Might buy the precision m90. Confused about RAM

Hi, I'm thinking of buying a precision m90, but there are so many decisions to make....
I've now read this in a review at digital arts online.
" this mobile workstation is heavy on the main RAM too. Our test unit featured a full 4GB of RAM – though only 3GB of that is usable by single applications, and we had to tweak settings to make more than 2GB available. Like most laptops, the M90 has only two RAM slots, so if you want more than 2GB you have to plump for the full 4GB – though the price quoted by Dell for the unit is fair for the usable amount. Photoshop certainly appreciated the extra RAM – after the tweak – taking just over three minutes to complete our Photoshop actions."

On this web site http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/r...m?reviewID=643
and I'm confused...
I'm planning to use vista, and will need at least 3GB of RAM. It is the above paragraph something to do with the fact that they are using xp?
Please help, I must buy this computer soon!
I already have a thread regarding this computer, but thought I would re post as it really is a separate topic.
Thanks, Sophie

 

32-bit operating systems, at least for Windows, can only use up to 3.2GB of RAM. So that's the limitations that it would be hitting there. It's a limitation in both XP and Vista.

Supposedly, there is a "fix" of sorts coming up with XP Service Pack 3, but I don't know the full details of it.

 

This is a working link to the Digital Arts review:
http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=643

The M90 has been discontinued in the US, but is still available in the UK at:
http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/4x_precn_m90?c=uk&cs=ukbsdt1&l=en&s=bsd
http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/featuresdetails.aspx/precn_m90?c=uk&l=en&s=bsd&cs=ukbsdt1&~lt=popup

This is a setting in all 32 bit Windows Vista and XP. It implies that Windows was not properly configured by Dell, but it is something that can readily be fixed. It is not a reason to avoid this laptop.

Most laptops only have two RAM slots; so, this is not a problem unless you want to use more than 4 GB of RAM. This laptop uses the Intel® 945PM Express chipset. My understanding is that that chipset has Intel Flex dual-channel. So, I disagree with the above statement in the review. You could install 1+2=3 GB to use 3 GB.

If you install 2+2=4 GB, you would get to use about 3.3 to 3.5 GB of memory; that is the maximum that 32 bit windows can use. If you want more, you need to get 64 bit Windows (which may not be available in this laptop).

To figure out if you need more than 4 GB of RAM and 64 bit Vista, you would need to describe what the laptop would be used for. If you really need them, you might be better off getting a desktop.

Nothing in what the review says about RAM is a reason to avoid this particular laptop, unless you need to use 4 GB or more of RAM.

Unless money is of no concern, you should get the least RAM that Dell will supply, and buy the rest online and install it yourself.

By the way, this is not a a laptop that a typical consumer would buy. It is designed for certain work situations. To see if this laptop is well-suited to you, you should complete the FAQ:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=29271