[RESOLVED] Question concerning Laptop RAM sticks

[dudesweetrad]

When buying RAM sticks for a laptop, what do you have to know about your computer?

Are there any compatibility issues, and what's the whole deal with the MHz that they can operate at?

Example:
1GB of memory to improve performance; operates at a speed of 667MHz; 200-pin SoDIMM

What does all of that have to deal with the processing speed of the laptop I'm putting it in?

Thanks in advance!

[Train]

I cheat and use the Crucial Memory Advisor™ Tool or the The Crucial System Scanner

http://www.crucial.com/

[dudesweetrad]

thanks a ton!

im just wondering if there's a cap on how useful RAM is if you don't have enough processing speed

[SpywareDr]

... 1GB of memory to improve performance ...

What does all of that have to deal with the processing speed ...

FWIW, when you don't have enough RAM, Windows will be forced to use the hard drive as RAM, (swapping programs in/out of RAM). When compared to RAM, hard drives are extremely s-l-o-w.

If you have some computers and parts laying around, try it. Plug in 64MB of RAM into an XP machine and run it for a while. Now plug in 512MB (or more) and try it. The difference is amazing.

[liam858]

If you are thinking hypothetically of upgrading the RAM in one of the laptops you've been looking at in your thread, take into account what programs you use, how much RAM they need, if you want to upgrade those laptops to the max 4gb supported, 32-bit Vista Home Premium will not see the whole 4gb, you'd need to be running 64-bit.


Liam

[Train]

Take this into concideration for fastest/best speeds.

XP - 1GB of ram
Vista - 2GB of ram

With 32 bit versions of both, do not exceed 3GB. As brought out, exceeding 3GB will not be seen.

[dudesweetrad]

FWIW, when you don't have enough RAM, Windows will be forced to use the hard drive as RAM, (swapping programs in/out of RAM). When compared to RAM, hard drives are extremely s-l-o-w.

If you have some computers and parts laying around, try it. Plug in 64MB of RAM into an XP machine and run it for a while. Now plug in 512MB (or more) and try it. The difference is amazing.

haha yeah i'm aware of that, i was wondering more along the lines of "how much ram is really noticeable?"

thanks though :]

If you are thinking hypothetically of upgrading the RAM in one of the laptops you've been looking at in your thread, take into account what programs you use, how much RAM they need, if you want to upgrade those laptops to the max 4gb supported, 32-bit Vista Home Premium will not see the whole 4gb, you'd need to be running 64-bit.

Take this into concideration for fastest/best speeds.

XP - 1GB of ram
Vista - 2GB of ram

With 32 bit versions of both, do not exceed 3GB. As brought out, exceeding 3GB will not be seen.

ah yeah, that's what i was wondering. is there any noticeable improvement between 32 bit and 64 bit? and if there is, what's the difference?

[Train]

What do you do with the laptop?

[dudesweetrad]

gaming, graphic/web design, music editing

a little bit of everything haha, minus video editing (thank god)

[liam858]

Serious gaming? The graphics on the $999.99 laptop you were looking at is very basic, and Intel GMA 950 to be exact, you're gonna need to allocate some system memory to it (128mb or 256mb). The high spec of the laptop should help with what you intend to use it for, a nice screen too for the graphic design, but again, depending on what exactly you do, you may want to look at better graphics.


Liam

[dudesweetrad]

yeah, i mean i figure if worst comes to worst i can update the graphics card, right?

[liam858]

Nope.

Onboard means that it is built-in to the motherboard, no such upgrades are possible on laptops.


Liam

[Train]

Might want to take a desktop for gaming unless you want to spend about $4,000 for a laptop.
Scroll down and read Gamer's Guide to Some Serious Extreme
Gaming Laptops or Notebooks!

http://www.bizwaremagic.com/best_gaming_notebooks.htm

For more links like that;
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...=gamers+laptop

[dudesweetrad]

haha yeah unfortunately i don't have that kind of money :[

maybe someday in the future ill be able to afford a really nice laptop. or if work and band permit, i'll be able to have a desktop