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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

I just bought a Mac Pro and want to add more memory. . . but in what configuration?

Stephen Pruitt

Stephen Pruitt

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Hi all. . .

I just got my new 3.2/8 core Mac Pro, but given the prices of Mac memory, I only bought it with 2-gig of RAM.

I want to take it up to the appropriate level of RAM. Should I go 8-gig or 16-gig?

And, even more important than that, should I buy more smaller memory cards or fewer larger ones?

That is, is it better (for speed) to have two 8-gig memory modules or four 4-gigs or eight 2-gigs? Or does it make any difference at all?

Thanks much.

Stephen
 
Fewer larger ram modules are the way to go.

I like OWC for RAM, and no I don't work for them, they just have good
prices and products.
 
Depends on your future plans. If you plan upgrade soon, keep it big in as few chunks as possible.
But i've seen performance tests and they were claiming that 8x1 gigs works faster than 2x4 gigs.

Tests are at owc site somewhere, should be easy to find out. I also bought 16 gigs (4x4gb) from them recently. Seems like a good place.
 
Never buy memory from Apple. They pay way too much for their Ram and pass the savings on to you :)

Tigerdirect has a good selection and is quite cheap. They are not "mac people' however so you have to tell them exactly what you need.

Buy the biggest modules you can so you leave slots free for future upgrades.
 
OWC or TransIntl for RAM.

What phaz said about fewer larger modules is not really correct. The Mac Pro has a quad-channel memory architecture (as most all current Xeon PCs using FB-DIMMs do). You get the fastest performance if you install RAM into all 8 memory slots. RAM must be added into paired slots, you can't just open up the system and add a single module. You have to add RAM into Channel-A (first pair, upper memory board), then Channel-B (first pair, lower memory board), etc.. Memory pairs in a channel have to be identical, you can't mix a 1GB with a 2GB for example. You also get the best performance if you match specs between used channels. So if you're using 4 slots - accounting for Channels A and B, it's best if they're all the same modules, not one channel with 1GB modules and the other with 2GB modules.

You want no less than 8GB in the system. I would recommend 16GB if you can swing it. 16GB will probably be sufficient for the real-world lifetime of this system - 3~4 years. If your application load moves you to need more than 16GB, then the system itself is probably underpowered for what you're doing.

If you want to keep then 2GB (2x1GB, I'm assuming), then I would buy 6 more 1GB modules and fill out your memory boards for a total of 8GB. Otherwise, I would recommend pulling the 2x1GB and filling out the boards with 8x2GB. The 4GB modules are nice, but expensive. If you go to 4x4GB, you gain speed on each channel due to the larger memory capacity in one place. However, you do lose some overall performance compared to having all 4 channels operational. A good way to look at it is this... Using all 4 channels increases latency and memory access times. However it significantly increases data throughput.

Taking that into consideration, a 4x4GB configuration to get 16GB is not a bad choice if you want to leave slots open for future expansion. However, in 2 years if you decide you need 24GB or more, the RAM is going to be a lot cheaper. You would probably end up spending less in the long-run if you did 8x2GB now and then just replaced modules later, if needed.
 
I think this Apple support doc should clear this up for you:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304492

I have installed 4x2Gb sticks to be getting on with - works fine for me, and gives me an upgrade path to 8x2Gb sticks in a few months if required.
 
Reality is more than 4 -6 GB of RAM is a waste unless you are running scientific data on your mac. For most video post-production 4 - 6 gigs is more than sufficient.

Add 16Gb of RAM and ram render a project in AE, you will get the same composition render length as with 6GB.

Add a killer graphics card to your 6GB RAM and you get awesome performance.

We work day in and day out with Uncompressed HD, RED, DVCPro HD and Uncompressed SD. I would not waste money on 16GB RAM, I rather spend the same money on a killer graphics card. But that is my take.
 
Mac Pro Ram

Mac Pro Ram

A big thank you for a great job explaining this Jeff!


Jeff Kilgroe said:
OWC or TransIntl for RAM.

What phaz said about fewer larger modules is not really correct. The Mac Pro has a quad-channel memory architecture (as most all current Xeon PCs using FB-DIMMs do). You get the fastest performance if you install RAM into all 8 memory slots. RAM must be added into paired slots, you can't just open up the system and add a single module. You have to add RAM into Channel-A (first pair, upper memory board), then Channel-B (first pair, lower memory board), etc.. Memory pairs in a channel have to be identical, you can't mix a 1GB with a 2GB for example. You also get the best performance if you match specs between used channels. So if you're using 4 slots - accounting for Channels A and B, it's best if they're all the same modules, not one channel with 1GB modules and the other with 2GB modules.

You want no less than 8GB in the system. I would recommend 16GB if you can swing it. 16GB will probably be sufficient for the real-world lifetime of this system - 3~4 years. If your application load moves you to need more than 16GB, then the system itself is probably underpowered for what you're doing.

If you want to keep then 2GB (2x1GB, I'm assuming), then I would buy 6 more 1GB modules and fill out your memory boards for a total of 8GB. Otherwise, I would recommend pulling the 2x1GB and filling out the boards with 8x2GB. The 4GB modules are nice, but expensive. If you go to 4x4GB, you gain speed on each channel due to the larger memory capacity in one place. However, you do lose some overall performance compared to having all 4 channels operational. A good way to look at it is this... Using all 4 channels increases latency and memory access times. However it significantly increases data throughput.

Taking that into consideration, a 4x4GB configuration to get 16GB is not a bad choice if you want to leave slots open for future expansion. However, in 2 years if you decide you need 24GB or more, the RAM is going to be a lot cheaper. You would probably end up spending less in the long-run if you did 8x2GB now and then just replaced modules later, if needed.
Click to expand...
 
I should have clarified that I meant installing larger pairs of memeory. the less
the computer has to jump from bus to bus the faster the throughput I.E. 4GB
pairs are better than 4 1GB sticks. At least that was what I have read.
 
Ramjet

Ramjet

Just to add another supplier to the mix; I've had very good luck with Ramjet for all my Macintosh memory and have never had any issues. Just added 4GB (2x2GB) to my MacPro Quad.
 
Has everyone forgot newegg.com? The cheapest and largest selection of computer parts for the US?

Xeons are Quad channel so fill four at a time to take full advantage of the Hardware on your motherboard. Apples boards are the few that cannot work in single channel mode, but htey can work in Dual Channel. So you cant have one stick that differs than all the rest.

Honestly I would lose the 2GB you got from apple too, If they have adequate heat spreaders it would be a choice, but from my experience with Apple Ram they are the cheapest FB Kingston sticks you can buy with an apple sticker over top the kingston brand label. Isnt that shitty?

And guys there is no such thing as Apple memory... Memory is memory as a Hard Drive is a Hard Drive. You get the right specifications and you'll be fine.

Why do you think Apple switched to intel in the first place? ALL THE HARDWARE IS CHEAPER AND MORE COMPATIBLE!!!
 
Just to pick a nit, Apple is using Hynix RAM, not Kingston. :tongue: And they don't even bother putting an Apple sticker on them. OK, not true, they have a serial # barcode sticker.

Match the specs, get good heat spreaders, you'll be fine. Don't underestimate the need for good heat spreaders.

I just did a quick spin through NewEgg and they don't have anything good today though. No 4GB PC2 800 modules. Only 4 or 5 options for 2GB modules (or 2x2GB kits). And no good deals cheaper than OWC. But yeah, it's worth looking. However for PC2 600MHz FB-DIMMs, they have a lot to pick from if you're stocking an older Mac Pro.
 
They seem to always be short on FB 800's or at least a good deal on them.

The kingstons are $220 for 2x2GB OWC has 2x2GB for $190 ,

I saw a 74GB 3.0gb/s 10000 RPM Raptor for $150 about a week ago, but now nothing... I suggest these drives for OS when they pop up again. Lifetime Guarantee too...!
 
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