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Yep, the RAM at Fry's has always been cheap, and I won't touch it with a ten foot pole. Hopefully it's gotten better over the years.

For me, it's worth the increment in price to get RAM from Crucial. I've bought a lot of RAM from them over the years for both Macs and PCs, and never had to hassle with it. Unlike my (and mostly my friends') experiences with Fry's RAM.


Crikey
 
I just got my RAM, installed it, and so far, no problems at all. Pbook 12" Rev. C booted up without issue, and has been running perfectly for the past few hours. The performance increase is amazing. Word '04 boots up in about 2 seconds, compared to the 10 or 15 it used to. Photoshop CS used to take a good 30 seconds. Now, we're more into the 10 second range. I only use the computer for work, so I don't have any games on there, but if I don't have any issues in the next week, I'm going to order a gig for my FP iMac 1Ghz.

Good luck everyone!
 
Word used to take 10-15 seconds to start up on your Rev C 12" PB? On my rev B, it takes around 2 to 3 seconds with only 512MB or RAM total. Yeah, I only got a 256MB stick of RAM from Crucial, and was thinking of buying this RAM. I can't believe that it would take THAT long for Word to start up. How much RAM did you have before? I would have bought this RAM if I was in Canada, but I'm not. I'll probably just get OWC RAM once I get back from Oz.
 
That is an amazing improvement in performance. My PB 1.5 Ghz takes about 5 seconds to startup Word 2004 with 512 MB with nothing else running except for Safari and Mail. I have a 80 GB 5400 rpm drive. I originally needed more memory to run Virtual PC and Photoshop but it's nice to know that the performance will be better for basic needs.
 
Well, I've read enough positive reports on this site and the other one to say that I am definitely going to get this. At first I was thinking of just getting an extra 256MB for my PB for about $50, but heck, if I can get 1GB for only 3 times the cost, I might as well go for it!

(The sad part of all of this is my G5 only has 512MB RAM... it's gonna be jealous :p)
 
Ahhh big ram

Well guys, the 12" powerbook finally came in yesterday. I spent all evening working with it. I did XBench tests for both before and after installing the 1 gig stick from frys. I got around a 96 without the ram and about a 98 with the ram. I figure this is pretty good. Also it seems everything is loading like a champ. I'm loading 98se on virtual pc as I'm typing this and have mail and ichat av and Romeo (which is really really awesome since I have a nokia 3650), and I could probably load a ton more. But I am very very happy!
 
I put the stick in my 15" AL book and works great. Apple hardware test says everything is fine. Unfortunatly I haven't gotten a chance to really use it yet, but it is nice having it there, knowing I don't need to worry about running out of ram ever :D .
 
Supercheap 1GB RAM p'booK

I just upped my pb17/1.3 RAM from 1 gig to 1.5 via the Fry's $139 stick. the mac recognizes it. it passed the diagnosis disk test twice, however, Xbench shows no improvement in performance. in fact in some parts of the memory tests it was lower, some a bit quicker. levels off to same as before. don't know if real world use will show a difference, or if it matters which slot it goes into, or???? i'm using the latest Xbench, and i'm on Panther 10.34... with 7200rpm hitachi drive...
interested to hear if anybody else got such lackluster results
thanks all,
-EKG

PS: 10.35 sucks on my Pismo500/1gig/60... USB, sleep and battery problems... beware!
 
All RAM is not equal.

That being said, if someone is happy with less expensive hardware and seeing "1GB RAM" in the System Profiler is satisfaction enough to justify the expense, then so be it. However, just because RAM is recognized by the OS dosen't mean that it's working up to spec.

I will never buy Samsung RAM from Apple when I can get it elsewhere for 50% off. But at the same time, I have seen cheap memory cause more problems than anything else - Kernal Panics, OS upgrade issues, and the like.

My question to this company is this: Why is your RAM covered only for 1 year when the industry standard for memory is lifetime? Seems like the company knows that it's RAM is sub-standard and my time's not worth dealing with the hassle of returning memory (that is, if it decides to fail before the brief 1 year period).
 
True

I had questioned the one year warranty myself. But at half the price of all the other options it seems to be an ok risk. Even if this unit fails after that one year period you had a years use of it and could still by a stick from crucial at less than what apple charges. It isnt a bad gamble in my estimation.
 
tfaz1 said:
All RAM is not equal.

That being said, if someone is happy with less expensive hardware and seeing "1GB RAM" in the System Profiler is satisfaction enough to justify the expense, then so be it. However, just because RAM is recognized by the OS dosen't mean that it's working up to spec.

Well even if the RAM isn't working up to spec, its still cheaper price/performance wise than more expensive RAM, as long as it works. Even if a 1GB stick only gives you improvement equivalent to adding 717MB of RAM to your system, its still better than the other deals out there, so even if its not working to a 1GB spec, its still cool. :) However, I'm worried about some of the performance improvements being posted here after installing that RAM. :eek:

@Scottwatt: 2 points isn't "fine." That's nothing.....could even be statistical fluctuation. My rev B 1GHz 12" Powerbook (slower CPU and system bus than your new 12" PB) scores around a 99 in XBench, and my system has a total of 512MB of RAM. With my 256MB stick replaced with a 1GB stick, I'd expect my system to perform above 109+. Your system should get a higher score than 110 with 1.25GB of RAM.

And make sure you guys are testing the RAM with the CPU performance turned to HIGHEST rather than AUTOMATIC. ;)
 
I'm kinda agreeing with most of the posts on this. For this amount you can afford to take the risk. Besides Frys has a great exchange policy, if the performance is not $160 worth (they rose it to $159) then just take it back.
 
FWIW: I have had two experiences with RAM from Fry's. The first was in an el-cheapo eMachines PC 5 years ago, and the other was this year in my eMac. In the first case, the 64MB chip refused to show up as more than 32MB. In the second, we bought Corsair RAM, without realizing that, even though "all RAM is equal", Corsair clearly states (not on their webSITE, but on their FORUMS) that they DO NOT SUPPORT Macs, and if the RAM "goes bad" in a Mac, their warranty DOES NOT COVER IT! Of course, we had Kernel Panics galore, and the AHT showed that there was a flaw in one of the sticks we had bought, so we just returned them. So, even though "all RAM is equal", I would still be cautious about RAM lacking a one year warranty, or even RAM that is not specifically indicated for Macs. Even in that case, I ordered RAM from 4AllMemory for an iMac G3 333Mhz, and they sent the wrong density sticks. Granted, this does not mean the RAM was faulty, and they did eventually replace them with the right one. There is, however, something to be said for reputation. I have even seen differences in the PC world, where RAM chips are indicated either for Intel or AMD systems (and I am not sure of the reasons for this, if somebody else is, please inform...without flaming). Anyways, just my 2 cents.

EDIT: And yes, I am aware that my experiences are in no way scientific tests, nor are they even necessarily indicative of the quality of Fry's/other companies products. I merely offer them as anecdotes.
 
Duh why didnt I think of that

Abstract said:
@Scottwatt: 2 points isn't "fine." That's nothing.....could even be statistical fluctuation. My rev B 1GHz 12" Powerbook (slower CPU and system bus than your new 12" PB) scores around a 99 in XBench, and my system has a total of 512MB of RAM. With my 256MB stick replaced with a 1GB stick, I'd expect my system to perform above 109+. Your system should get a higher score than 110 with 1.25GB of RAM.

And make sure you guys are testing the RAM with the CPU performance turned to HIGHEST rather than AUTOMATIC. ;)

Das ist the PROBLEM!! LOL I managed a 120 point this time at high performance cpu setting. It seems the 4500 rpm HD is the main cause for a lower score, but I intend to wait for a real fast and real big (80gig X 7200rpm) but really thats what I say so I can kill time till I can afford an upgrade like that. I totally forgot that setting was even there. I figured with the power plugged in apple would have set automatic to "balls to the walls" Oh well!
 
results of the memory part of the test

Memory Test 135.17
System 145.56
Allocate 867.72 566.01 Kalloc/sec
Fill 139.88 1113.44 MB/sec
Copy 81.25 406.23 MB/sec
Stream 126.16
Copy 128.36 938.28 MB/sec [altivec]
Scale 127.87 943.70 MB/sec [altivec]
Add 126.09 806.99 MB/sec [altivec]
Triad 122.48 748.34 MB/sec [altivec]

that doesnt look very readable but the first number is the score and the second would be the speed results.
 
Looks like the RAM is back in stock, so I think I will order it. I was a little concerned after the benchmarks scott originally posted, but now that he fixed them, I'm not too worried.

BTW, what are you using to get those numbers? I want to test my machine benchmarks...

Edit: Nevermind, I found the XBench program at versiontracker.
 
I'm very happy with mine

Just so you all know, I have used the ram for about a week or so and I'm very happy with it. I've done some pretty intensive stuff, alot of photoshop and some virtual PC work. I haven't gotten things like Final cut yet, but I hope to soon. I think it will handle it very well. I also temper my review by saying that I don't know how the computer would feel with say 349$ ram or 600$ apple ram. But for me and my current needs, unless this stick somehow breaks I think I will keep it the way it is. :D
 
yeah macsolutions has a stick for around 260 and seems more reliable with a lifetime replacement warranty...thats what i am gonna buy


they dont list many stats on this ram listed on the thread :(
 
scottwat said:
Das ist the PROBLEM!! LOL I managed a 120 point this time at high performance cpu setting. It seems the 4500 rpm HD is the main cause for a lower score, but I intend to wait for a real fast and real big (80gig X 7200rpm) but really thats what I say so I can kill time till I can afford an upgrade like that. I totally forgot that setting was even there. I figured with the power plugged in apple would have set automatic to "balls to the walls" Oh well!

*smacks forehead*

Geez, guys. :p
 
2 GB of memory in my PB!

I got my memory from http://eshop.macsales.com for my 15' PB.
(2) 1 GB with that CL 2.5 rating and lifetime warranty. $500 for both.
No Crucial memory for me. They would have been tempting if the price was 30% more money but they lost my sale for being greedy.

I ordered it after 5:00pm and it came the next day just before 10:00am.
So far it's working and it makes iPhoto scream. I maxed my Linux and Windows 2000 Virtual PC settings to 512 so those run faster. The screen refresh is still slow but hopefully VPC 7 fixes that. VPC is basically free from the money I saved from not buying from Crucial.
 
i just bought this the other week... "1GB Module for PowerBook G4 AL 12/15/17"; iMac G4/1.0GHz+, iBook G4s $199.00 Get a 1GB from OWC vs. what Apple charges to add just 512MB!"

it works pretty good... wish i saw Outpost's deal when it was @ 139. i might get it at 160 anyways.


peace.
 
eklektro said:
I just upped my pb17/1.3 RAM from 1 gig to 1.5 via the Fry's $139 stick. the mac recognizes it. it passed the diagnosis disk test twice, however, Xbench shows no improvement in performance.

Xbench won't show improvement based on adding more RAM. You're not speeding up the memory subsystem or anything. You're just adding memory.

The performance improvement comes from less swapping to disk and more memory available for caching the OS and contents of the disk - Xbench is not designed to measure this.

-vga4life
 
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