1 gig or 1.5 gig?

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rayxyz · #1 Post by **rayxyz** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:26 am

I'm considering upgrading the RAM on my T43 from 512 MB to either 1 gig or 1.5 gig. Would 1.5 gig be that much different than 1 gigabyte? I'm hoping to be able to play Battlefield 2 which I know to be a RAM hog, although I don't know if that's even possible with the ATI x300 64 MB. Anybody have any ideas?

Also, The panel above my keyboard is loose and depresses when I push it; is it supposed to be like that?

Current specs:
T43 2687 D8U
1.86 GHz Centrino
ATI X300 64 MB
5400 RPM 60 GB
512MB RAM

kyrotech · #2 Post by **kyrotech** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:33 am

1.5 GB will be great for your system, and for BF2

go for it, no doubt

FTC · #3 Post by **FTC** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:12 am

Hi,

Note that in general I agree more mem is almost always better, except in 2 instances :

1. You actively use suspend / resume features of your thinkpad. In suspend mode, it will eat a bit more current to keep memory alive, and for hibernate, well, it will take longer to hibernate/resume the machine, plus the hibernation file will be bigger, taking another chunk of your hard drive.

2. Under normal working conditions, your battery will be exhausted faster with very few memory (due to disk activity caused by paging) or with too much (due to the cost of mantaining powered the extra memory).

RS_003 · #4 Post by **RS_003** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:27 am

I think a hdd uses more power then a extra dimm.

So i would upgrade it to 1.5Gig...

And you know how windows works ...

Always in need of more ram

Sura · #5 Post by **Sura** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:48 am

You`d better upgrade to 2 Gb - 2 modules 1 Gb each, оr (moneysaving), add one 512 mb. In that case, memory will work in dual channel mode (128 bits), which is much faster. If you place different size modules (512Mb and 1Gb) memory controller will work in single channel mode(64bits), which is slower. When only one memory slot is occupied, as in your system now, memory controller also works in single channel mode (64 bits)

rayxyz · #6 Post by **rayxyz** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:29 pm

Sura wrote:You`d better upgrade to 2 Gb - 2 modules 1 Gb each, оr (moneysaving), add one 512 mb. In that case, memory will work in dual channel mode (128 bits), which is much faster. If you place different size modules (512Mb and 1Gb) memory controller will work in single channel mode(64bits), which is slower. When only one memory slot is occupied, as in your system now, memory controller also works in single channel mode (64 bits)

I was under the impression that there's only a small difference in performance between dual channel and single channel. Are there benchmarks available?

davidspalding · #7 Post by **davidspalding** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:43 am

FTC, I don't think that facts bear you out here ... according to everything that I've read, t doesn't take "more power" to run, or maintain during suspend, increased memory. If you have authoritative sources to corroborate your claim, I'd like to read them.

I wasn't aware that putting mis-matched DIMMs in my system did something to operation. I would say, "let your wallet be your guide" in buying RAM, but I bought a 1 GB DIMM for my T43 so that if/when I want to put more in, I only have to replace a cheaper 512 MB DIMM, and then I'd have ... 2 GB.

kai920 · #8 Post by **kai920** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:09 am

I have 1 gig now and I believe the base config was 512meg, and I added a 512 stick. Been toying with the idea of going for 1.5 or even 2.0gigs...

Are there one or two user-accessible ram slots under the T43?

rjm1135 · #9 Post by **rjm1135** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:35 pm

Two user-accessible ram slots.

One easily accessible on the underside of the laptop. The other under the keyboard. The Hardware Maintenace Manual will have instructions on how to remove the keyboard. See the FAQ for this forum.

Cheers,
Rob.

nirvana0001 · #10 Post by **nirvana0001** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:49 pm

i got 1 GB ram, but my tp never use more than 700MB. even with BF2

Stingray · #11 Post by **Stingray** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:23 am

nirvana0001 wrote:i got 1 GB ram, but my tp never use more than 700MB. even with BF2

That’s a good point…. How much ram does one really need???? For a person like me who never plays any games????
AK

Hanson · #12 Post by **Hanson** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:34 am

nirvana0001 wrote:i got 1 GB ram, but my tp never use more than 700MB. even with BF2

I have 1.5 GB ram and my T43 also never uses more than 700MB. I upgraded for two reasons:

1. Newer software demands an ever increasing amount of computer resources to run it. You can definitely expect more ram to be used as months pass by.

2. Your type of memory is not going to be much cheapter in the future as newer types start taking over the manufacturing resources resulting in less of your type of memory produced to meet the lower demand. So why pay x dollars one year later when you can pay the same amount now and take advantage of it now rather than later?

kai920 · #13 Post by **kai920** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:59 am

rjm1135 wrote:Two user-accessible ram slots.

One easily accessible on the underside of the laptop. The other under the keyboard. The Hardware Maintenace Manual will have instructions on how to remove the keyboard. See the FAQ for this forum.

Cheers,
Rob.

Thanks Rob. Is the slot under the keyboard populated with the initial 512meg of RAM, or is this 512 located *elsewhere*? (ie. not in any of the two user-accessible slots)

I saw the shop guys install a stick underneath the laptop, so that's definitely used up.

rjm1135 · #14 Post by **rjm1135** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:09 am

I believe all (?) thinkpads come with the slot under the keyboard populated.

So whatever the base RAM is on your system (256M, 512M or 1G), there is a single stick of that size RAM installed (under the keyboard).

Cheers,
Rob.

kai920 · #15 Post by **kai920** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:21 am

rjm1135 wrote:I believe all (?) thinkpads come with the slot under the keyboard populated.

So whatever the base RAM is on your system (256M, 512M or 1G), there is a single stick of that size RAM installed (under the keyboard).

Cheers,
Rob.

Okie, makes sense now - that means both of my slots are used up...

FTC · #16 Post by **FTC** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:33 am

FTC, I don't think that facts bear you out here ... according to everything that I've read, t doesn't take "more power" to run, or maintain during suspend, increased memory. If you have authoritative sources to corroborate your claim, I'd like to read them.

Hi, there are only a few studies out there about laptop power consumption breakdown, and in both I've seen they tend to study in deep detail the CPU / Graphics and other hi-power components consumption during operation, not the memory during suspend. However, the power consumption is something you can calculate yourself by just multiplying the number of chips that you have 'online' by the specified amperage by the supply voltage for the given state. In any case having 2 dimms will *always* cumsume double the watts than having only 1 in suspend mode (where memory is being powered), vs hibernate mode (wher memory is switched off). Whether this is 10% or 80% of the full suspend state power consumption is something I have no idea, but note that in suspend state *only* some parts of the mobo, the memory, and the CPU (in low power state) are powered.. so it *must* be significant.

kai920 · #17 Post by **kai920** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 6:11 am

well, I bought the 1 gig stick, thinking I can give the old 512mb to a T42. But of course all of you knew that T42 uses DDR RAM!!!

Shoulda done my research

Anyone in HK want to buy a stick of DDR2?

1 gig or 1.5 gig?

1 gig or 1.5 gig?

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