1 Gb RAM on 12" Powerbook ?

cider

Hi



I'll soon have to buy a laptop to replace my old-but-still-there G3-300 iBook. I have low needs but I am pretty keen on getting a 12" PB instead of a 900 iBook, espescially because of the G4 (will have a little need for image processing capabilities).

The 12" PB just matches all my requirements, excepted one, the RAM capacity : official specs announce a max RAM of 640 Mo, which should be all right for approx. 2 years, but... That parameter is essential to me for I tend to keep my Macs a pretty long time (it does account for 50 % or more of my computers lifetime).

So I'd largely prefer a 1Gb limit, even if I do not reach it straight away. The thing is that I read somewhere that it might be possible to adapt a 1Gb RAM element on a 12" PB (even if it is still very expansive 600 $). Do you know something about that ?

Does the 12" just need a firmware adjustment or something like that to accept 1Gb RAM ?

Thanks

paul

you have a 1 gig floor on ram, but you were looking at an iBook



anyway... yeah you can break through that barrier to 1152megs (128 onboard +1024 chip) if you don't mind paying a ridiculous amount for a 1Gig chip of ram... But remember there is only one open ram spot on the book, so any ram you add will end up with you throwing out old ram...

aquatic

Yes I looked and there was a company offering a 1gig stick for the 12" PB but it was very expensive. Don't bother 640 is a lot of RAM (more than my huge 3000 Dell my roommate has for gaming, haha that caught his attention...640?). I mean why do production work on a for all intents, SUBnotebook?

bunge

Quote:

Originally posted by Aquatic

I mean why do production work on a for all intents, SUBnotebook?

If we have to question, then why not just ask why does Apple offer it?

aquatic

What?

cider

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul

you have a 1 gig floor on ram, but you were looking at an iBook



anyway... yeah you can break through that barrier to 1152megs (128 onboard +1024 chip) if you don't mind paying a ridiculous amount for a 1Gig chip of ram... But remember there is only one open ram spot on the book, so any ram you add will end up with you throwing out old ram...

Well once again, that 1Gb isn't my "floor on ram" : it is just a life-time issue : I definitely do not need so much ram at the moment. 640 is already twice the amount I have on my present laptop. But I'd like to be able to go up to 1 Gb in the future, when those 1Gb sticks will get at a reasonable price. Yeah, I know I'll have to throw my 512 chip away, but I do think it will find a place somewhere. Paying 100 euros in two years for two more years at my ease will be a pretty smart deal anyway.



So, how come that those PB could stand 1 Gb when Apple announces only 640 ?

matsu

I think 640 should do nicely for the life of the machine, no need to worry, 1152 will be an option too, if/when prices come down, though you may already be on to a new machine by then.



Just an example.



The other night, I had a couple of big Word files, Safari (and a bunch of tabs), Viewer, and a couple of iChat text discussions and an full iChat A/V video chat going at one time, and my dual display spanned. I have the factory 256MB of RAM, and it just kept plugging away, though you could feel the A/V chat wanted more RAM, it got a bit clunky sometimes. With 640MB, you should be fine. The GB isn't worth the premium ATM.

cider

I thank you all for your answers...

but it is quite funny how people just tend to answer totally aside it : I wasn't asking whether I should or shouldn't need 1Gb Ram in the future, I was just asking if it would be easy to reach it with a 12".

Your opinions are always interesting, but as I wrote initially I tend to keep my macs a pretty long time, so having bought a new laptop, by the time 1Gb sticks become available and at a reasonable cost, is precisely not what I'm aiming to. Anyway, it appears that those 1Gb sticks on 12" are somewhat conceivable. But again, why do Apple still communicate at 640 max ? That's mystery.

paul

they always do that... a couple of years ago they didnt "support" 512 sticks in some of their computers so the "max" in a lot of them was 512 when 1 gig would have fit fine

cider

All right. You're supposed to trash it cos' you can't feed it with Ram anymore. I'm just too idiot for those strategies.

mrmister

It's no conspiracy--they test the computers with whatever is the largest RAMM chips available when it ships. The 1GB chips weren't available when they were spec-ing out the laptop--hence, it hasn't been tested.



Some people on MacNN have tried them and they do indeed work.

ast3r3x

after using a 12" with maxed out ram yesterday and it running OS X and Ghost Recon amazingly well i find it hard to talk it down but seriously...what production and/or imaging are you doing with a 12" laptop? If you could wait for the 15" to be updated or even get the 17" (too expensive) u probably should, but i would think unless your doing internet imaging and not highres stuff that the G5 would be the one for you



i am kinda in ur shoes, i need a computer to last me my senior yr in high school and hoepfully all of college, so i'm going the biggest and best i can...the dual 2GHz, that way it won't get outdated as fast and leaves me PLENTY of upgrade options...500GB HD (more ones bigger come out i'd think) and up to 8GB of RAM! taht should last 4-5yrs i'd hope assuming i give it the yearly update of ram or somethign to keep it happy and feelig new

sdw2001

I'd reccomend NOT doing it. It's beyond the machine's specs and may cause problems down the road.



Your more important problem is the video card. My Pismo can't run any current games (basically) with its formerly state of the art 8MB Rage Mobility. That's a much bigger obstacle than the RAM.

audiopollution

Quote:

Originally posted by SDW2001

I'd reccomend NOT doing it. It's beyond the machine's specs and may cause problems down the road.



Your more important problem is the video card. My Pismo can't run any current games (basically) with its formerly state of the art 8MB Rage Mobility. That's a much bigger obstacle than the RAM.

Actually, the developers notes do mention using 1GB SO-DIMMS, but call them 'theoretical' as none were/are available at the time of writing the notes.



Also in the notes:



"Maximum total RAM capacity using devices currently available is 640 MB and is limited by the space available for the SO-DIMM."



Kingston have a 1GB SO-DIMM available ... but it would be an expensive upgrade!



"KVR266X64SC25/1G 1GB 266MHz Non ECC DDR SODIMM $1,188.00"

cider

Quote:

Originally posted by SDW2001

I'd reccomend NOT doing it. It's beyond the machine's specs and may cause problems down the road.



Your more important problem is the video card. My Pismo can't run any current games (basically) with its formerly state of the art 8MB Rage Mobility. That's a much bigger obstacle than the RAM.

I personnally don't bother about games since I am no passionate gamer. If I was keen on games, I definitely would'nt buy a laptop, and probably not a mac neither. So the video card won't limit my machine lifetime.



"Seriously", as someone said, my personnal use is for simple imaging/editing (indeed internet), and simple Xpress and Photoshop uses. I won't need a G5, and that's good news cos' I do not have the money. One last time, I do NOT intent to have those 1 Gb straight away. I certainly won't need it before 2 years.

cider

Quote:

Originally posted by audiopollution

Actually, the developers notes do mention using 1GB SO-DIMMS, but call them 'theoretical' as none were/are available at the time of writing the notes.



Also in the notes:



"Maximum total RAM capacity using devices currently available is 640 MB and is limited by the space available for the SO-DIMM."



Kingston have a 1GB SO-DIMM available ... but it would be an expensive upgrade!



"KVR266X64SC25/1G 1GB 266MHz Non ECC DDR SODIMM $1,188.00"

Thanks, audiopollution. That's a documented answer. Exactly what I wanted to know. Great, I'll go in peace.

macrescue

Here are the pics from a german memory reseller.