Ideal 3GB RAM configuration for MacBook?

Question

Pursuing more and more the idea of maxing out my Mid 2007 MacBook to 3GB, I have come to wonder, which configuration of RAM would be most ideal? (and also if it even matters on the configuration)
That is, is there an advantage to plugging the 2GB stick into bank0 and having a 1GB stick in bank1, or vise versa?
Or, does it simply not matter?

Answer 1

KBHenn wrote:
If you use a 2GB+1GB sticks, you'll use all of the 3GB, but you won't benefit from the dual channeling, which as I've heard, isn't really THAT beneficial.
Coming from a technical background, I've read Intel's datasheet for the Santa Rosa chipset. It's really convoluted if you don't understand all the language so bear with me.
Intel actually has two levels of "dual channel" operation, and it's not really a true operation where both channels are run together in parallel. What they do is "interleave" where one channel can have (let's say) a read instruction started while the other is reading out data. It would be matched to the latency of the memory. If anything, it might save a few cycles as a data read is ping-ponged from one channel to the other. Their description when memory sizes are exactly matched is "dual channel interleaving". Their description when memory sizes aren't exactly matched is "dual channel assymetric", where it achieves dual channel interleaving operation for as much as the smaller memory, and single channel operation for the remainder of the larger memory.
I've even installed a 512 MB PC2-4200 and a 512 MB PC2-5300 module in my Santa Rosa MacBook, and it defaulted both to PCs-4200. This is in line with what I've read in Intel datasheets.
I'm not 100% sure if these functions would apply to a mid-2007 MacBook, but I have the suspicion that Intel had this same definition for "dual channel" for some time.
You CAN use 2x2GB sticks, but you won't get all 4GB. The Core 2 Duo chips only recognize up to 3.2-3.3GB. If you do use 2x2GB you will benefit from the dual channel, it's just that you wont be using all that you've put in there. It's really a matter of personal preference. I don't think you'll notice a huge difference in the two, and then again you may. It's all up to you.
Again - I can't see that it would mean that much of a difference given what I've read in Intel's datasheets. I think even 1GB+2GB will achieve an effective dual channel for at least 2GB of the memory.
It does not matter which bank you put the 2GB or 1GB sticks either.
Correct.