I am afraid of memory limitation

[cklein]

I got an A21P and love it, but the memory becomes the bottleneck (512MB max), and no other way around. And don't ask me why I need so much memory, I just need it for what I do.

Now, I am looking at T42P now, everything is perfectly fine, but again I am afraid of the 2GB ram cap. I know, I know 2GB sounds far more than enough now, but according muphy's law, 3 years later, I believe I will cry for another 2GB memory. I bought my A21P with 128MB RAM, and extended to 384MB then to 512MB, and now I am stuck.

Why the hell do they have a memory limitation, can those guys make this thing really flexible? And make all the memories compatible? even scarifice a little performance? (I don't mind to use a 333 RAM as 100 RAM)

I've heard A31P can use 2GB ram though it's marked as 1GB max. I really hope T42P can handle 4GB even 8GB ram in futhre through some kind of bios update ... etc.

I don't want to change my thinkpad every 3 years, [censored] they are expensive!

[K. Eng]

Theoretically it might be possible for a T42p to have 4GB of RAM if 2GB so-DIMMs became available, but 4GB is the most the Pentium M can address (32-bit address ceiling).

Don't count on 8GB as being a possibility until 64-bit Pentium Ms come out (I would guess around 2005-6 timeframe, when the next generation core comes out).

[Flightvector]

Well, I am afraid that you may be misconstruing the way RAM works and what it will do for you. RAM is not likely to do what you are describing as far as making sure your computer stays competitive, because capacity is not where the real R&D drive is, nor does RAM preclude the need for faster CPUs and GPUs. 1Gb is good unless you really need to crank out resources for higher-end uses. Above that, you are probably not going to see many differences truthfully. Your hard drive and processor are your bottlenecks at this level; RAM isnt going to substitute for processing capability and a T42p will not run the newest games 3 years from now at decent levels, even with 4Gb RAM.

With PCI Express and when DDR2 RAM becomes more refined, another 2Gb in this architecture will not save you from anything. In any case more RAM and higher memory clock speed are different quantities as well.

[cklein]

I admit that HD is one of the biggest bottleneck, but fortunately, HD is always updatable. I already update my HD to 60G 7200RPM, and I should be able to update to 10000RPM if there's such a HD comes out later.

Then the question is CPU and RAM. Apparently, RAM is the easier to upgrade than CPU due to the laptop architecture.

Assume we can not update CPU, then RAM is the only thing we can count on. It can even compensate the HD speed.

I seldom see CPU speed is a problem. Pratically, PIII 850 is still fine for me. As the truth is, you don't do multi-task at the same time with a laptop (it's not a server). Though you open 200 i.e., but still, only one of them are running. If you game require so intensive CPU usage, then you have no choice.

For me, I am a developer. I do VS.NET development. I installed IIS, .NET 1.1, VS.NET, SQL server, web service test site. When I debug my application, all these application has to run at the same time. They are not very CPU intensive, as when website is claling SQL server, it simply wait to get the result.

But memory is really important, as it resuces HD swap. RIGHT HD is the real bottleneck, but that's what RAM is for!!!!!

If we can update the CPU, that'll be great! But I really don't see how it can be done, as Intel is [censored] changing the architecture all the time, the mother board won't fit.

I guess we need somekind of ISO standard, to make sure ALL mother board work all CPUs and also work with all RAMs. They can be revolved independantly. That what I call componentized development in software world, which is actually a standard of software development methodology. Don't know why the [censored] hardware world can not do this. We used to be able swap the system use the same CASE for a DESKTOP, it's even impossible either nowadays.

[Flightvector]

I see what you are saying, I hope I didn't seem a bit sharp. But it is true, this new 915/925 and 775 architecture has just about destroyed all my upgrade plans . Now I need a new mobo, PCI-X GPU, processor, and DDR2, otherwise I am wasting my money. Makes componentized hardware sound that much better of a concept. Relief of HD swap is needed for photoshop, 512Mb is definitely not enough for even minor use, which I would never have thought.

[atlacatl]

I think the limitation you are thinking of is alomost non-existent, as you can have virtually more than 2 GB RAM if you count virtual memory. Which you should.

Ok, so HD is slower than RAM, but if your app really needs it then there is no other way till we get the 64 bit CPU (As someone point it out earlier).

[cklein]

I see what you are saying, I hope I didn't seem a bit sharp. But it is true, this new 915/925 and 775 architecture has just about destroyed all my upgrade plans . Now I need a new mobo, PCI-X GPU, processor, and DDR2, otherwise I am wasting my money. Makes componentized hardware sound that much better of a concept. Relief of HD swap is needed for photoshop, 512Mb is definitely not enough for even minor use, which I would never have thought.

Just curious, you said you need new mobo ..., sounds like you CAN update a laptop?

I can not find a solution to swap the mobo/cpu/ram of my A21P so my A21P will become virtually a A50P? or even A31P, I would be satisfied. As A31P can have 2GB ram.

I just love the current LCD, keyboard, DVD, track point ... etc. Thinking about throwing these way already make me feel bad. Though I have no problem to afford another T42P.

[JHEM]

Cklein,

If you really need to increase throughput on your system in order to overcome latency due to having to wait on a swap file, but you've reached a max memory roadblock, try installing a 2nd HD in the Ultrabay and dedicate it for your swap file! Even a 5K40 would decrease your wait times appreciably.

The IDE channels are separate and you will have overcome a major stumbling point in your system. It's the same principal as having your primary optical device and your optical burner on separate IDE channels on your desktop.

Regards,

James

[akeskira]

I know, I know 2GB sounds far more than enough now, but according muphy's law, 3 years later, I believe I will cry for another 2GB memory.

Actually, it's Moore's law

Antti

[cklein]

I know, I know 2GB sounds far more than enough now, but according muphy's law, 3 years later, I believe I will cry for another 2GB memory.

Actually, it's Moore's law

Antti

Oh, Thanks. I always thought this guy's name is "Eddie Murphy". [censored].

[Flightvector]

Haha! Murphy's law, I didn't even notice that. I certainly hope that isn't the law behind our computers.

cklein, actually I was referring to my desktop system; I guess we have a ways to go until notebooks get there. Thin and lights are still a market filled with many proprietary solutions, though I wish we could have some flexibility.

[Moroner]

cklein,

I would not worry about a memory squeeze too much. Since a software development team cannot grow to much more than 1000 people without falling apart, and these large teams manage to write only about 1000 lines / man year, the code base for each major program you use cannot grow by more than a million lines per year. Assuming that you need access to 10 major apps at the same time, and that each line of code gets compiled into five bytes of machine code, your software will only grow at 50 Megs annually.
I personally do quite similar programming work on my 1GB A31p, and I have no memory problems, I rarely use up more than 600 to 700 MB. So with an option to extend to 2GB, you should be fine for the next decade.

Unless, of course, they start to think that all that empty space needs to be filled up, and implement the math library with 4GB of lookup tables

[gte204i]

I know, I know 2GB sounds far more than enough now, but according muphy's law, 3 years later, I believe I will cry for another 2GB memory.

Actually, it's Moore's law

Antti

And Moore's law really only postulates that transistor density doubles every 18 months. So you won't want more memory *because* of Moore's law but more likely because Moore's law will give lazy programmers an excuse to write inefficient, leaky code that uses 10x as much memory as is necessary.