1 gig DDR2 PC 4200S 444 on board, can I add 1 gig Crucial DDR2 PC2 5300?

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1 gig DDR2 PC 4200S 444 on board, can I add 1 gig Crucial DDR2 PC2 5300?

I'm confused.

I have the last model g4 powerbook, 1.67ghz, 17", with one gig slot open. The 1 gig chip on board is a DDR2 SDRAM PC 4200S 444 SODIMM.

Two manufacturers said I need a PC 4200, or PC2 4200 chip in the empty slot. Apple said use Crucial Chips. Crucial's machine scanner says I can use a DDR2 PC2 5300 chip, and chips of different densities can be mixed since my computer doesn't support dual-channel memory.

Crucial's Scan URL from my machine:

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/viewscanbyid.aspx?id=238AFE0431D926C3

So, can I order a single 1gb PC2 5300 and add it to the empty slot? Is this a significantly faster chip than the PC 4400 that is already in it, and can my computer use this extra speed?

If so, will installing a kit pair of PC25300's speed up the machine? Use more power/be more efficient? The cost is insignificant to do a pair if the performance increases, and may be better for the machine life. Which install is most prudent forgetting about cost?

Thanks.

Dan Viele
valiofmoon@aol.com

Powerbook G4 17", Mac OS X (10.4.11), last Aluminum G4 with one gig RAM slot open

Posted on Jun 20, 2009 8:56 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

78,368 points

Jun 20, 2009 9:54 AM in response to Dan Viele

I checked the memory finders for both online RAM vendors I use plus one more that is highly recommended for good Mac RAM. None show using PC2-5300 in the 1.67G PowerBook.

Crucial sells very high-quality RAM but I have, on several occasions, found them posting incorrect or outdated Mac RAM recommendations.

Here is the recommendation from Data Memory Systems:

DMS RAM for late PowerBook G4

I've never found any of their recommendations to be off the mark.

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Answer 2

BGreg

Level 6

17,558 points

Jun 20, 2009 11:02 AM in response to Dan Viele

What is important is that you get DDR2 memory, as that is what your Powerbook model uses. Don't get hung up on speeds, as long as they are greater than or equal to what you have. The system memory architecture will only use the speed it's designed for, and while a memory chip may be rated at a higher speed, they are all backwards compatible, and can run at a slower speed.

Apple put a note out on this for the G4 mac mini's, as they were shipping with PC3200 memory, although the spec was PC2700. In that note, they indicated "Using PC3200 memory does not provide additional speed benefits. Although the Mac mini supports PC3200 DIMMs, the PC3200 RAM will operate at PC2700 (333 MHz) speeds." Same goes for your system.

I've never had any issues with Crucial memory, and recommend Crucial, Kingston (not their valueram line, though) or Samsung.

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Answer 3

Jun 29, 2009 10:08 AM in response to BGreg

Pardon me for hijacking this thread.
Are you sure it makes no difference whether PC2-4200 or PC2-5300 ram is used in a "double layer SD 17" PB?
I just installed 2X1GB crucial PC2-5200 ram on a PB5,9 and MacOS 10.5.7 identifies it as PC2-3200S-288 indicating to me that it is running a slower speed than 2X512MB PC2-4200S factory ram.

If there are 1GB PC2-4200 dimms available, would they be better than 1GB PC2-5300?

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Answer 4

Jun 30, 2009 9:04 PM in response to impala_sc

This is discussed more in the corresponding PowerBook G4 15 inch aluminum forum. But I couldn't find a definitive answer there, either.

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Answer 5

Jul 2, 2009 2:42 PM in response to impala_sc

I used the only MacOS memory benchmark I could find: "ubench" from macports.org Below I listed just the RAM benchmark, not the combined or CPU benchmark. I cannot vouch for the quality of this benchmark, but I guess it is better than nothing.

I ran the benchmark at least twice for each configuration.
below are the best results running the described configuration.
109062 2x 1GB 5300 listed as PC2-3300S-288 (crucial )
108548 1x 1GB 5300 " "
109062 2x 1GB 4200 listed as PC2-4200S-444 (2x crucial ct12864ac53e)
109062 1x 1GB 4200 " "
108548 2x 512 4200 listed as PC2-4200S-444 (the factory RAM)
108548 Mixed 1GB 5300 with 512MB 4200 (factory)

Conclusion: the PC2-5300 is actually running at the system full speed despite being listed as PC2-3300S

However, why not just buy the right 4200 part if you can find it?
crucial: ct12864ac53e

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