MB Ram--Should I get 3gb or 4gb?

Jaygray · Oct 30, 2008

I have a White MB 2.2 w/ 2gb RAM (1gb x 2). I'd like to get a little better performance out of Parallels/XP. I've only been allocating 512mb to Parallels, so as to not sacrifice OS X performance.

Best I can gather from Google, if I upgrade to 4gb, only 3.3gb of it will actually be used. So I was thinking of buying a single 2gb RAM for $30 and pairing it with one of my existing 1gb RAM for a total of 3gb.

I have also read that RAM performs best when installed in evenly matched pairs. Has anyone installed mismatched RAM pairs like this? Will a mismatched 3gb outperform a matched 2gb?

I don't expect a huge gain in everyday performance, but I would like to have the option of allocating a little more to Parallels/XP on the occasions when I use it.

takadante · Oct 30, 2008

I use 4 GB and allocate 2GB to parallels. It runs seamlessly and has never hiccuped. I am not sure about only using 3.3gb, because my OSX notices 4GB, and Activity monitor states a total of 4GB.

So again, its your choice. If you have the money for 4GB, get it. It can't do damage, and you will be able to allocate about 2GB into parallels without hurting performance in OSX.

Good Luck
~joe

AirAddict · Oct 30, 2008

its so cheap now, i would get 4 ..

Soulwar · Oct 30, 2008

Jaygray said:
I have a White MB 2.2 w/ 2gb RAM (1gb x 2). I'd like to get a little better performance out of Parallels/XP. I've only been allocating 512mb to Parallels, so as to not sacrifice OS X performance.

Best I can gather from Google, if I upgrade to 4gb, only 3.3gb of it will actually be used. So I was thinking of buying a single 2gb RAM for $30 and pairing it with one of my existing 1gb RAM for a total of 3gb.

I have also read that RAM performs best when installed in evenly matched pairs. Has anyone installed mismatched RAM pairs like this? Will a mismatched 3gb outperform a matched 2gb?

I don't expect a huge gain in everyday performance, but I would like to have the option of allocating a little more to Parallels/XP on the occasions when I use it.

If this is your model, then I would max it out to 4GB.
Memory Upgrades for your Apple MacBook 2.2GHz (13.3-inch Intel Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa" Late 2007 at OtherWorldComputing.com

For all models, Apple reports that "for best performance, fill both memory slots, installing an equal memory module in each slot." Given the "integrated graphics" the MacBook is heavily dependent on system RAM, and consequently, Apple reports that installing equal RAM in each slot is important for maximum graphics performance.

Jaygray · Oct 30, 2008

I definitely have the Santa Rosa chipset. I know it is 4gb compatible. And if I can actually use the entire 4gb, I have no problem spending the money.

Next question--The Santa Rosa has an 800 MHz bus. The memory I have is 667 MHz. Is there 200 pin 800 MHz RAM that I should be looking at, or are these numbers unrelated?

(Software has always interested me more than hardware--I consider this type of stuff to be a necessary evil.)

Soulwar · Oct 30, 2008

From what I know, all Santa Rosa (with the mobile Intel 965 chipset) won't take advantage of DDR2-800Mhz... it will just be underclocked to 667Mhz. Only a few notebooks (with desktop Core 2 Duo's "Conroe") can take advantage of the DDR2-800Mhz memory.
In other words, don't waste the extra money on 800Mhz...

Jaygray · Oct 30, 2008

For anyone else with a pre-Santa Rosa MB who stumbles across this thread, I just found this...

MacBook Memory Performance Testing - 512MB to 4.0GB, Pairs vs. non-Pairs, real-world performance comparisons at | OtherWorldComputing.com