At 3:18 AM +0100 10/9/2008, Simon Royal wrote:
>
>I've always bought Mac RAM. However, slap the word Mac on RAM and
>it's price hits the roof.
>
>In looking for 256MB and 512MB sticks of PC100/133 desktop RAM, will
>PC RAM work as it is dirt cheap? Is there anything to look for. I
>know older PowerBooks will take PC RAM as long as it is 16 chip.
Each PC-xxxx monikor is a *family*, that includes a range of
specifications. The family specifications are published / controlled
by Intel.
Most PCs are built using very generic memory controllers, so they're
happy with the whole range of sub-specs in a particular family. That
lets the user easily select expensive fast or cheap slow sticks, as
they desire.
Most Macs are built using ... annoyingly picky memory controllers, so
they require specific sub-types. Mostly the sub-types are faster /
higher quality memories but not always.
Your mission: Find the sub-type specs required by your specific Mac
then find matching DIMMs...
An example, just because I have the detailed specs here.... For a
Power Mac G3 B&W...
In general, it requires PC-100 or PC-133 SDRAM DIMMs.
Now the specifics:
3.3v, 8 ns (125 MHz), 64-bit wide, 168-pin, *unbuffered* only.
Latency: 3-2-3 (slowest), 3-2-2, or 2-2-2 (fastest)
(Note the above is three subtypes out of ?9? possible types.)
Column address strobe (CAS) 2 or lower.
Minimum of 4 and max of 16 addressable memory devices (chips) on the DIMM!
Maximum total capacity of 256 MB per DIMM.
Maximum height 2.0 inches.
Qualified geometries:
64 Mb technologies for 32, 64, and 128 MB DIMMs.
128 Mb technologies for 128 and 256 MB DIMMs.
Do NOT use:
Parity, ECC, registered or buffered SDRAM DIMMs.
256 Mb technology, 32-bit wide, EDO or FPM.
HTH,
- Dan.
--
- Psychoceramic Emeritus; South Jersey, USA, Earth
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