2nd GB for T60p

[jeremivw]

GREAT FORUM. I'm new (to thinkpads) and I've already learned so much!

I ordered my new express T60p standard to maximize my chances of getting it before the frickin' summer.

Now I need to order my 2nd gig stick.

Is it recommended to order the mem from Lenovo? I ask because I could save about 100 bucks by getting the stick from newegg.

I see 1GB DDR2-667 SDRAM PC2-5300 by gigaram for like 108. It's CL5 SODIMM and nonECC like the factory T60 spec...but should I run the risk?

Any recommendations/Experiences on post-factory T mem upgrades would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[Rose]

GREAT FORUM. I'm new (to thinkpads) and I've already learned so much!

I ordered my new express T60p standard to maximize my chances of getting it before the frickin' summer.

Now I need to order my 2nd gig stick.

Is it recommended to order the mem from Lenovo? I ask because I could save about 100 bucks by getting the stick from newegg.

I see 1GB DDR2-667 SDRAM PC2-5300 by gigaram for like 108. It's CL5 SODIMM and nonECC like the factory T60 spec...but should I run the risk?

Any recommendations/Experiences on post-factory T mem upgrades would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!

as ive understood it, your memoryconfiguration will run in 533 mhz when using 2 sticks or above 1Gig ram.

[jeremivw]

as ive understood it, your memoryconfiguration will run in 533 mhz when using 2 sticks or above 1Gig ram.

I sure hope that's not true. I know that to exceed 2GB (using 2GB sticks) tabook says something about using slower speeds but I think that was an availability thing. Someone in another thread posted that only PC2-5300 2GB sticks were available in SODIMM but I can't even find those. I can't find ANY 2GB SODIMMs. I was considering 4GB but do NOT want to sacrifice the speed.

2GB @ 667 should do just fine...and if I'm right, it should work fine.

If you are right, I'm cancelling my order.

[wolfman]

I can't speak specifically for gigaram, however, I have purchased ram from Crucial and Kingmax before and used them for extended periods with no issues. Whatever ram you buy, be sure to stress it overnight with memtest 86 (http://www.memtest86.com/)...

[jeremivw]

I can't speak specifically for gigaram, however, I have purchased ram from Crucial and Kingmax before and used them for extended periods with no issues. Whatever ram you buy, be sure to stress it overnight with memtest 86 (http://www.memtest86.com/)...

Thanks, Wolfman!

[donking!]

Someone in another thread posted that only PC2-5300 2GB sticks were available in SODIMM but I can't even find those. I can't find ANY 2GB SODIMMs.

If you Google for "2gb sodimm" using Google's Froogle function, you'll turn up three brands of 2Gb PC2-5300 sodimms. From Smart Modular, Kingston, and Edge.

I'm curious if anyone knows anything about the quality of memory from these three manufacturers?

That said, I also read about the 533Mhz limit on using more than 2Gb of RAM. However my understanding was that at the time Lenovo wrote that the only 2Gb sodimms available were PC2-4200, which run at 533Mhz. Lenovo was saying if you match a 533Mhz sodimm with a 667Mhz sodimm, the 533Mhz one is going to force both to clock out at 533Mhz. But I assume if you have only PC2-5300 running at 667Mhz, that is you have only two 667Mhz sodimms, then they will run at 667Mhz.

[Rose]

Someone in another thread posted that only PC2-5300 2GB sticks were available in SODIMM but I can't even find those. I can't find ANY 2GB SODIMMs.

If you Google for "2gb sodimm" using Google's Froogle function, you'll turn up three brands of 2Gb PC2-5300 sodimms. From Smart Modular, Kingston, and Edge.

I'm curious if anyone knows anything about the quality of memory from these three manufacturers?

That said, I also read about the 533Mhz limit on using more than 2Gb of RAM. However my understanding was that at the time Lenovo wrote that the only 2Gb sodimms available were PC2-4200, which run at 533Mhz. Lenovo was saying if you match a 533Mhz sodimm with a 667Mhz sodimm, the 533Mhz one is going to force both to clock out at 533Mhz. But I assume if you have only PC2-5300 running at 667Mhz, that is you have only two 667Mhz sodimms, then they will run at 667Mhz.

i cant seem to find the article where i got the idea that using more than one slot forses the memory to run in 533 mhz per slot. Ive might missinterpret that. On the other hand, using two sims equal size the configuration will run in dual channel and the effective speed will be 1066 mhz i beleive. in that case it wont matter if the sims are pc2-4200 or pc2-5300.

[donking!]

On the other hand, using two sims equal size the configuration will run in dual channel and the effective speed will be 1066 mhz i beleive.

Does that mean that the best way to configure a T60 for 3GB RAM is to get two 2GB sodimms? That way you get the dual channel effect, even though you're wasting 1GB or RAM?

Hmm, expensive proposition.

[Rose]

On the other hand, using two sims equal size the configuration will run in dual channel and the effective speed will be 1066 mhz i beleive.

Does that mean that the best way to configure a T60 for 3GB RAM is to get two 2GB sodimms? That way you get the dual channel effect, even though you're wasting 1GB or RAM?

Hmm, expensive proposition.

since the CPU bus is running in 677 mhz already, there wont be any performance gain using dual channel what so ever, at least not when equipped with discrete graphics. Although, configuring your system above 2Gb ram, forcing the system to align to 533 mhz, might in theory lead to a loss in performance.

[donking!]

since the CPU bus is running in 677 mhz already, there wont be any performance gain using dual channel what so ever, at least not when equipped with discrete graphics. Although, configuring your system above 2Gb ram, forcing the system to align to 533 mhz, might in theory lead to a loss in performance.

Good point about the system bus. Didn't think about that.

I already said this above, but I don't think you're right about the over 2Gb RAM forcing to system to 533 Mhz. I also read something like that on Lenovo's web site, though it seems like the remark is gone now (I can't find it again).

But I really don't think what they were saying had anything to do with having over 2Gb or RAM, per se. I think it was just incidental to the fact that Lenovo was saying you'd have to use a 533Mhz PC2-4200 sodimm, to get a 2GB sodimm. Of course, that idea itself didn't make much sense since obviously there will be (and now are) 2Gb PC2-5300 sodimms.

But manufacturers tend to do that. They report specifications according to existing available parts, not according to what will be available and what the system would be capable of if those parts were available.

I'm not positive about this but I'm pretty sure. Does anyone else know about this? It just doesn't make sense to me that having more than a certain amount of RAM would change the speed of the system bus.