PC100 RAM, I'm clueless.
I need to buy a 512 stick for my original flat panel iMac 800 G4 Superdrive, with its adorable 100 Mhz system bus.
Are there any places to buy it, instead of online? Say Best Buy, Circuit City? I dont want to order online because of the shipping time involved. Any help is very much appreciated, and and ideas on what a fair price is would also help. Thanks.
Are there any places to buy it, instead of online? Say Best Buy, Circuit City? I dont want to order online because of the shipping time involved. Any help is very much appreciated, and and ideas on what a fair price is would also help. Thanks.
Comments
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
I need to buy a 512 stick for my original flat panel iMac 800 G4 Superdrive, with its adorable 100 Mhz system bus.
Are there any places to buy it, instead of online? Say Best Buy, Circuit City? I dont want to order online because of the shipping time involved. Any help is very much appreciated, and and ideas on what a fair price is would also help. Thanks.
You might be able to find one at CompUSA. I got a 512 SODIMM there a few weeks ago (the generic brand) and it works well. Alternatively, the PNY brand is the same that MemoryX sells online.
You have to be careful because most of the RAM now is not backwards compatible -- if it says 133 that probably means you should get either a 100 or a dual (100/133) stick instead.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
Uh, no. DDR SDRAM is not PC100. PC100 is, I guess, SDR SDRAM. So you need to NOT get DDR SDRAM or it won't even physically fit.
OK, so SDR SDRAM is what works with my iMac?
Originally posted by Kenneth
Crucial RAM is the best choice.
I've never had a problem with Kingston RAM.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
OK, so SDR SDRAM is what works with my iMac?
You need 512mb SDRAM PC133.
Get this
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
OK, so SDR SDRAM is what works with my iMac?
Basically, yes. "SDR SDRAM" isn't used really... it's just to provide distinction from "DDR SDRAM," which you don't want. Normally, single datarate RAM is sold as just "SDRAM." The "SD" in SDRAM stands for "synchronous dynamic," not "single datarate," so that's why you can have DDR SDRAM.
I think by the time you're done agonizing over this purchase and you actually go to CompUSA or something, you will have already received mail-order RAM. Is it that critical that you get it two or three days sooner? Personally I'd rather buy something that I know will work online, and have it shipped to my door.
Originally posted by trailmaster308
You need 512mb SDRAM PC133.
Get this
My bus speed is 100 Mhz though!
That said, I tend to buy from Crucial. Their memory is top notch and priced only slightly higher than many no-name merchants.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
My bus speed is 100 Mhz though!
Doesn't matter. PC133 will automatically scale down to 100 MHz.
Get the PC133. It's easier to find than the old PC100 and might even be cheaper.
Watch out for PC133 though. Some brands specifically say it wont clock back to PC100 anymore unless your computer is at least 1Ghz. At least that applies to PNY.
So get it now.
The Good Stuff
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
Eh, I just skipped the shit-storm and went ahead and bought a 256 chip from Apple...$106 total, at least I'll know it'll work properly.
The Good Stuff
Everyone told you that Crucial was good... in fact, Crucial makes all the RAM Apple sells.
But, now you have it, so be happy and know that you're 100% sure that it'll work. Also, having high-quality RAM can raise the resale value of a computer.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
Everyone told you that Crucial was good... in fact, Crucial makes all of the RAM Apple sells.
Its only $20 more than Crucial so he didnt do that bad.
My PNY 256mb was $50 after rebate which was the cheapest I could find. Now, $36 saved over Crucial price aint bad, although Crucial sells the faster chip, CL2.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
[BBut, now you have it, so be happy and know that you're 100% sure that it'll work. Also, having high-quality RAM can raise the resale value of a computer.[/B]
It really helps the overall value? That's cool, I guess it's because it delivers piece of mind and is what, faster? I know it's more reliable but does higher quality have an impact on performance too?
I definitely think high-quality RAM will raise the resale value. Whatever you use, whoever buys your old system will have that in the back of his/her mind. If you put generic cheap stuff in there, they'll always be just slightly worried about it, whereas if you put the high quality RAM in, they'll remember and be more assured.
I don't think it'll really make much of a speed difference though, comparing Crucial or Apple to a cheaper brand like Coast-To-Coast.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
It really helps the overall value? That's cool, I guess it's because it delivers piece of mind and is what, faster? I know it's more reliable but does higher quality have an impact on performance too?
According to everyone I spoke to, the difference between CL2(faster) and CL3 is not noticable. It still bugged me, so I was going to switch it out for Crucial RAM. Now I dont want to move the computer so I aint doing anything. It seems to run just fine with the CL3 RAM so screw it.