Normal Crucial RAM v Crucial Apple RAM

[Applespider]

I know, I know, yet another RAM thread but this is for my mother who's 400 miles away but wants to play with Tiger. Her iBook only has 256MB of RAM so I've suggested adding some more. I'll install it for her but I just want to check something with you guys.

Looking up Crucial UK and putting Mum's iBook specs into their memory selector, it comes up with £70 for a 512MB SODIMM. That's here That seems pricey to me, given that it was only £64 last year and all the other prices of RAM seem to have fallen in that time period!

If I don't go through the product selector and just choose their DDR PC2100 RAM, then 512MB costs £41. It looks identical specwise It's here.

The other PC2100 RAM upgrade prices are identical between the iBook recommended and the 'generic' recommended (£12 for 128 MB, £20 for 256MB, £90 for 1GB).

I'm leaning towards just buying the Crucial 'generic' RAM but would appreciate opinions. Anyone tried it? I know the 1GB price is good but Mum really doesn't need 1.25GB of RAM, she's perfectly happy pootling along with 256MB as it is so a jump to 768 would astonish her. Alternatively, I just buy her the bare bones 256MB for £20 to get her to 512.

 

[Vlade]

Be careful, I accidently bought some PC2100 ram with the wrong configuration for my ibook (it was either 16x16 or 64x4) and it didn't work. BUT if they are they same configuration save yourself the money. A simple extra 256 might do the trick though.

 

[Applespider]

Be careful, I accidently bought some PC2100 ram with the wrong configuration for my ibook (it was either 16x16 or 64x4) and it didn't work. BUT if they are they same configuration save yourself the money. A simple extra 256 might do the trick though.

The cheaper one is 64 x 64. Cunningly, they don't say what the iBook's RAM configuration is although they do with all the others (which match the generic perfectly)

Anyone with an iBook 1Ghz from mid 2004 know what configuration their RAM is?

Thanks

 

[Val-kyrie]

Configuration

I also am looking to purchase additional 3d party RAM for an iBook in the future; so, could someone please explain what the RAM's "configuration" is or at least point me to one/some reliable article(s)/thread(s)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CanadaRAM]

(Sigh)

Configuration is the way the memory is organized on the module, the number of physical memory chips, and the logical organization of the Rows and Columns of memory within the chips.

It is one factor in compatibility, but it is not definitive. You can't say that a 64 x 64 PC2700 SODIMM will be Mac compatible.

There are certain things we can say with confidence, (like a PC133 8-chip module will never work in a PowerMac G4 tower), but there are key Mac-compatibility specifications like the setting of the SPD values, that you cannot read from any seller's specification sheet.

It's down to the seller testing and guaranteeing that it works in your specific model of Mac. If there is no compatibility guarantee, then you are taking a risk. A module can be a perfectly good PC module, but with the wrong settings, unusable in a Mac.

When a seller advertises two modules, and says only one of them is Mac compatible, they are probably correct. Either the generic module is cheaper because they didn't spend the time to test it and won't guarantee compatibility one way or the other (which means you are on your own for compatibility and may lose your price savings on return shipping charges), or the Apple one is more expensive because they know the generic won't work and have to use a different build for the Apple ones. The same thing goes on with PC brand-specific vs, generic, we don't have to feel singled out.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

 

[Applespider]

Thanks Trevor - much appreciated.

I've got another week or so to have a good look around and see what other options might be available for Mum which are iBook guaranteed and may be cheaper. I'm just conscious that as she's not really a geek and thinks 256 is fine for her, that making her pay out £70 for 512MB may not be worthwhile. If I can't find any around the £50 mark then I might just get her the £20 extra 256...

 

[Gordy]

Have a look at kingston ram there are mac specific models which are quite cheap

 

[ijustin]

i bought the £41 512MB recently for my ibook and it works fine even though Cruciial said it wouldn't. I would definately recommend it, and even if it doesn't work you can return it.

 

[Mord]

you could import the stuff, http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/27LGESO1GB/, you have to add $20 shipping 17.5% tax and £4 fedex getting payed to pay the tax for you, thats what i got for my sister and it works fine, and international RMA's are quick and painless if anything gos wrong, also you have an excuse to pick up some on other things from them like an upgraded ipod battery or a new extended powerbook battery.