[chabig]

I don't usually buy my RAM from Apple, so this is not a rant. Just an observation now that the iBooks and the Powerbook take the same SO-DIMMs.

At the online store, select the low end iBook and the low end Powerbook. Then see how much Apple charges to add a single 512MB SO-DIMM:

On the iBook, the SO-DIMM costs $150.
On the Powerbook, the very same SO-DIMM costs $300.

Interesting.

Chris

[CheesePuff]

I believe that the iBook has 256 MB built-in so its just adding another 256 MB to make it 512 MB total for $150.

While the PowerBook has 256 MB built-in and an additional 512 MB stick for $300 will bring it to 768 MB.

[AssassyN]

Nope. The G4 iBooks have "128"MB built-in, whereas the 12" PBs have "256"MB built-in. You're very right, Apple charges double for the SAME stick of RAM in the 12" PB.

[chabig]

Apple charges double for the SAME stick of RAM in the 12" PB.

Yeah. They do. Maybe that's because they have to remove and reinstall four screws to install Powerbook RAM. Installing iBook RAM doesn't require any "screwing."

Chris

[milhaus]

They charge less because they take out the 128MB of ram in there in the first place. granted, that's not worth $150, but that must be why. the ibook is stock: 128 fixed + 128 stick.

[chabig]

Good point. There is that.

Chris

[beaverclea]

I was just a ramseeker, and was not sure what type of memory to buy since most sites have not refreshed their pages. Has anyone found found anywhere specifically selling the new G4 ibook memory

[chabig]

It's the same memory as the Powerbook G4, a PC 2100 DDR (or faster) SDRAM SO-DIMM.

http://www.ramseeker.com/scripts/sor...sortSize=512mb

Chris

[Luca Rescigno]

Actually, getting 640 MB BTO on the iBooks might be a good idea. It's $150 from Apple and $130 for a module from Crucial. So you save $20 and you get to keep the 128 MB module if you buy from Crucial - but you have the hassle of upgrading the RAM, and who is going to buy a 128 MB DDR SODIMM? Other brands are cheaper, in the $100 range, but it seems reasonable to BTO a 512 MB module. Also, with an educational discount, it's only $130.

Another price inconsistency - on the 1 GHz Combo eMac, the standard drive is 40 GB. You can BTO an 80 GB drive for $50 or a 160 GB drive for $100. Therefore, you can assume the 160 GB drive is worth $50 more than the 80 GB, right? Wrong... for the flat panel iMac, it costs $100 to go from 80 GB to 160 GB, even though the 80 GB drive should theoretically be worth $50 more towards the upgraded drive than the 40 GB drive from the eMac.

I think this is just a case of Apple not getting around to updating their store in time, though. They'll probably fix these errors within a week. But it seems strange that no one thought of it yet.

[d4nth3m4n]

it isnt the same stick of ram. the ram for the powerbooks is a 200 pin ddr and the ibook has a slot for a 144 sdram. not to mention that the ibook uses 133 or 100mhz (whatever the bus speed is) ram while the pbook uses 266mhz ram

Ibook

Pbook 12"

Other Pbooks

ibook clarification- there is 128mb or ram soldered on to the LB and one free slot. therefore you cannnot just buy a 256 stick to get to 512 ram on the ibook, instead you will have 384mb of ram and a 128 stick with nowhere to put it. i have a ibook 700mhz and i just bought a 512 stick (with shipping) for $90 from 18004memory.com

this help to clear this up?

[chabig]

The Powerbooks and the new iBooks DO use the same RAM. The iBook links you just posted are for the "old" G3 iBooks, not the G4 iBooks introduced today.

The faster system bus and faster RAM are just a few of the reasons (besides the G4) that make these iBooks such a great improvement over the older G3 models.

See www.apple.com/ibook/specs.html

Chris

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by chabig:
The Powerbooks and the new iBooks DO use the same RAM. The iBook links you just posted are for the "old" G3 iBooks, not the G4 iBooks introduced today.

The faster system bus and faster RAM are just a few of the reasons (besides the G4) that make these iBooks such a great improvement over the older G3 models.

See www.apple.com/ibook/specs.html

Chris

doesnt bus speed dictate the speed of the ram? all i see is a 133mhz bus, and from what i can tell, the ram in the g3 ibook was 133 ram. no to mention that the max ram is still 640 (128+ 512) if the g4 ibook used a different kinda ram, wouldnt the 1gb sodimm for the powerbook be available to the ibook?

[fraeone]

Yes, you're right. The system bus usually is linked to the RAM Speed, and the new ibook's bus runs at 133mhz.

BUT you're missing one important part. The new ibook G4 uses DDR memory. DDR stands for Double Data Rate. In other words, double the 133mhz - to a cool 266mhz for the RAM. 266mhz = PC2100, or, the same RAM that is in the PB.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by fraeone:
Yes, you're right. The system bus usually is linked to the RAM Speed, and the new ibook's bus runs at 133mhz.

BUT you're missing one important part. The new ibook G4 uses DDR memory. DDR stands for Double Data Rate. In other words, double the 133mhz - to a cool 266mhz for the RAM. 266mhz = PC2100, or, the same RAM that is in the PB.

aiite ill admit defeat. but why the 640 limit? is this a [physical] space issue?

edit- OR is the vram the only DDR on the comp. i cant seem to figure out why the 640 cap is there...

Dan.

[fraeone]

Most of the speculation that I've read so far seems to suggest that the 640M limit is merely a practical one. There are 1G SODIMMS available, but it's doubtful that anyone buying an ibook for $1100 is going to drop $600 to get one.

I imagine that the limit is similar to the RevA 12" PB, which the new ibook is closest too. They originally said it was limited to 640M, but I'm pretty sure it's possible to push it to 1152M (128 built in + 1024 sodimm)

[d4nth3m4n]

ok ill shut up now. i apologize for my stubborness . thanks for the prompt responses tho.

i was wrong

Dan.