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Apple MacBook Memory Testing of 512MB, 768MB,1.0GB, 1.25GB, 1.5GB, and 2.0GB configurations by Other World Computing.

Upgrading Memory
in your MacBook

"To Pair or Not to Pair" (Updated May 31st, 2007)

Our testing first began in December of 2006 to provide information on what, if any benefit was gained from using matched pairs of memory in Apple’s Macbook, Mac mini, and certain iMac models which share system memory with an onboard and integrated Intel video chipset. Apple suggests pairs for such systems and from this we would infer there to be some benefit from the 128 Bit addressing (which having installed pairs ‘engages’) in relationship to system video performance.

*See original December 2006 article*

Based on the results from our series of real-world application testing, it has since been our recommendation that having more memory installed via a non-matched pair provides better system performance than a lesser amount of memory attained from an installed pair. Simply put – the more total memory, however configured, the better.

Most recently we have completed testing for and added the latest Feb/2008 MacBook 2.1GHz and 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo systems. Compared to the Nov/2007 MacBook 2.0GHz and 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo models they replace – these systems feature only a 3MB Shared L2 Cache compared to a 4MB Shared L2 Cache on the aforementioned prior models. Based on our test results, this reduced L2 Cache significantly reduces the performance of these new models where only 2.0GB or less memory is installed. It’s not until 3.0GB or more memory is installed in the 2.1GHz or 2.4GHz model that the benefits of the faster processor speeds really begin to materialize.

*MacBook Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz and 2.16GHz models are able to accept a matched pair of 2GB modules for 4.0GB total, but only fully utilize the first 3.0GB of installed memory. Even so, even with these systems, there is some benefit to having the matched pair of 4.0GB installed.

**Tests conducted on these models with Apple OS 10.4.x Tiger and slightly different test software versions. This explains some variations in test results. All other model results tested with identical test base.

Photoshop CS3 Results

Adobe Photoshop CS3 is the newest, Intel-native iteration of the popular image editing program.

This test measures the time (in seconds) it takes to execute a custom 21-step action script using Adobe Photoshop CS3. Lower times are better.

RAM Configuration 1024 MB
(2x 512)		 1536 MB
(1024+512)		 2048 MB
(2x 1024)		 2560 MB
(2048+512)		 3072 MB
(1024+2048)		 4096 MB
(2x 2048)

MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)

 not tested not tested 107.63 not tested 80.78 78.41
MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)		 128.72 124.25 116.31 106.40 89.37 87.10
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 118.34 111.29 104.60 99.53 86.84 84.50
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 157.28 145.66 124.19 109.50 97.78 96.03
MacBook (Mid 2007 Model)
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)** 		140.91 129.84 126.13 116.91 95.00 92.66*
MacBook (Nov 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core 2 Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 149.97 143.00 137.07 131.15 109.00 107.90*
MacBook (May 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 169.86 164.69 158.59 Not
Supported 		Not
Supported 		Not
Supported

"Stress Test" Results

This test also times how long it takes Adobe Photoshop CS3 to run a series of 21 actions. However, in addition to Photoshop, the iTunes Visualizer is also set to run. This generally taxes both the video card and the processor. Lower times are better.

RAM Configuration 1024 MB
(2x 512)		 1536 MB
(1024+512)		 2048 MB
(2x 1024)		 2560 MB
(2048+512)		 3072 MB
(1024+2048)		 4096 MB
(2x 2048)

MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)

 not tested not tested 122.94 not tested 96.63 90.66
MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)		 153.97 138.72 133.31 125.97 107.06 105.63
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 139.40 127.41 120.85 119.38 104.66 102.65
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 182.16 151.75 144.25 133.40 119.50 116.75
MacBook (Mid 2007 Model)
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)** 		150.56 147.62 142.10 132.25 116.56 113.53*
MacBook (Nov 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core 2 Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 170.85 162.10 157.20 150.47 131.16 126.91*
MacBook (May 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 201.53 186.68 181.43 Not
Supported 		Not
Supported 		Not
Supported

"RAM Hog" Results

This test times how long it takes to run our standard 21-step Photoshop action in Photoshop CS3 when 50% othe installed RAM is taken up with a Parallels virtual machine. Lower times are better.

RAM Configuration 1024 MB
(2x 512)		 1536 MB
(1024+512)		 2048 MB
(2x 1024)		 2560 MB
(2048+512)		 3072 MB
(1024+2048)		 4096 MB
(2x 2048)

MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)

 not tested not tested 262.72 not tested 157.09 78.12
MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)		 1475.89 363.54 279.84 224.72 183.84 86.34
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 1129.32 358.82 253.25 211.88 157.27 85.15
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 1196.00 396.31 312.81 246.78 185.41 94.59
MacBook (Mid 2007 Model)
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)** 		not tested 352.06 281.28 230.37 179.78 174.59*
MacBook (Nov 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core 2 Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 not tested 362.75 318.59 225.94 186.65 180.25*
MacBook (May 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 not tested 397.97 319.81 Not
Supported 		Not
Supported 		Not
Supported

Halo Results

In order to heavily tax the video card, we ran the time demo of the Intel-native version of the popular game, Halo.

Results are the average frame rate (in frames per second) achieved. Higher results are better.

RAM Configuration 1024 MB
(2x 512)		 1536 MB
(1024+512)		 2048 MB
(2x 1024)		 2560 MB
(2048+512)		 3072 MB
(1024+2048)		 4096 MB
(2x 2048)

MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)

 not tested not tested 30.26 not tested 25.91 30.28
MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)		 29.09 29.21 29.77 28.47 29.49 29.81
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 29.28 22.37 29.79 29.13 29.87 29.92
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 28.52 28.72 29.13 28.30 29.12 29.19
MacBook (Mid 2007 Model)
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)** 		14.40 14.63 14.94 14.72 14.57 14.42*
MacBook (Nov 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core 2 Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 14.28 13.80 14.30 13.56 13.97 14.24*
MacBook (May 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 13.18 12.85 13.15 Not
Supported 		Not
Supported 		Not
Supported

XBench Results

XBench is a standardized utility for measuring the performance of your computer, as compared to a "baseline" computer. (More information and the application, itself, can be found here.)

For this test, we checked all the options except for the Disk Test, as it was the only one that did did not either touch System memory or Video Memory. Higher Point results are better.

 

RAM Configuration 1024 MB
(2x 512)		 1536 MB
(1024+512)		 2048 MB
(2x 1024)		 2560 MB
(2048+512)		 3072 MB
(1024+2048)		 4096 MB
(2x 2048)

MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)

 not tested not tested 93.32 not tested 95.65 93.54
MacBook (Early 2008 Model)
2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 Cache)		 83.48 83.27 83.40 83.65 83.55 83.85
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 84.24 84.89 85.77 85.70 85.64 85.66
MacBook (Late 2007 Model)
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)		 77.65 77.26 77.98 76.28 77.08 78.25
MacBook (Mid 2007 Model)
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo (4MB L2 Cache)** 		164.24 160.90 165.20 163.18 161.33 165.59*
MacBook (Nov 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core 2 Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 140.61 140.20 141.72 140.35 139.07 141.48*
MacBook (May 2006 Model)
1.83GHz Core Duo (2MB L2 Cache)**		 124.38 123.81 124.69 Not
Supported 		Not
Supported 		Not
Supported
 
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