DDR2 Ram sizing

Hi guys, i have a M17x (1st Gen) whichi uses a Santa-Rosa motherboard and therefore DDR2 RAM...

I know with 64-Bit OS i can use up to 128Gb Ram, in theory anyway but, my question is what is the largest sized Ram module for a notebook?

I have two slots available and want use them fully...

OB

 

santa rosa chipset technically supports a maximum of 4gb ram.

But some people have tested and found that 8gb works too.

Those are your options.
4gb sticks of ram have a high price (hundreds of $$$).

 

2x2gb is the best bet.

4gb so-dimms are very expensive usually and unless you have a very specific tasks that needs that much ram you wont see any performance increase in having it.

I think santa rosa is limited at a hardware level to 4gb as well like moral hazard said, but that means nobody could have 8gb working (and by working I mean being used by the system, not just having the system recognize it and run with it installed)

I put that last part out there because ever since Vista incorporated showing the amount of ram installed in the system instead of ram used by the system many people have been having false impressions on how much ram there system is using.

The most common example is those who have 4gb installed and use x86 Vista, they used to see 3.XGB of ram and after the Service Pack update now they see 4.0GB of ram, so thats how all those false rumors/threads started about x86 supporting 4gb of ram when it cant (well not without PAE but thats a different story) so I would not be surprised if this is the same issue again in at least a few of these cases. So the "My Computer" screen is not a valid or preferred way to show 8gb of ram working, it needs to be a system resource monitor or something similar.

If Santa Rosa really does support 8gb of ram Intel needs to update there white papers.

 

I don't want to start a debate whether 8gb will actully fully work on the PM965 (santa rosa) chipset.

Basically I think everyone would recommend 4gb for you.

8gb would cost I think over $400 (correct me someone).
while 4gb would cost slightly over $60 or so.

Better to spend the extra money on a SSD or some gamming ram with better timmings.
Or a CPU upgrade, or what ever.
I dont think it's worth paying so much for 8gb right now.

Also depending on many factors, it's likely you will not have 8gb fully working.

 

Its not a debate, though I never miind a debate. I am one who usually can spot bad information and crush it before it spreads any further.

I did a google search and every single link I found where there was 8gb working on PM965 was showing a screen shot of the Vista My Comptuer screen...

Also I just went to intels site and looked at the newest spec sheet revision and it still says max of 4GB on there.

So unless they deviated from the intel specs I dont think it works and many people out there are just fooled into thinking it works.

 

Depending on what type, $400-$800.

More like a couple hundred.

There are a few application from special areas like, graphic artist, multimedia/editing, and gamers. I'd guess less than 10% of laptop owners would ever need that much?

 

I payed $90 AUD for my 4gb (2 x 2gb) 800mhz samsung ram.

I have the santa rosa chipset also.

 

For 2x2GB you can get it under $60 pretty easy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208496

That is just your run of the mill every day price, on sale you can spot high rated ram for like $40 or less.

 

Thanks guys, I've already got 4Gb, just wanted to know if i could possibly use more with a 64-Bit OS.

I'll stick with my 4 and use Windows 7 64-Bit and use it all...

OB

 

Prices do vary, but not quite that much. As a matter of fact, I was checking that website for RAM just the other day. In this case, I was thinking 4gb but looking at the price for 6gb.