My Macbook came with 2x512kb of RAM. So if I buy a 2GB memory stick do I keep the 512kb in the other slot or take it out?
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My macbook maxes at 2GB of ram..
- Thread starter secretpact
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You can keep the 512MB stick in the other slot, but since you can only max out 2GB, it would be wiser to get two 1GB sticks instead. Apparently RAM works better when you have identical sticks in each slot.
Leave one 512MB stick in. Even though Apple says that the MB can only take 2gb, that's based on having a matching pair of 1GB each. Even though it's better to have a matched pair (it offers better performance), the MB should still recognize both the 2GB and 512MB.
If it's the original Core Duo MacBook, the chipset does not support 2 GB modules at all. If you put it in, then at best, your MacBook will see 1 GB of that, at worst, it won't work at all. In order to get 2 GB, you need to use two 1 GB modules. If you have an original Core Duo MacBook, do not use a 2 GB module, it would be a horrible waste of money.
The first Core 2 Duo models support 3 GB total, and so properly support one 2 GB module, and one 1 GB module. If you have one of those, then yes, leave your 512 MB module in.
The newest "Santa Rosa" Core 2 Duo models support 4 GB total, for two 2 GB modules. If you have one of those, then yes, leave your 512 MB module in.
The first Core 2 Duo models support 3 GB total, and so properly support one 2 GB module, and one 1 GB module. If you have one of those, then yes, leave your 512 MB module in.
The newest "Santa Rosa" Core 2 Duo models support 4 GB total, for two 2 GB modules. If you have one of those, then yes, leave your 512 MB module in.
Hmm I am not sure which model I have. The part no. on the box says MA701LL/A if that helps. It is a 2GHz black one. The box also says it supports up to 2GB of RAM.
. Thanks everyone!Just like apple previously said the MP could only max out at 16gb of ram, apple is basing it on the max ram they can fit into a stick of ram at the release time.
Core 2 Duo box may say supports 2gb of ram, but will work with 3gb of ram.
So the least expensive option is to get one 2gb ram, and use a 512 in the other slot.
You can also buy 1gb and 2gb for total of 3gb.
Otherwise if you want dual channel (just about 2% better performance), then get 2 chips of the same 2gb ram. Only 3gb will be available but then it will have dual channel.
So the least expensive option is to get one 2gb ram, and use a 512 in the other slot.
You can also buy 1gb and 2gb for total of 3gb.
Otherwise if you want dual channel (just about 2% better performance), then get 2 chips of the same 2gb ram. Only 3gb will be available but then it will have dual channel.
Not entirely true. The core duo macbooks can only address 2GB of ram and the core 2 duo's up to the *santa rosa* could only address a max of 3.3GB.
Its the limitation of the motherboard chip set they are using in this case.
Ding Ding Ding, we have a correct answer! It has nothing to do with the OS, or Apple's whims and everything to do with the chipset. If you were shopping for a laptop back when the Core Duos came out, you would have noticed (as I did because I that was when I got mine) that none of them could go above 2GB of RAM since that was the chipset limit.
I think the jury is still out on whether the current chipset can only go to 4GB or if it can go all the way to 8GB like the whitepapers say.
I believe the original Core 2 Duo (1.83/2.0 GHz) MacBooks were limited to 2 GB while the second line ones (2.0/2.16 GHz) were 3, 3.25, 4 GB ?!1
Two comments about this:
1. Dual-channel memory works fine in all current Intel chipsets as long as you have two modules. Capacity is irrelevant. They do *NOT* need to be 'matched', although it will work faster if they are.
2. On a system with integrated graphics (such as the MacBook,) dual-channel memory makes a noticeable improvement in graphics performance, since the graphics chip can access memory simultaneously as the main processor, with no memory bandwidth issues. On a single-channel system, memory bandwidth equals processor bandwidth, so if you are doing something that requires maximum memory bandwidth, graphics performance will suffer. This is why when the MacBook was first released, it came with two memory modules by default, whereas the MacBook Pro came with one. On a system with discrete graphics, dual-channel memory doesn't provide as large a performance boost.
(Note that these two only apply to systems where single-channel memory is fast enough to keep up with the processor bus. The Santa Rosa machines see more of a performance boost since their front side bus is 800 MHz, while the RAM is only 667 MHz, so dual-channel is needed to even let the front side bus get full speed.)