DDR2 800 with T61p

Hello,

This is my first post here at notebook forums...

I have placed an order for a T61p during labor day sale that was maxed in all departments but RAM. I am going to be buying 4GB RAM since I need it for digital audio purposes. Does anyone know whether the T61p would accept 800 MHz modules? I figure they may be a good match with an 800 MHz FSB CPU; I use loads of RAM for streaming audio samples directly from RAM.

Cheers,

Krofa.

 

You can use DDR800 ram but it will run at 667. The motherboard chipset/memory controller determines the ram speed not the ram itself.

 

Hey Max; thanks for the answer...

So there is actually no point in purchasing 800 MHz sticks...

I suspect that as mainly a Business notebook the BIOS has any options for configuring such things.

Any idea whether these units will accept the C2D T7800 or even the X7900 - of course these would need a BIOS update to but I am really not familiar with IBM/Lenovo policies on issues like this...

Cheers,

K.

 

runaway from the 800. too bad they didnt get the chipset up and running the 800 though

 

The Crestline chipset that the T61p uses only accepts up to 667MHz RAM, so while you could use DDR2800 (it would physically work) the chipset would downclock it to 667MHz. Plus it's more expensive (and I don't think it's really available in 2GB dimms), so it's not worth it.

The T61p should accept the T7800 and the x7900, I believe.

 

Also to use all of the 4GB of ram, you will need a 64bit OS.

and look in the hot ram deals thread for great prices on ram.

 

thanks chinchaz, odin & kdawgca for tuning in...

I think it is silly that the DDR2 800 shouldn't work with Santa Rosa - but hey Intel would have its own reasons for doing so I'm sure. After all the performance gain would probably be marginal for most cases - 99% of notebook users don't need to stream massive amounts of data from the RAM... As a side note, 2GB sticks are available at newegg.

odin; as far as I have researched, x7900 will in most cases require a change in the cooling system and thus many standard santa rosa systems may fall short of supporting that CPU. As for the T7800, it has the same thermal specs as the T7700 and I believe that the T61p will indeed suport it. What is your source of information?

kdawgca; I still use the trusted XP Pro x32; I use the /PAE /3GB switch though to increase the amount of RAM available to a single app. That seems to be OK for my purposes. Of course a bit more RAM wont hurt if you are working with sample libraries... BTW thaks for the thread link; I'll check it out.

 

It's not that silly, as the 667MHz DDR2 RAM (really clocked at 333MHz) is already plenty fast enough to take advantage of 800MHz FSB CPU's (really clocked at 200MHz).

I have no idea whether or not the T61p's cooling is enough for the x7900, personally I wouldn't try it without taking extra precautions (thermal paste and lapping and such). I was merely speaking as to whether it would work with that motherboard or not.

 

The T61P memory controller does accept 800 mhz memory you are wrong if you think it doesn't. Lenovo doesn't offer changing timings in their bios either and the reasoning is to keep heat to a minimum. Buy any high grade Asus or Dell XPS machine with the SAME CHIPSET AND MEMORY CONTROLLER and you CAN use DDR2800, even DDR2800 CL4. It's not a chipset limitation it's a Lenovo limitation

 

Can you post some CPU-Z screen shots to support this?

 

Hi very interested to find out if it is possible to get that t61p RAM speed up to 800mhz. Is it possible HOW??

I have gathered a bit of information about the FSB800mhz things being a 200mhz 4 times over, I'm just a little hurt that they sell the machine running a FSB at 800mhz but can't really use 800mhz of RAM (They don't mention that to you). So Ulitmatly Ii there a way to get the RAM to run at 800mhz on a t61p.
(Will it imporrve performance even if its ever so slighly surely it will improove performance.)

Its got the marking of a great machine but performs less than expected,

Getting the RAM to run that little bit faster would make me feel a little better about my purchase.

Oh does it make a differece if you have 2 1 gb ram modules 800mhz or 1 2gb ram module 800 mhz ?

Thank for info if anyone replies

 

It is a great machine.

I'd like to see it get 800mhz RAM support if possible.

Seems like it should be possible.
Maby Lenovo had a bunch of slower ram they had to get rid of so the limited their DDR2 machines to end their life cycle with 667mhz ram.

I don't think the heat would be that big of a problem.