Best memory?

Im gonna buy some memory on new egg tonight in aticipation of my m11x this week. Im gonna buy a single 4gb stick, and have a budget of 40$ or so. I havent purchased memory in 5+ years so I need some help. There are a few diffrent choices around the 40$ mark on new egg, anyone care to inform me on which would work best?

I plan on using 1 4gb and 1wgb until I can purchase another 4gb, that is if I feel I need it. I was just gonna do 4gb and call it a day because 5 think its overkill after that, but 6gb should be fine.

heres a links os you dont have to find it
Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Memory,Laptop Memory,4GB

 

From what I have read on the forums you need to have identical sticks in each slot in order to optimize the dual channels. So I'm pretty sure it would be a waste as far as performance per dollar.

 

Agreed, I dont have the numbers in front of me, but your mean random access times will be crap with (1) 4GB card and (1) 1GB card. You should always distribute your RAM evenly and identically over all slots. So basically if your M11x is coming with 1GB of RAM, your most economical option would be to buy another 1GB stick of the same brand, but this is a total waste as 2GB even in dual channel mode is not what this machine deserves and would be THE bottleneck in your system. You should instead look for the most bang for your buck which would be a 2x 2GB RAM kit. This is what the vast majority of M11x owners out there are running and going up to 8GB is not warranted for most users (including 99% of gamers). Thats my recommendation.

 

I might jsut stick with the one 4gb, so I can upgrade to 8 at some point. I do a lot of gaming but also graphics design and getting into after effects and motion graphics. So 8gb might be where I want to go at some point. Would a 4gb stick vs two 3gb be that much of a performance hit?

 

The only people I know of that have maxed out the RAM are users running multiple VMs. If your programming an engine on your own, and your methods and algorithms are going outside the 1GB on the 335m...than you need to rethink your approach.

I made my own [very] primitive graphics engine in college and when I submitted my demo for one of the methods of object path creation the TA kept telling me that it just froze his machine and that unless I could demo it for him, i wasn't getting any credit. Turns out that my Gaming Beast rig ran it fine due to a 4870x2 in it but the lenovo the TA had just ran out of GRAM in an instant and soon sucked up his system memory. I ended up demoing it for him at my apartment and I got credit, and thankfully efficiency wasn't being graded, but it was a lesson learned.

Anyway, back to your questions, I dont even think they make 3GB DIMMs for notebooks and if you reeeaaallllyy want 8GB, its about $80 so its all about the budget.

 

I would also recommend running the memory in synchronous dual channel (2 sticks with the same size, speed, and latency). Your best best like other have said is a 2x2GB kit. 8GB might not be necessary but wouldn't hurt for the future, especially if you add an SSD and decide to disable virtual memory. As far as brands, I really like G.Skill.

 

Like everyone else has said. Go for 2x2 right now. And then, if/when you realize you need more for your graphics/video applications, get 4x4.

 

Slickdeals Newegg Deals, Coupons and Promos: 8GB (2x4GB) PNY Optima DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Laptop Memory (02/08/11 10:00am)

8gb (2x4gb sticks) for $55.

 

Can't beat it. Just bit the bullet! =) 8GB here I come.

 

Good deal, but I hate rebates, unless they actually arrive

 

yeah I just bought a 4gb stick for less than 40$, If i decided its not enough then Ill buy 4gb more. Should be getting my mx11 on V day, perfect since Im lacking in the gf department this year