Requesting 1 4gb stick instead of 2 2gb sticks of RAM

Is this a reasonable request, and are there any reports of any of the major manufacturers (Dell, HP, Sony) ever granting this request? I'd like to go up to 6 or 8 gb of RAM after I buy my laptop, but hate to waste what's there. Also, buying 8 with the laptop for $500 extra is outrageous.

 

You'd have to pay significantly more money to get 1 4GB stick versus 2 2GB sticks.

 

I know dell offers this request at a cost of few hundred dollars.

 

You'd be better off just getting like 1 GB of RAM with your computer, ordering a 4 GB stick from newegg or someone and putting it in yourself.
Replacing RAM is the easiest swap out process, so that's what I'd do.

 

No company will grant your request because it is totally unreasonable. 4GB sticks are very expensive. The cheapest 4GB stick of DDR2-800 is almost $200, while DDR3-1067 will set you back more than $300. Unless you do heavy encoding or lots of mathematical calculations for work or research, you really don't need 8GB.

 

that's why I love notebooks with 3 or 4 ram slots... it would make it much more cheaper.... any idea when 4gb modules price will drop to a reasonable price?

 

I've seen 4Gig DDR2 SODIMM for as low as $45CAD from NCIX.com. That was at least a couple month ago.

 

I'm referring about 4gb ddr3... those are a bit more expensive :x +300$ USD

 

maybe a 4GB kit but not a 4gb sodimm module.

 

I meant 1x4GB ddr2, not 2x2GB ddr2. 2x2GB ddr2 sodimm kit sometimes cost $10USD ($15CAD) when it's on sale.

 

I remember when a 1gb stick was $50

 

I remember when 64Bit stick was $50.

 

where? 10char

 

64 bytes or 8 bytes (64 bits)? And I'd also like to see (even if it expired) this 1x4GB DDR2 (667?) stick for $45 CDN (after MIR?)

 

The page doesn't exist right now. NCIX's weekly sale page gets deleted every week and they put new ones up.

I've seen 2x2GB kit (I think it's the one below) from Corsiar for $15CAD.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index....GSDSKIT800D2&manufacture=Corsair&promoid=1005

Right now, it's $55. Sometimes Corsair offers $30-35 rebates. On special days, NCIX also give more discounts.

So it's normal for 2x2GB ram to go below $10-20.
$65-30(rebate)-$10(ncix discount)=$15 for the 2x2GB DDR2 800 Sodimm kit.

There used to be 4x1GB DDR2 800 desktop rom from Aeneon / Qimonda. They stop selling it now. Couple month ago, they were probably clearing the stock so they sold it for around $40CAD.
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?minorcatid=1300

 

http://www.archmemory.com/images/products/large/72pinsim.jpg
The oldest ram i have is this.

Sorry.. 64MB ram.
Wrote the units wrong.

 

I have a 512kb memory cartridge in my AST Linotype from 1987. Its about 18" long, runs the EISA? (ISA and that brown port after it) and weighs about 2 lbs. It is manufactured by AST under the "FASTRAM" division. It is manufactured in Ireland. It probably cost a $1000 then.
It still works so I guess it was worth it.

But back to topic. a 4Gb module is going to be more expensive than a 2gb module for a few reasons,
1) higher density memory cells are used on the 4gb modules, because there is limited space on the PCB.
2) 4gb memory modules are not yet mainstream, so you pay a huge price premium for them.

If I were you, stick with a 2 x 2GB memory kit. They go for around $40, which is a lot better value than a single 4gb stick.

You can always upgrade your memory at a later point, when 4gb modules become practical and affordable

K-TRON

 

Dont use unmatching sticks, always use 2x 2gb of ram or 2x 4gb of ram, you keep it dual channel that way, it gives better performance.

 

Might I suggest the Dell Precision M6400 if you want 4 RAM slots. You can get 8gb pretty cheap for that thing, as long as you put down the initial $2000. Up to 16gb max!

 

16gb ram... :') my ramdisk dream... I was almost tempted to buy one...
ASUS w90 uses 3 DDR2 slots.

 

Synchronous dual channel doesn't make a difference in real life, more memory will perform better. Different sized sticks will run in asynchronous dual channel.

Tell me when you find one for notebooks. Desktop memory is useless for the forums since we are talking about notebooks here.

 

I predict that notebook ram prices will drop 72.51% at noon (CUT) tomorrow.

Come on, if you wait forever for exactly what you want at the price you're willing to pay you'll never buy anything.

 

you should really read Moore's law and see charts of price vs capacity. your argument is absurd. why should I buy one 4gb module for 350$ if in a couple months their price will drop by more then a half?

 

because the same thing will happen a couple of months after that. And again after that one.

 

The fact is, that at some point, when 4GB is cheap, 8GB sticks will come out and they will be the new objects of desire. Technology evolves with itself, that is to say, as hardware evolves, so does software. So now, when 8GB is very high end, in a few years, 16GB will be very high end. And you'll find youself wanting the very high end, again.

You always have to weigh the options and what the future could look like. But as of now, I wouldn't buy 4GB sticks either.

 

Assuming no one is in the "money is no object" crowd, there's always a point where the performance gained does not equal the extra cost incurred.

Going off newegg prices and assuming a laptop with 2 sockets
Option 1) 2 - 512MB sticks (1GB total) - $16.99
Option 2) 2 - 1GB sticks (2GB total) - $21.98
Option 3) 2 - 2GB sticks (4GB total) - $39.98
Option 4) 2 - 4GB sticks (8GB Total) - $359.98

I would guess most people would go with Option 3. Spending $320 extra to increase the memory to 8GB could be more effectively used getting a better laptop or upgrading another part of the laptop - for example getting an SSD drive.

Sure if you always wait for price cuts or the next best thing then you'll always be waiting. However being on the cutting edge is expensive and generally unnecessary. Thus, the most financially sound advice is to be right behind the cutting edge.

 

Or, as the old guy in the IBM commercials used to say....


"Cool costs me money!"

 

The only justification for getting 8GB is if you need it for work or research and the benefits outweigh the cost. Most people do not need this much and even if they have the money, can invest into something more worthwhile, such as a SSD.