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More than 2GB RAM
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
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I see that the new MBPs have a max of 3GB RAM - this is accomplished by installing a single 1GB stick and a single 2GB stick.
Is there any reason why us MB owners can't do the same (I'm dying here with only 2GB)? What's stopping people from installing 2x 2GB to make 4GB? Hardware limitation?
I remember back in the day that a model's max RAM was calculated based on available slots and the max size of available/compatible RAM sticks. As RAM manufacturers increased the density of their RAM the max RAM for a particular machine would increase. Is this not also true today?
Thoughts?
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20+ year MacNN forum member. MacBook Air 11" 1.6Ghz 4GB 128GB Backlit Keyboard, 4S, iPad Mini
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2000
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There was a thread about this - I think on ArsTechnica. Someone tried a 2GB chip in the MacBook and it worked with a single 2GB chip but not with more than 2GB installed (ie. not with 2GB + 1GB)
Seems to be a firmware limitation, as the Intel chipset should support it, and the guy's own test showed that the chip itself works OK.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
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The MBP's chipset limits RAM to something like 3.2 GB, so 2 2GB chips wouldn't do you any good.
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Moderator  Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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Originally Posted by Gossamer 
The MBP's chipset limits RAM to something like 3.2 GB, so 2 2GB chips wouldn't do you any good.
I think the question is whether 3 GB can work in the new MB, not about the 3 GB limitation with the chipset.
Steve
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Senior User
Join Date: Dec 2002
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How is this firmware limitation implemented? Is there a way to "hack" it per se?
If I could have 4GB of RAM in my MacBook I would be ecstatic.
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..13" MacBook Pro | 2.53gHz | 4gb RAM | 320gb Seagate Momentus XT | OSX.6.6.. // iPhone 4 32gb
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Originally Posted by drnkn_stylz
If I could have 4GB of RAM in my MacBook I would be ecstatic.
Then you'll have to wait for santa rosa, which is another 6 months or so. The issue here is why the current Macbook can only use 2GB when the chipset supports 3GB.
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Senior User
Join Date: Dec 2002
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In that case there would be a performance drop with unmatched pairs. I have never heard of 1.5GB sticks so you are better off with 2GB anyways.
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..13" MacBook Pro | 2.53gHz | 4gb RAM | 320gb Seagate Momentus XT | OSX.6.6.. // iPhone 4 32gb
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Originally Posted by drnkn_stylz
In that case there would be a performance drop with unmatched pairs. I have never heard of 1.5GB sticks so you are better off with 2GB anyways.
That depends on the user. If I'm currently paging all the time with 2GB installed I'd rather have a spare GB than worry about a ~10% performance hit on non-paired ram.
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20+ year MacNN forum member. MacBook Air 11" 1.6Ghz 4GB 128GB Backlit Keyboard, 4S, iPad Mini
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
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The Intel chipset (945GM) supports 4GB of physical RAM installed; it can address ~3.2GB RAM due to a PCI address space issue. However it seems that the firmware on some Apple machines (all Core Duo and C2D MB) limits it to 2GB.
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