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    MBAIR 13" 2GB vs 4GB

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by AMDgamer, Jan 4, 2011.

  1. AMDgamer

    AMDgamer Notebook Evangelist

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    I know this is quite the debate....but for someone who does not go any further than imovie and iphoto, email, videos, DVD playback, etc..would 2GB be enough?
     
    AMDgamer, Jan 4, 2011
    #1
  2. s2odin

    s2odin Merrica!

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    You might as well get the 4gb since it's not upgradable afterwards.
    And if you start doing things that require more RAM you will regret it.

    On my MBP with Chrome, Skype, Adium open I have 1.9 of my 2 used up, and if I try to open PS it lags like crazy.
     
    s2odin, Jan 4, 2011
    #2
  3. Nick

    Nick Professor Carnista

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    2GB's might be enough, but remember you can never upgrade it. Windows 7 32 bit uses 500MB's at idle.
     
    Nick, Jan 4, 2011
    #3
  4. AMDgamer

    AMDgamer Notebook Evangelist

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    Anyone order with the 4GB upgrade? What did that do to the ship time? I'll do overnight shipping
     
    AMDgamer, Jan 4, 2011
    #4
  5. Omar11

    Omar11 Notebook Guru

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    Is that under MacOS or Windows?

    I'm thinking of getting MBA 13.3 too, and version with 2 GB ram costs much less here. I'll be using MacOS.

    I currently have vaio SZ4, it has same specs as mba (core2duo 1.8 and 2 gb ram) and i'm fine it. I assume i should be fine with MBA too? I also read that bigger ram hurts battery life, can anyone confirm it?
     
    Omar11, Jan 11, 2011
    #5
  6. s2odin

    s2odin Merrica!

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    Under Mac side. I don't use Windows except for Odin to help if I brick my phone.
     
    s2odin, Jan 11, 2011
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  7. Mr6860

    Mr6860 Newbie

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    I have never heard of bigger ram effecting batterly life, maybe in the mb air's enviornment..or if you are pushing timings/clockings/volts on the RAM will increase power..
     
    Mr6860, Jan 12, 2011
    #7
  8. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

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    That's false, especially for notebooks. The only time upgrading RAM will cause an increase in power consumption is when you upgrade to a RAM that requires higher voltage to operate, but since all laptop RAM are strictly limited to industrial standard voltages (1.8v for DDR2 and 1.5v for DDR3), the battery life is not affected and therefore is not something to be concerned with.
     
    Micaiah, Jan 12, 2011
    #8
  9. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

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    actually this is normally incorrect, for the MBA it is not as applicable but any laptop that uses a mechanical drive more RAM .... up to a point .... increases battery life since the mechanical HDD is not in play as often.
     
    crazycanuk, Jan 12, 2011
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  10. AMDgamer

    AMDgamer Notebook Evangelist

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    I got the 4GB using it now...really fast machine.
     
    AMDgamer, Jan 12, 2011
    #10