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User profile for user: theMirror
theMirror Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

ECC vs not-ECC memory

Hi folks,

I am considering to upgrade the memory of my brand new macBook to 4GB, buying 2x2GB So-DIMMs 667MHz PC2-5300.
I found out that some shops have both SoDIMMs of type ECC and not-ECC, with ECC memories that cost about the double of the not-ECC ones.

My question is:
which one is better for my macBook? I suppose it supports both, but there is any difference in performances?

I apologize if this is a duplicate post, but I tried to search for previous messages in this forum, and I didn't find anything about differences among ECC and not-ECC memories.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Carmelo.

MacBook

Posted on Dec 1, 2007 3:37 AM

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,849 points

Posted on Dec 1, 2007 6:13 AM

Use Non-ECC DIMMs.
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2 replies
User profile for user: y_p_w
y_p_w
User level: Level 6
17,690 points

Dec 1, 2007 11:04 AM in response to theMirror

ECC just means there's one-eighth more memory capacity to implement an error correction scheme. If there's a "soft error" where a bit has spontaneously changed, it can typically be "repaired" by an error correction algorithm using the extra bit. The MacBook doesn't use this. I'm not sure if it'll even work, but if it does the extra capacity would be ignored.

ECC is for "mission-critical" applications, and is almost never used in most consumer or business computers.
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ECC vs not-ECC memory

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