What is the REAL max RAM ??

I'm considering buying a laptop with an Intel Core i7-740QM CPU. It's an Asus gaming laptop with 4 memory slots and some resellers are saying it can take up to 16GB of RAM.

However, according to Intel's specs for this CPU (listed HERE), the "Max Memory Size" is 8GB (depending on type). Can anyone clarify this info? Are resellers offering more RAM than the CPU can see or use just to make a few more bucks?

And the next line on the specs page is "Memory Types" and all it says is DDR3 1066/1333. So, what gives? I see people ordering this laptop with 12 or 16GB of RAM and I'm wondering if they are just wasting their money.

 

Which ASUS model? G73xx?

 

Yes, that's the one. Either the G73JH or G73JW.

 

It can take as much as the reseller says. As for speed, that doesn't matter, though you should note that 1333MHz will downclock to 1066MHz in dual core Core i CPUs.

 

I don't see anywhere where it says G73 JW/JH says 16 GB RAM. It's 8 GB RAM max. Certain models have 4 SODIMMs with 2 GB RAM each.

 

The max memory depends on how the chipset interconnects the memory modules + the firmware.
For most users you don't even hit 4GB on normal usage.

 

actually quad core i series cpus will run it at 1333HHz as the memory controller is on the cpu die, whereas dual core i series cpus run it at 1066MHz as the memory controller is on the integrated gpu die

 

Thanks for the replies but my question is still not answered. If Intel says a certain CPU's max memory is 8 GB, what is the point of putting more than that in the laptop? I'm assuming that they're saying the CPU won't or can't address more than that. But then, if you're running 64-bit Windows 7, the OS can address a LOT more than 8 GB. So, could it be that the OS maps memory over 8 GB to a separate area and the CPU is not aware of it?

I'm just trying to understand why these resellers are offering 12 or 16 GB of RAM in these high-end laptops when Intel says the CPU "max" is 8 GB.

 

Simple answer? Misprint, or they never bothered to update it. One thing is that until fairly recently, notebooks were largely limited to 2 RAM slots. And since the largest RAM sizes also available for a single slot until recently was 4 GB, 2x4 = 8 GB maximum memory. It's only with the relatively recent advance of notebooks with more than 2 memory slots, and the addition of 8 GB RAM sticks that people are able to regularly put in more memory than listed. This is nothing new; many of the older Core and Core 2 notebooks were listed as being only able to accept 2 GB maximum of memory, when they could easily take 4 GB (not always, but often). The manufacturers just never updated the specifications as newer technology came out. Or look at the M6500 Precision; it has 4 memory slots, and there are (expensive!) models currently shipping with 32 GB of RAM that work perfectly fine... but one user was complaining that the DMI code listed the maximum RAM as 16 GB. That's another case where they just never updated that one little value, largely because it has no effect on the reality (and because very few people even knew how to find it, anyway).

 

If it's a "misprint", then they've done it on all the mobiile Core i7 CPU spec pages. Even the i7-940XM lists memory max at 8 GB:
Core i7-940XM

The desktop Core i7 CPUs list either 16GB or 24GB max.

I'm going to ask one of the reseller reps that frequent this forum (in another thread). I'll be back to post what he says.

 

Judicator's post answered it already for you (fully).

The rep(s) will not be able to add anything new.

 

Intel supplies the CPU's to Notebook Manufacturer's and the reason 8GB Max is written is because MOST laptops have 2 memory slots. Some companies build laptops with 3 or 4 memory slots so they ARE able to support more.

 

Alright then... so, you can put in as much memory as you have the slots for and depending on the edition of Windows 7 you're using, you should be able to use it all.

If this is true (and I have no reason to doubt it), then I think it's very sloppy and misleading of Intel to post those limitations on its website.

Thanks for the replies. I'll be heading over to Intel's forums to point out this oversight to them. This makes them look very unINTELigent!

EDIT: According to THIS POST by an Intel person, the specs are correct. Yeah, now I'm really confused.

It seems there is a lot of discussion about this on Intel's CPU forum and the clearest statement I've seen is
HERE made by an Intel support person. But still, it's not very clear. Some are saying there are OEM and Boxed CPU's that may have different values for max ram and other's are saying it's BIOS-dependent. You gotta ask the OEM, I suppose.

So, Tiller, Judicator's post, as I suspected, is just speculation. It appears it's a lot more involved than a "misprint".

 

Not speculation, just verified by multiple instances of the spec's being 'wrong' in too many different systems over too many years.

 

Yes. Intel really should clarify that 8 GB is NOT the limit since some OEM's offer more than that and, apparently, it is all accessible and usable providing you use 64-bit OS with the right edition of Win7. Different editions have different max memory specs.

But I would like a rep to assure me that this is so before I spend close to 2 grand on his product. I guess I'll just get confirmation from the rep I order from... since no one is confirming here (yet) that they have more than 8GB and it is all recognizable and usable with an i7 mobile CPU.

 

There are 8GB memory sticks but these are mostly limited to ODMs like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. The reason why the limits were stated are since they didn't have these sticks when they had undergone testing.

 

I would not put too much weight on what any rep said - when you get your system test it fully within your return period - if it performs as you expect what difference will it make what a rep says? One way or another?

At worse, you'll get your 'confirmation' that it will work but it won't - the 'word' of the rep will be of little use to getting the system to perform as it should.

At best, he'll confirm what you heard/read here first - and the system will perform as expected - no correlation to what he said once again.

The point here is that the information you have been provided with is sound.

Whether it applies to the system you're considering should be part of your evalution process which should include a generous return (no restocking fee) policy.

Good luck.

 

It does make a difference to me if the rep says his product can do something that it can't. That's false and misleading advertising == fraud. I'd sue him and the company and I'd win because I'd have a record of what he told me. It is perfectly legal to record your own phone conversations... and I would ask for verification by email.

But, I'd rather not go through all that and most likely wouldn't have to. I just have zero tolerance for people who misrepresent their products... been burnt too many times. Now I hold their feet to the fire and make 'em pay up, as everyone should.

 

I can sympathize with your position; however, life is too short to hold everyone accountable. There are higher powers.

 

The real max ram is OVER 9000!!!

 

You might put in a claim, but you wouldn't win anything. The misinterpretation is on your part for not being and informed consumer; and all types of salesman (think weight loss claims) have been doing this for years.

It's up to the consumer to read/listen carefully to the word trickery and separate the real world reality from impractical generalizations. Luckily we have websites like these where fellow enthusiast can come and get clarification to all those superfluous claims of an overly exaggerating salesperson.

He's not misrepresenting the product, just not overly clarifying it. It may be an unscrupulous sales tactic, but it's not an illegal one.

 

Well, companies need to be held accountable or everything we buy would be a "lemon".

 

That's interesting. So if an intel processor says 8GB is the max.... it's not?

 

Not exactly the point. Consider the laws regarding Truth in Advertising: They typically refers to claims a reasonable person would expect. To put it another way, are we talking about the processor, or the computer?

 

... now I'm confused again >_> I know netbooks sometimes advertise "max RAM 2GB" even though you could throw a 4GB stick in there, but if your intel processor says it can't do more than 8GB I feel like that's a bit more "final".... but is it?

 

I beg to differ there. Lawyers for consumer advocacy groups win judgments against corporations all the time. And I'm not talking about just the big class-action suits. But it's true that you have to prove that their product was misrepresented in all the details and prove intent to defraud. So, yes, it can be hard but it's not impossible.

Anyway, we're getting off-topic here.... can anyone verify that a Core i7 mobile processor laptop with MORE than 8GB of RAM is able to access and use all the ram?

That's a good point. This is why sales reps need to be asked very specific questions before you buy. The kind of questions NBR members would ask are not typical, I'm sure.

 

Yes, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, anything's possible. Still, it's highly unlikely you would win. And even more so, that it would be worth it even if you did. Most lawyers I know aren't interested in such petty cases. However, that doesn't mean you can't can go it on your own:

I once fought (and won) a $6 parking ticket that ended up costing me half a day's pay for the time I took off from work. Not to mention transportation costs to get to the court. I somehow convinced myself that it was a matter of principle, but I am still not sure if I really won in the end.

 

What you're asking for is kind of like is there proof of life on another planet.

You'll have to go there to see.

There is no point in getting an 'assurance' from anyone.

The only thing that matters is if the specific system you're interested in will support more than 8GB of RAM.

My position is yes, it will (until proven otherwise) based on my personal experience and other information I read/seen firsthand on this topic.

I really can't understand your unwillingness to use the collective experience of the members here to your benefit (instead of running around in circles).

If I'm not mistaken, Pirx is running a system with 16GB of RAM, but I'm not sure what processor he's using.

 

See the chart about halfway down the page at this LINK.

Most netbooks came with Windows 7 Starter Edition (32-bit) and the max ram allowed is 2GB. However, if you installed Home Premium you can access 4 GB. (Well, the Atom CPU is 32-bit, so you wouldn't see/use ALL the 4GB of ram, thanks to Windows' limitations).

So the max accessible RAM is dependent on at least 3 things:
CPU (32- or 64-bit)
Chipset (memory controller)
Operating System (32- or 64-bit and Edition)
And also, apparently, the BIOS in the computer which may or may not allow the CPU to see more than a certain amount of RAM.

 

I'm perfectly willing to take NBR members word for it. I just haven't seen anyone SAY they have more than 8GB in a Core i7 mobile CPU laptop and that they can access and use it all. That's all. I don't need proof, per se, just a "personal testimonial" if anyone cares to speak up. In the meantime, I'll look around in other threads to see what others have (since I'm apparently "running around in circles" here).

If I look at enough signatures, I'll see a system that qualifies.

Thanks for your time.

 

raydabruce,

don't get me wrong - I too want proof for a lot of things. But this is a case of 'but of course it will work', in my eyes.

If your intended system is offered with 2x8GB sticks, or has 4 slots and you're buying 4x4GB sticks and you're running Win7x64 Professional or above, I don't see what you're worrying about.

The CPU is not limiting anything as long as the M/B and O/S can handle the extra RAM.

 

If you're looking for an actual "testimonial" for something like that then good luck--since few people would ever even utilize more than 4GB of RAM for most applications. Your search would have to be confined to a very specialized (and elite) group to go beyond 8GB! Still, if you find someone, please let us know.

 

I wish 8GB sticks were sold =p I'd buy 16GB of RAM just to say I had it lol

 

Well, this would be the place to find such "elites". Here or on some gaming, design or engineering forum. If both their BIOS and Windows reports more than 8GB of RAM, then I'm satisfied.

It really bothers me that Intel states 8GB max in their CPU specs. But there's no changing a behemoth like Intel until they're good and ready to change it. I'm sure they have their reasons... or else they're just being lazy, or overly cautious due to a lot of OEMs that don't offer BIOSes that support over 8GB.

I would think that they'd want people to know that they CAN use more than 8 GB if they need to. There are graphic designers, CAD/CAM users, video editors and the like that DO want and need more than 8GB and would love to have it in a laptop. The knowledge would boost their mobile CPU sales, I would think.

 

You can configure dell precision laptops with upto 32GB of RAM (4*8GB)
But you will be paying over 8.5K for the upgrade

 

Seems like only yesterday 4GB was the max. In a few years we'll probably see systems with 16 or 32GB as the norm. We can't now conceive of why anyone would need that much ram. But then, someone in the early PC industry once said, "64k of ram is all anyone will ever need." Now, a thousand times that amount (64MB) won't run much of anything.

 

They are being sold.

 

Just a thought, if the intel stated max ram for mobile i series processors is 8GB, then how is it that there are systems available to purchase with greater than this, eg Dell precision series 4GB, 6GB, 8GB, 12GB, 16GB, 32GB configurations

 

Yes, this is one of these complete and utter waste-of-time-and-bandwidth threads. Simply put, if manufacturers sell you the machine with X amount of RAM, you can bet your @ss that the machines are able to use that RAM, no matter how much the obsessive-compulsive types around here may hop up and down and pee their pants about some spec somewhere (mistakenly) saying otherwise.

For the record, I am running 16 gigs in my M6400 (Q9300), and they work just fine.

 

Thanks for that unkind, unsolicited and totally unnecessary assessment. And what you call "some spec somewhere" is the CPU manufacturer's spec. You'd think maybe that would carry some weight or at the very least, alarm some people thinking about spending a couple thousand dollars on a laptop?

You're confidence is admirable but I'm not so trusting with my hard-earned money and a lot of other folks aren't either.

A Q9300 is not a Core i7 mobile CPU. And "work just fine" doesn't tell me that either your BIOS or the OS sees and uses the whole 16GB.

 

Shrug. I am not a good psychiatrist, so I can't really give you a good answer to this question.

Good god, man, do you even have any idea whatsoever what it is you are talking about? You do understand, do you, that these manufacturers would be liable for selling you a computer that is unable to use the RAM you bought? That, at the very least, they would have to process a refund, but probably open themselves up to class-action suits? That thousands and thousands of such laptops have been sold to consumers, and none of them returned "because the memory doesn't work"?

Oh, so you think that the newer i7 cannot use as much memory as the older model? Are you for real? By the way, I am also using 8GB in my M4500, i7 X 920.

Sigh... So now you are saying that all this time I am using a computer without ever realizing it can only use a quarter of its installed RAM? I'd rather not reply to that one. Alright, yes, one reply: You may find that hard to imagine, but the kind of people who spend premium cash on such a machine know why they need the RAM, and use it.

P.S.: If you check here, you can find another one of these types (debguy) who have trouble believing in the manufacturer's specs. You might love this: In the case of the M6500, a particular component of the BIOS in fact reports only up to 16GB of RAM usable. In case you're curious, yes, the M6500 can use 32GB of RAM, with its i7 Quad Core.

 

Oh? Link?


10 chara

 

So you honestly think that Intel might have downgraded the amount of RAM their CPUs and chipsets can use in going from C2Q to quad Core i7? Uh-huh.

You're probably not going to get your answer very soon, so you basically have two options:

A.) Be on the safe side and only get 8GB, or
B.) Use common sense to figure out that Intel wouldn't make chipsets with four RAM slots if it weren't possible to use all of them to their fullest, and that it would be such a major case of false advertising on the part of multiple OEMs if the 8GB limit truly existed that there's a 100% chance that we would know OEMs are trying to rip customers off. I mean, do you seriously think that wouldn't hit tech news in a heartbeat?

 

My chipset only has 2 ram slots. If there were 8GB chips that I could buy (still waiting on a link, I know they exist but I've never seen for sale) I'd think they could work on mine.

I'm just curious as to why then intel puts "8GB max memory" on their laptop cpus.

 

My guess is that it's because 8GB sticks are impossible to find and most laptops have only two slots, making 8GB the practical limit. It also saves them from being harassed by less knowledgeable people complaining about the fact that they can't find a way to install 32GB of RAM.

 

An i7 X920 is not a mobile CPU. I think you may be getting things mixed up.

 

He meant 920XM, more than likely.

 

Just look at the link I posetd in my earlier post. Havoctex has given exactly such testimony. Disclaimer: He is a Dell employee.

 

Correct. bladibla

 

whatever the case , 16GB of RAM does and will work in G73... chipset and x64 limitations don't affect the amount of RAM now.. its the size of sticks and slots ...