View Full Version : MacBook: 1GB Vs. 2GB
How much of a difference is there. I have a White MacBook now with a Core Duo 2.0 in it. I currently am running 1GB and I am thinking of getting 2 1GB sticks put in it. What mainly am I going to see a difference with. I am not sure if it is a lot like a PC based system.
Thanks.
Vapor
10-02-2006, 09:05 PM
You'll see a bigger difference than on a PC....go for it :)
I mean for a lot of general usage...like encoding movies and what not.
Vapor
10-03-2006, 11:20 AM
OSX does very aggressive caching, so the more RAM, the faster it goes....with everything. In XP, you'll only see a benefit if a task (or your group of tasks) can use the RAM. In OSX, you'll see a difference right from the get-go, even when the RAM isn't close to being completely used.
More strenuous activities (like encoding) also see a great benefit, not only do they get the OS-level benefit (like all apps do), but they get the benefit of there being more RAM for them to use (they like that :p: ).
It pretty much goes like this: if you multitask, even in the slightest, OSX can use that RAM effectively and make your experience smoother and faster. On top of that, your RAM intensive applications will get the typical bump as well :)
eddieate
10-03-2006, 02:56 PM
You made me want more ram now damn you *shakes fist* :p
whats good laptop ram?
Ed.
Vapor
10-03-2006, 03:07 PM
The cheapest one....all the same, just a comodity item :)
DDR2-667 though...
perry_78
10-06-2006, 12:57 PM
Yes, ram makes a world of difference. If you ever go to the apple store, find the one with 512mb, and compare it to the 1gb models (99% of them, just some of the MBP's are merely in default configuration).
A world of different, no spinning volleyball..
Anywhere you guys know to get the RAM cheap?
Vapor
10-07-2006, 07:58 AM
Newegg is about as cheap as it'll get. DDR2 prices on the rise :(
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Category=17&N=2010170381+1309121113+1309221137&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=381
~$200 combined :(
Was much, much lower a few months ago (like ~145 IIRC).
eddieate
10-07-2006, 08:10 AM
hmm but I could offset that by ebaying the 2x512 I have in there now...
Ed.
perry_78
10-07-2006, 09:53 AM
Wow, those prices are high :S
When denmark gets cheaper than the states, something is up.
[XC] moddolicous
10-07-2006, 02:16 PM
OSX does very aggressive caching, so the more RAM, the faster it goes....with everything. In XP, you'll only see a benefit if a task (or your group of tasks) can use the RAM. In OSX, you'll see a difference right from the get-go, even when the RAM isn't close to being completely used.
More strenuous activities (like encoding) also see a great benefit, not only do they get the OS-level benefit (like all apps do), but they get the benefit of there being more RAM for them to use (they like that :p: ).
It pretty much goes like this: if you multitask, even in the slightest, OSX can use that RAM effectively and make your experience smoother and faster. On top of that, your RAM intensive applications will get the typical bump as well :)
Arent most OSes except windows like that (I mean the aggressive caching of ram thing).
Vapor
10-07-2006, 02:26 PM
Arent most OSes except windows like that (I mean the aggressive caching of ram thing).Pretty much....OSX does it more aggressively than *nix though. *nix only does it if the application doesn't dictate cache structure (at least this is what I've been told by people I trust, I don't like *nix enough to do the research myself), OSX does it regardless (but only for a certain number of applications at time, forget exactly how it does it).
Only old versions of Windows aren't like that, btw. Vista is as aggressive as OSX, maybe more actually.
couppi
10-07-2006, 03:34 PM
I've heard that putting 2 gb of ram in a notebook decreases battery life. I'm not too sure how much though, but it's probably only 10 minutes or so.
Vapor
10-07-2006, 03:47 PM
Yes it does....and 10 minutes is a good estimate, maybe a little less if you consider that the HDD will be accessed a few less times as well.
FragTek
10-07-2006, 05:27 PM
Unfortunately I can't commend on the speed increase between 1 and 2gb's of memory in my MBP because I had my 2gb G.Skill kit delivered before my notebook and installed it before ever turning the thing on for the first time.
All I can tell you is that it's fast, very fast. And that I can have open all of my editing programs and still have space left for stuff like music/vidz, etc. The programs I usually multitask are Photoshop, Illustrator, Firewords, Dreamweaver, Quark Xpress, and Transmit... Always works fast and flawlessly.
If I'm doing video editing then I usuall just have Final Cut Pro, Audacity, and QuickTime open, maybe a few other small supplemental programs as well.
The installation aspect of it is great as well, took about 5 mins to get my 2 new sticks installed.
choppa
10-14-2006, 09:55 PM
The addition of 1GB of memory will blow your socks off if you like multitasking.
Regarding the amountv of power it uses and how that reflects upon battery life - well it's hard to tell. I've read spec sheets that say that the DDDR2-667 stick uses 4W when it's a 64-wide module to 14W for the same module (80nm). So on the extreme(ly) high at 14W that'd be monstrous so I'm led to believe it's on the lower scale (ie 4W).
This is because if you have a look at the battery on a Mac Book Pro you'll find it's 55W - and in high usage a MBP will use ~18-20W so 3 hours. (This is a little dubious, but it comes from the review here: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macbook.ars ). So I assume an extra 4-5W will lower your battery life by upto 15-20% if you're using the memory a lot.
Brian Pinard
10-23-2006, 11:24 PM
I have a MacBook with 2GB RAM. I've never had to worry about system slowdowns or running out of RAM. The only [rare] slowdowns come from the crappy integrated video.
So tempted to order it from NewEgg.com
G.Skill is only $104.99 right now but I am trying to pay off debt as it is right now. I will wait I guess and eventually get a MacBook Pro or an iMac. I am not sure which I would rather have being I already have a MacBook right now.
[XC] flat-four
11-01-2006, 10:48 PM
does the macbooks run in dual channel with two sticks installed? I just added another gig stick to my mbp, and was wondering.
Vapor
11-02-2006, 12:37 AM
I haven't tried Windows via Boot Camp yet, but I don't think the lappies are dual channel.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5010/vistaonosx2uv4.jpg
CPUz doesn't really work too well via Parallels....
Use CrossOver Mac and run CPU-Z and it works I believe.
lowfat
11-02-2006, 11:22 AM
I believe they are dual channel. According to my info, the macbooks are dual channel, although i can't find anything on macbook pro's, you would assume it is the same.
They should all be the same. Even the Mac Minis are Dual Channel I believe.
I just don't get how you can have Dual Channel on the new ones with a 2GB stick and a 1GB stick for the 3GB they offer...I don't get why they didn't make it 4GB...I thought for Dual Channel you had to have two of the same sticks of RAM.
[XC] flat-four
11-02-2006, 05:07 PM
This Mac window and Apple System Profiler will both show that you have 4 GB of SDRAM installed. However, Activity Monitor and other similar applications will reveal that only 3 GB of SDRAM has been addressed for use by the computer.
I wonder if they'll be able to change this when leopard comes out. Not that the 2gb sticks are in my price range anyway.
Vapor
11-02-2006, 05:48 PM
I can confirm it is dual channel now....just getting native Windows going.....but yeah, any mismatching and that'll be right out the window.....
renityren
01-02-2007, 12:42 PM
Hi,
Yes, the MacBook supports dual channel memory.
Here is a quote from an Anandtech.com article--I have emphasized the pertinent information--:
"The MacBook Pro features Intel's 945 Express chipset, but opts for a faster external graphics solution rather than rely on Intel's integrated graphics. Being based on the 945 of course means that it features a dual channel DDR2-667 memory controller, but in order to take advantage of that you have to populate both SO-DIMM slots on the MacBook Pro. There is no performance benefit however to enabling dual channel mode; remember that the Core Duo only features a 64-bit wide 667MHz FSB, and without integrated graphics a single 64-bit DDR2-667 channel can offer enough bandwidth to saturate that bus. If the future MacBooks (non-pro) do ship with integrated graphics, you may want to install memory in pairs as dual channel will matter there."
I have 2GBs on my MacBook CoreDuo and I multitask ad absurdum. I have never used my MacBook without 2GB. I also have a G5 Dual 2.33, no DDR2 or PCI-E, with 5GB of RAM. In regards to multitaskings, both perform quite similarly.
Apple's Quartz might influence multitasking performance. Quartz 2D Extreme is disabled by default. Here is a link to information on permanently enabling Quartz 2D Extreme: this should improve graphical and, subsequently, multitasking performance (I.e., Less waiting for graphics updates.) and better utilization of the dual channel memory.
Linky (http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2005050121260474).
I hope you find this useful.
Cheers.