How much RAM can I really put into my notebook?

So Intel Ark says the PM45 can handle up to 8GB of RAM, I'm guessing this means two 4-GB chips..but my laptop spec sheets in the internet say that it could only max out 4GB of RAM.. so which is it?

Plus, the spec sheet of PM45 says the board supports DDR3 RAM.. Would that mean I could also put in DDR3 here? Or are there more to it than just that?

 

Your chipset by default can handle up to 8GB of ram, however, it seems like there was a limitation put on it to make it so that you can only have 4GB.

As for the DDR3, no you can not use DDR3 ram. The chipset supports it, but your laptop was made to use DDR2, and DDR3 can not even fit into your DIMM slots.

 

It depends on what your motherboard supports. DDR2 and DDR3 require two different physical slots. If your system uses DDR2, then it cannot also use DDR3, regardless of what the chipset supports.

 

How do I know if they put in a limitation? Can that be removed or something? lol

 

Google around, your notebook might be able to use 8GB. Sometimes manuals are written based on the current technology then. If 4GB modules weren't released, then it might just say support for 2x2GB modules. At this point though, it would be a costly thing to try it, so unless you're running low on memory with 4GB, don't worry about it.

 

Actually, u can insert DDR 3 ram in a DDR2 ram notebook, but because of difference in power usage etc , DDR 3 ram won't work. You can do this but u might fry ur comp(maybe). After all DDR2 and DDR3 ram have the same number of pins.

 

maybe they have the same number of pins, but they are not pin compatible.

 

Your laptop most likely supports 8GB. It is more expensive for manufacturers to implement arbitary limitations, and it also adds no value whatsoever.

I am writing this post on a E1405 that Dell says support 2GB maximum. I have 3GB and it recognises it.

 

Well, my orgmate's laptop is an Aspire 4315 I think, which says it supports 2GB, though he did put in a 2GB and a 512MB stick in it and it recognized it. Hmm might try.

 

That is incorrect. DDR2 and DDR3 SODIMMS do not have the same number of pins (200 vs. 204, respectively) and you cannot physically fit a DDR2 module into a DDR3 slot and vice versa due to the location of the little notch in the modules.

 

Since when did 204 = 200?

The number of pins on DDR2 SODIMMs is 200. The number of pins on DDR3 SODIMMS is 204. Therefore your statement is incorrect.

Here are links to the OCZ website if you want to check:

DDR2 SODIMM
DDR3 SODIMM

Actually that site is good for another thing too, if you compare the pictures of the SODIMMs, you will see that the notch in the modules is in a different place. Therefore, even if they had the same number of pins, they would still not be compatible.

However, it is true that they have different power usage, DDR2 is 1.8volts whereas DDR3 is 1.5volts.

If you are not sure about something, it is best to say "I think" or something like that; because otherwise other forum users could get the wrong information and make purchases based on this.

Regards

 

Yeah, sean473, please look up what you're posting before trying to pass it off as fact. There is absolutely no way to get DDR3 memory to work in a DDR2 notebook, or vice versa. They are not physically compatible in any way; they do have different numbers of pins and notch positions, as well as voltages.