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    Max RAM?

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by morgan-X65, Oct 20, 2008.

  1. morgan-X65

    morgan-X65 Notebook Consultant

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    There is a rumour going around that the chipset of the new MBP can happily support 8GB of RAM even though apple state the max is 4GB.

    Anyone know anything about this?
     
    morgan-X65, Oct 20, 2008
    #1
  2. I♥RAM

    I♥RAM Notebook Deity

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    It's no rumor, it can support more than 4GB of RAM. But I think the limit is set by the BIOS? Or the OS possibly?
     
    I♥RAM, Oct 20, 2008
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  3. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    Officially on paper the nVidia chipset present in the Macbooks only support up to 4GB of RAM. However, in practice, it can go higher.
     
    Budding, Oct 20, 2008
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  4. morgan-X65

    morgan-X65 Notebook Consultant

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    woo goody, i can't wait for 4GB sticks to become available at a sensible price.
     
    morgan-X65, Oct 20, 2008
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  5. I♥RAM

    I♥RAM Notebook Deity

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    Well 4GB DDR2 sticks are already super expensive (even the PC5300 ones are over $130 a pop). So 4GB DDR3 to come down...lol it's going to be a wait.
     
    I♥RAM, Oct 20, 2008
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  6. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    I think he's talking about the PM965 based macbooks not the new ones.
     
    Ayle, Oct 20, 2008
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  7. I♥RAM

    I♥RAM Notebook Deity

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    .....10 char
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    I♥RAM, Oct 20, 2008
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  8. morgan-X65

    morgan-X65 Notebook Consultant

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    yeah i'm just glad that by the time i need 8GB there will be an option and thus prolong the useful life of my new purchase.
     
    morgan-X65, Oct 20, 2008
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  9. ricercar

    ricercar Notebook Enthusiast

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    Historically Apple never publishes RAM maximum specs above what they test in their labs.

    There may be earlier examples, but the 1989 Macintosh SE/30 successfully addressed 128MB RAM although Apple never spec'd it beyond 8 MB, because 1MB DIMMs were all that were available at the time. To say they continue to spec computers like this through the present is unsurprising.
     
    ricercar, Oct 20, 2008
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  10. circa86

    circa86 Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    if it was said they can go up to 8gb, but the actual chips weren't readily available, more people would be confused quite honestly, and it would be something they couldn't actually offer to customers at any sort of legitimate price. and it is possible they have a pretty thorough testing process when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing.
     
    circa86, Oct 20, 2008
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  11. ClearSkies

    ClearSkies Well no, I'm still here..

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    However, the new aluminum macbooks use DDR3 ram, which will currently run you ~$500 each :eek: per 4GB stick .

    DDR2 ram will absolutely not work in the new aluminum units -- the slots in the ram sticks are in different locations from ddr3.
     
    ClearSkies, Oct 20, 2008
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  12. I♥RAM

    I♥RAM Notebook Deity

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    Thats what I said?
     
    I♥RAM, Oct 21, 2008
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  13. phungy

    phungy Notebook Evangelist

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    Theoretically it can hold 8GB of RAM and its been tested and confirmed that with 8GB of RAM the laptop isn't very stable due to being unable to utilize dual channel (or something, I can't find the article right now). But many have successfully and stably utilized 6GB of RAM.
     
    phungy, Oct 21, 2008
    #13