ibook g4 upgrade question?

[pcortez]

hey guys,

my sister has an ibook g4, 1.07 ghz, 256 mb built-in memory.
so she is going off to cal next year for college, and for a graduation gift, i thought i'd upgrade her current ibook since i can't afford a new macbook.

would a boost from 256 mb to 1gb of memory make a big difference even though it's only 1.07 ghz. and does the hard drive size mean anything for performance, cuz it's 40gb.

also, the computer is past its warranty, where would i find good ram, and does anyone know how to install it on an ibook g4?

thanks a lot..i really appreciate the help.

-peter

 

[pcortez]

so i figured out how to install the ram.

i just need to know if 1gb would help with the 1.07 mhz.
and where would i find cheap 1gb ram for the ibook g4.
thanks.

peter

 

[Eniregnat]

It will make a difference. Crucial sells good ram. Others will likely steer you towards other merchants and brands. Listen to their advice, but I like Crucial, which is fairly cost competitive, and they warranty their memory, and really are no hassle people to deal with.

 

[livingfortoday]

Definitely go with the RAM upgrade. My mom considered buying a new iBook (she has a 700Mhz G3) until I added in a 512MB chip for her. It feels like a totally new machine now. Also, you can get a 5400rpm or 7200rpm hard drive which will make it feel a lot faster than the stock 4200rpm.

 

[pcortez]

just one more question guys.

with 256 ram built-in, and installing 1gb stick.
is that a weird combo? should they be matching?

sorry, really lame to computers.ha.

-peter

 

[disconap]

It will make a HUGE difference under OSX. I went from 684 to 1.1g and the difference was incredible, so I imagine 256 to 1.2g will be amazing...

 

[livingfortoday]

just one more question guys.

with 256 ram built-in, and installing 1gb stick.
is that a weird combo? should they be matching?

sorry, really lame to computers.ha.

-peter

No, it should be fine, they don't need to match in the iBook. If you're looking to do the upgrades yourself, here's a site with a good step by step guide:
ifixit.com

 

[slooksterPSV]

I found the RAM for my iBook at http://www.ramseeker.com/ I got it from omni-technologies, and this baby purrs.

 

[Zman5225]

make sure you check out Datamem.com for apple ram as well. They have the lifetime warranty as well, and they gaurantee it will work. Better pricing then crucial to.

Z

 

[Eniregnat]

No, there is no need for matching. There is one slot, if I am correct, and the total should end up being, with the onboard and add on a max of 1280MB of memory.

Upgrading the HD may also save battery life and give it more pep. My PB came with a 4200 drive and upgrading to a 5400 save battery life, as the drive had a larger onboard cache and was more power efficient. iFixIt.com previously PBfixIt.com has directions and parts. You may choose to buy elsewhere. Search the forums for advice on upgrading you HD. I suggest having the right tools from the start and using ice cube trays or water color pallets to keep track of screws.

 

[pcortez]

thanks for all the good tips guys.

i appreciate it.

peter

 

[California]

I've got a one gig stick I used for six weeks in my iBook before I sold it. OEM Samsung, lifetime warranty. Bought it for 145, will sell for $99. Let me know

 

[pcortez]

"OEM components are not fully tested at the factory, and are sold in bulk to manufacturers at a discounted price."

this was on datamem.com; i dont know too much about computers "california", but imma have to pass. thanks for the offer though.

one LAST question, i promise.
if the computer is used just for simple applications (AIM, safari, iLife, etc [all at the same time]), is 1gb ram upgrade from 256 mb overkill?

 

[livingfortoday]

Well, it certainly can't hurt to have more RAM, and I think if you can afford it, you should get it. 512MB more might be enough for what you're looking to do, but 1GB is definitely your best bet.

 

[mkrishnan]

one LAST question, i promise.
if the computer is used just for simple applications (AIM, safari, iLife, etc [all at the same time]), is 1gb ram upgrade from 256 mb overkill?

If you're using Tiger (OS X 10.4.x), I'd say no. (EDIT: No as in no, it won't be overkill, yes, it will be useful). It can use a lot of RAM very effectively, and it will tend to keep the iBook useful for a longer period of time....

If you have Panther (10.3.x), however, I would say that you probably will not notice as big a difference between 768MB (add 512) and 1.25GB....

 

[Caitlyn]

I saw a major improvement going from 512MB to 1.5GB of RAM on this 1.33GHz G4, so yes, you will indeed see an improvement. Best of luck with the upgrade.

 

[pcortez]

well, after careful consideration especially from all the comments.
the 1GBers win!

i just figured with the computer only having 10.3 on it and 10.5 obviously coming out in the next four years, it definitely doesn't hurt.

so i have til my sister starts CAL in august to save up that extra money.
thanks a lot everyone. ill be sure to post how it went, but that wont be for a couple months.

 

[slooksterPSV]

I saw a major improvement going from 512MB to 1.5GB of RAM on this 1.33GHz G4, so yes, you will indeed see an improvement. Best of luck with the upgrade.

I upped my iB g4 to 1GB and it runs a lot better. I should have, and maybe I will, go with a 1GB chip since I'm running out of RAM still. XCode, iTunes, Bon Echo, Adium, Mail, etc. can use lots of RAM.

 

[California]

"OEM components are not fully tested at the factory, and are sold in bulk to manufacturers at a discounted price."

this was on datamem.com; i dont know too much about computers "california", but imma have to pass. thanks for the offer though.

one LAST question, i promise.
if the computer is used just for simple applications (AIM, safari, iLife, etc [all at the same time]), is 1gb ram upgrade from 256 mb overkill?

Actually, I meant OEM as in: "THIS IS THE TYPE OF RAM THAT APPLE USES OEM IN THEIR COMPUTERS"

IT was NOT a piece of ram taken out of a computer oem. It was NOT a bulk OEM chip. It was fully tested, etc. Interesting that you misunderstood.

The reason I wrote oem is that this is a selling point for me because memory for Apple can be picky. Samsung has proved to be great and this chip worked flawlessly on my 1.42ghz 14" iBook.

And no, I had your sister's same computer and stuffed it with max ram. You need it to make it run Tiger and other apps.