pc2700 vs pc2100

[Spectra]

I got 2 sticks of 512MB pc2100 ram for free from scrap laptops. ,I plan to put them in my T41 to replace one pc2700 512MB stick. I don't play much games (I have radeon 7500)on my laptop, but I do a little coding on it, and occasional photoshop. How much faster 2700 is compared to 2100, in real world situations? If you were given a choice between 1GB 2700 and 512MB 2700, which one would you pick?

[ZPrime]

i doubt it will make a difference at all. the FSB of the dothan cpu is still 100mhz (400mhz QDR). You can run the RAM at PC2700, but i doubt that there is any major performance increase since the ram is out of sync from the FSB.

at least, i know this is how it works on most desktop systems - you only gain speed if the CPU FSB and ram frequencies are in sync, and running them async can occasionally give performance hits.

give it a try and benchmark it both ways. i bet the benchmarks will be close, and i bet your real-world performance/experience will be much better with 1GB instead of just 512.

[scosgt1]

IBM's generally require the proper RAM. It most likely won't work

[Chun-Yu]

Sure it will, it will just run a little bit slower.

[scosgt1]

Unless you have actually tried it
The 100 Mhz ThinkPads do not run with PC133, it is a common thing with ThinkPads (unless of course you have actually done it)

[Spectra]

I am using my T41 right now with 1GB pc2700 RAM. 1GB does make a difference (positive) compared to 512MB, but I don't notice it until I run photoshop, office, JBuilder and web browser all at once. I could sell the 2100 and get the 2700, but I don't think the 3% difference is worth paying an extra $200 CDN.

Having more RAM even increases battery life (I suppose), since I disabled swap file; the HD spins up less.

May be I will run some benchmarks for both RAM. Anyone knows some good and free tools?

[scosgt1]

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 53074#arch

The question was whether a T40, which is spec for PC2100, can use PC2700 (or vice versa).

[ZPrime]

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 53074#arch

The question was whether a T40, which is spec for PC2100, can use PC2700 (or vice versa).

Well, I can tell you that my T42p, which normally ships with PC2700 is perfectly happy with PC3200 RAM.

Not the same generation of notebook, but it wouldn't surprise me if it will work. My old A22 did NOT like using PC133, but this T42 doesn't mind using faster stuff.

[K. Eng]

In theory there should be no problems. The Intel 855 chipset supports both PC2100 and PC2700 memory.

The question was whether a T40, which is spec for PC2100, can use PC2700 (or vice versa).

[JHEM]

The question was whether a T40, which is spec for PC2100, can use PC2700 (or vice versa).

The T40 is perfectly happy with PC2700 memory, it just runs at PC2100 speed. I'm using 1.5GB of PC2700 memory in my personal T40 and it works just fine, albeit at PC2100 speed.

But I doubt that, say, a T42 which is spec'ed for PC2700 would be happy with PC2100.

Regards,

James

[Chun-Yu]

A T41 (which also uses PC2700 like the T42) does indeed work with PC2100 (yes, I have tried).

[NUKE40]

Should PC3200 work reliably in the T40?

[brentpresley]

Should PC3200 work reliably in the T40?

Yes, but you will get NO BENEFIT what so ever from it. The chipset can't run the memory bus as PC3200, so it will run at pc2700. Waste of money.

[brentpresley]

A T41 (which also uses PC2700 like the T42) does indeed work with PC2100 (yes, I have tried).

I would like to see some memtest86 testing on this. Every T41/42 that I have tried PC2100 memory in barfed on it. And I've tried quite a few.

[JHEM]

A T41 (which also uses PC2700 like the T42) does indeed work with PC2100 (yes, I have tried).

I would like to see some memtest86 testing on this. Every T41/42 that I have tried PC2100 memory in barfed on it. And I've tried quite a few.

As would I as my experience is the same as your's.

The PC2100 Crucial memory from my T40 does NOT work in any of my T41p's or my wife's T42.

Regards,

James