RAM Upgrade Q...

[viggen61]

I've got a 2.33 Ghz MBP with 2GB of Apple RAM.

I'm looking to max it out at 3GB. I know that I have to remove one of the 1GB modules, and replace it with a 2GB module.

I saw something on OWC's site today that got me thinking. They offer a "matched" 3GB set. I was wondering if there is any real performance advantage.

Also, has anyone taken advantage of their trade-in?

Thanks!

 

[iknowyourider]

http://guides.macrumors.com/Understanding_Intel_Mac_RAM

http://guides.macrumors.com/Matched_RAM_on_Intel_Macs

Good guides.

 

[greekpaz22]

not really going to make a big difference from past experience..

 

[mejia67]

I kinda new to Mac Operation system, But I recently purchased a MBP 2.16ghz which also max at 3gb. Well What I did was installed a kit of 2x 2gb and now on my system it is showing up as 4gb!!! by the way I got the kit from newegg.com for $68

hope that helps any...

 

[viggen61]

http://guides.macrumors.com/Understanding_Intel_Mac_RAM

http://guides.macrumors.com/Matched_RAM_on_Intel_Macs

Good guides.

Good guides, yes, but I'm still confused about package that OWC is selling. From what I understand, there is a 6-8% boost to speed with "matched" RAM, which I always thought meant at LEAST matched in size, like 2x 1GB or 2x 2GB.

OWC is selling a "matched" 3GB set with one 2GB and 1 1GB. Does anyone know for sure if this works as advertised?

I've already got 2x1GB Apple RAM, so it's probably worth it to me to "keep" them matched.

Of course, I could just splurge on 2x2GB for a totla of 4, even though I'll only get to use 3.3 of that...

 

[viggen61]

I kinda new to Mac Operation system, But I recently purchased a MBP 2.16ghz which also max at 3gb. Well What I did was installed a kit of 2x 2gb and now on my system it is showing up as 4gb!!! by the way I got the kit from newegg.com for $68

hope that helps any...

From what I've been able to ascertain, even though "About this Mac" and "System Profiler" show you 4GB, the OS can only address 3.3 GB of that amount. I can't recall which app you need to launch to prove that (System Monitor?), but it's only the MBPs intro'ed later in 2007 that can address 4 GB (the Penryn MBPs?).

It's a hardware limitation.

 

[CanadaRAM]

It's semantics
"Matching" in a 3 GB kit means the modules are the same brand. It does not mean that they run dual channel access and there is no benefit other than the presumption of a higher certainty of compatibility between the 2 modules.

Matching for dual channel access means the same size, speed and composition of the 2 modules.

 

[viggen61]

It's semantics
"Matching" in a 3 GB kit means the modules are the same brand. It does not mean that they run dual channel access and there is no benefit other than the presumption of a higher certainty of compatibility between the 2 modules.

Matching for dual channel access means the same size, speed and composition of the 2 modules.

That's what I thought. But since "matched RAM" has a particular connotation, and indeed, technical meaning, aren't they stretching the truth a bit, if not outright falsely advertising?

So basically, at this point, the only way I can keep the RAM matched would be to buy 2x2GB & end up wasting 700 MB of that...

Something to ponder...

 

[CanadaRAM]

So basically, at this point, the only way I can keep the RAM matched would be to buy 2x2GB & end up wasting 700 MB of that...

Yes, that's the only way to get dual channel memory access.