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RAM brand for 5,1

M

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,144
62
United States
First, I apologize for starting another thread on RAM. I am very comfortable with RAM on any other machine, however with hearing in the past about Power Macintosh G5s and other Mac Pros being particular with RAM with thermal sensors, heat sinks, etc., I would like to ask some people knowledgeable in the area.

In the past I have always purchased Crucial RAM. They seem to always stand behind their products and make a top quality product. With that said, should I stay with them as I upgrade my 5,1 from the OEM 12GB to 96GB or 128GB. I would want to get ECC since that is what it came with. Stability is the most important factor.

I recall seeing some links for some RAM in the past but can't seem to locate them, but I recall someone saying it was the best place to purchase RAM for the Mac Pro (it was not macsales.com), although I would consider them as well.

Thanks.
 
My ECC DDR3 1333 registered modules have heatsinks but no thermal sensors, however, fans in CPU and RAM cage did not speed up at all.

Model: 48GB Kit - 6 x 8GB Kingston KTH-PL313/8G
 
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Mac Pros using DDR3 aren't picky like that.

This is the best value: http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=D313GR16GS

What people usually question is the thermal sensor issue as Apple are really one of the only companies that mention it as a requirement for memory certification. All Samsung RDIMMs have a thermal sensor. Although it is optional, I don't know of any DDR3 ECC UDIMMs or RDIMMs that don't have it.
 
Last edited:
bax2003 said:
My ECC DDR3 1333 modules have heatsinks but no thermal sensors, however, fans in CPU and RAM cage did not speed up at all.

Model: 48GB Kit - 6 x 8GB Kingston KTH-PL313/8G
Click to expand...

The on-DIMM thermal sensors are useful for us users to look at but the SMC profiles doesn't use those. For sensing it uses a few points near or under the socket mounts. If it's a 3,1 to 1,1 MP those are located on the riser boards and again near or under the sockets. For the 1,1 and 2,1 there are three of them per riser board - six in total. I dunno how many there are for the 4,1 and 5,1 but probably just two per landing area - so four on a dual CPU system.
 
I ran 32 GB of corsair vengence 1600 ram in my MP for a while, no problems.

I don't do any science on my rig, so ECC is optional.

1600 ram just runs at 1066 or 1333 on a MP but with better latency. What does that mean? Almost nothing unless you spend lots of time playing with geek bench.
 
Umbongo said:
Mac Pros using DDR3 aren't picky like that.

This is the best value: http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=D313GR16GS

What people usually question is the thermal sensor issue as Apple are really one of the only companies that mention it as a requirement for memory certification. All Samsung RDIMMs have a thermal sensor. Although it is optional, I don't know of any DDR3 ECC UDIMMs or RDIMMs that don't have it.
Click to expand...

Apple uses Samsung RAM in some OEM applications, no?
 
CaptainChunk said:
I've seen Apple use modules with Samsung, Hynix and Micron chips. Like most computer OEMs, they'll use whatever functions reliably at the best volume price.
Click to expand...

Not that there is much choice now. Those three companies will have 90%+ market share in Q3.
 
Samsung here
 

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My 5,1 hexacore came with Hynix sticks... upgraded to 24GBs by buying through Transintl - cheapest for me at the time... not entirely sure what brand they actually are but I can't fault them. Sticks have been running fine despite how hard I push my system ;)
 
3x 16GB Kingston modules works in Mac Pro 4,1 -> 5,1

Hi,

Just adding my 2 cents as there are always questions about what RAM works.

I have an 2009 Mac Pro 4,1 which is flashed to 5,1 with W3690 CPU installed.

I just did my RAM upgrade. I had 4x 4GB = 16GB previously, and was going to upgrade to 4x 8GB = 32GB, but when I looked around I found that prices were going up for 8GB modules, and they were more expensive than 16GB modules from some vendors!! So, I decided to get 3x 16GB = 48GB instead!!

I got 3 of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008210MDY
Kingston 16GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Reg CL9 DIMM DR x4 (KVR13R9D4/16I)
(note: the Amazon page is wrong where it says PC3-10666, it should say PC3-10600)
for $381 (+ CA tax for where I am)

I had to do the PRAM reset, after which the RAM runs at 1333 MHz. Working perfect! The individual RAM chips are Hynix brand.

The RAM modules do not have heat spreaders on them.


At the same time, from OWC the 48GB kit: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1333D3X9M048/
cost $575 !!

The OWC modules do have heat spreaders, but geeezzz, almost $200 more from OWC!!!

Hope that helps!
 
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I just upgraded last week to 48gb too.
I actually purchased 4 of them. but can't get it work at 64gb. (not booting)

Have you ever tried to put 4x16gb on it?



Durex said:
Hi,

Just adding my 2 cents as there are always questions about what RAM works.

I have an 2009 Mac Pro 4,1 which is flashed to 5,1 with W3690 CPU installed.

I just did my RAM upgrade. I had 4x 4GB = 16GB previously, and was going to upgrade to 4x 8GB = 32GB, but when I looked around I found that prices were going up for 8GB modules, and they were more expensive than 16GB modules from some vendors!! So, I decided to get 3x 16GB = 48GB instead!!

I got 3 of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008210MDY
Kingston 16GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC Reg CL9 DIMM DR x4 (KVR13R9D4/16I)
(note: the Amazon page is wrong where it says PC3-10666, it should say PC3-10600)
for $381 (+ CA tax for where I am)

I had to do the PRAM reset, after which the RAM runs at 1333 MHz. Working perfect! The individual RAM chips are Hynix brand.

The RAM modules do not have heat spreaders on them.


At the same time, from OWC the 48GB kit: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1333D3X9M048/
cost $575 !!

The OWC modules do have heat spreaders, but geeezzz, almost $200 more from OWC!!!

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
monkeybagel said:
I recall seeing some links for some RAM in the past but can't seem to locate them, but I recall someone saying it was the best place to purchase RAM for the Mac Pro (it was not macsales.com), although I would consider them as well.
Click to expand...

Macsales is a great place -- at least for me. I was also buying only big brands in the past, thinking mostly about reliability. But at some point I've tried their brand, and it worked out great. Thus I keep buying it every time I need an upgrade -- even considering they're situated in the US, and I'm in Belgium, and in case something goes wrong, returning a bad RAM could be a dear joke.
 
Hynix

I recently bought 4 x Hynix 8GB Hynix, Server, DDR3 PC3-10600 modules from Scan.co.uk for £230. All seems to be working fine in my 5,1 2.8 Quadcore.

----------
Prince134 said:
I just upgraded last week to 48gb too.
I actually purchased 4 of them. but can't get it work at 64gb. (not booting)

Have you ever tried to put 4x16gb on it?
Click to expand...

I don't think 64GB is supported on the single processor models.
 
Prince134 said:
I just upgraded last week to 48gb too.
I actually purchased 4 of them. but can't get it work at 64gb. (not booting)

Have you ever tried to put 4x16gb on it?
Click to expand...

No, I never tried 4x16GB.

The previous poster already mentioned it, but to recap: 4x 16GB = 64GB is not supported on the single processor boards. I look at the OWC page (http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1333-memory) to see what combinations are known to work (and then buy the RAM elsewhere!)
 
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