure, there are already ones for desktops...thats why I asked.

The chips will be there, but is there anything Apple does to prevent the notebook from recognising 2GB?

 

[shadowmoses]

The chips will be there, but is there anything Apple does to prevent the notebook from recognising 2GB?

Of that i am not sure but i would presume that they would be accepted by the iBook, like the new eMac's can take 2gigs when apple only sais they can take 1gig,

ShadOW

 

[crazzyeddie]

It all depends on whether or not the memory controller in the iBook can recognize:
1) the higher density RAM
2) a max amount of RAM over 1.5GB

 

[CanadaRAM]

Of that i am not sure but i would presume that they would be accepted by the iBook, like the new eMac's can take 2gigs when apple only sais they can take 1gig,

No, that's a risky presumption. Like crazyeddie says, it completely depends on whether the memory controller can count that high. If the individual chip on the module has twice the amount of RAM in it, that means the memory controller has to be capable or reading those addresses.

There are two ways to increase the memory capacity of a module when you manufacture: You can double the density of the individual chips (as above) or you can double the number of chips on the module. Doubling the # of chips has obvious difficulties in a laptop where the physical space is limited. It's also not guaranteed to work, because addressing 32 chips is another problem for the memory controller.

I would venture to say that the answer on todays iBooks will be No. Memory controllers are hardwired and cannot be upgraded or reprogrammed.