Perhaps taking a cue from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, memory maker OCZ hopes its newly announced 3GB SO-DIMM kit will prove just the right amount for notebook users looking for a cost effective upgrade. The PC2-5400 part targets Vista 32-bit users and is meant to occupy the sweet spot between not having enough memory, and overpaying for too much RAM.
Before shrugging off the new kit as another marketing ploy akin to OCZ's Vista Special series or CrossFire RAM, a 3GB part actually makes sense. To truly utilize 4GB (or more) of system memory, you'll need a 64-bit OS. Try installing a 4GB kit into a system with a 32-bit OS, and as Gordon Mah Ung points out in Maximum PC's No Compromises $1,500 PC running Windows XP 32-bit, "it'll likely report only 3.25GB free." The extra doesn't get kicked to the curb, and there are ways to tweak your system to better utilize 4GB kits in a 32-bit environment, but the benefits are not the same as those in a 64-bit environment with native support.
Similar in concept to AMD's tri-core Phenom, OCZ's 3GB kit bridges the gap between 2GB and 4GB kits, and according to the press release, the new modules will be "priced aggressively and targeted at the value-minded consumer." Exactly how aggressive remains to be seen, but OCZ does provide performance specs for the odd-numbered dual-channel kit.
Specification
If OCZ prices the 3GB variety competitively against its 4GB brethren, mobile warriors running 32-bit Vista will have a compelling upgrade option in a single kit. Of course, you can already pick up a 4GB DDR2-667 SO-DIMM kit for under $50, or less than a night out at the movies.
Image Credit: OCZ
Comments are closed on this article
jwalch.hawk
June 30, 2008 at 1:24pm
Nice report, Paul... Maybe we should just expect everything in trios from now on. Heh.
To be serious, though, I think this is a great idea. I can't believe no one thought to do it before... It also makes me wonder if perhaps they will do 3GB in 2x 1.5GB module form. I know that seems a bit silly if you can do it with one channel, but since 64-bit OS's aren't really taking to the market that strongly, we might be stuck with the somewhere-roundabout-3GB directly addressable memory cap for a while. 1.5GB modules could actually make things a lot better for us and OEM's. Let's say I'm looking at notebook with two SO-DIMM slots (pretty common). As of now, I'm stuck with 1GB, 2GB, or wasting somewhere around 1GB if I get 4GB. 1.5GB modules could allow OEM's to sell 3GB models with their cheaply produced crap RAM dual-channeling. Also, for those building their own notebook (I did mine from one of Asus's barebook models), it really helps the upgrade path. You could get a single 1.5GB stick if that gave enough performance to get you by for the time being, and still have a future upgrade path without losing dual-channel or feeling like you're wasting that extra gig-ish.
As a sidenote, Vista's SP1 fixed the reporting issue you alluded to Gordon pointing out. It will now report the full 4GB in whatever the name of that applet is. Of course, there's no changing the fact that it can't address beyond 3-ish directly, but at least it's actually reporting it correctly now.
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/ea7577b8-813f-47a5-ba05-2f5b2e436b281033.mspx
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