Okay, what is the difference between NON ECC SDRAM, and ECC SDRAM. If I upgrade the ram in a G5 Tower at apple.com, I can do 2GB NON ECC for $300, and then 2GB ECC for $500. What's the deal?
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Ram definitions..?
- Thread starter macgeek2005
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macgeek2005 said:
ECC means "Error Correcting Code" and is ONLY needed for very high-level scientific, 3D & 4D modeling, and math applications......
and absolutely DO NOT buy ram from apple. It's way cheaper elsewhere, look at www.ramseeker.com to find the best prices
So for the following tasks, NON ECC ram will not be any worse than ECC?
Importing albums into iTunes
Importing Photos into iPhoto
Importing Movies into iMovie
Burning DVD's with iDVD
Playing intense 3D Graphics games. (Doom 3, Quake 4, Cod 2, etc)
Writing music in Sibelius.
Playing Multiplayer games online.
Would I gain any performance by having ECC ram?
edit: Oh, and also, I get the feeling it's safer to order your machine with all the ram in it, because apple installes it. And also what kind of ram do they use? They don't manufacture ram do they? It just feels more secure to add ram on apples website..... But if I do buy ram elsewhere, what company should I use? Dozens of companys make ram for apple's machines...
Importing albums into iTunes
Importing Photos into iPhoto
Importing Movies into iMovie
Burning DVD's with iDVD
Playing intense 3D Graphics games. (Doom 3, Quake 4, Cod 2, etc)
Writing music in Sibelius.
Playing Multiplayer games online.
Would I gain any performance by having ECC ram?
edit: Oh, and also, I get the feeling it's safer to order your machine with all the ram in it, because apple installes it. And also what kind of ram do they use? They don't manufacture ram do they? It just feels more secure to add ram on apples website..... But if I do buy ram elsewhere, what company should I use? Dozens of companys make ram for apple's machines...
You would not gain any performance by haviong ECC RAM -- except your wallet would be lighter so you may be able to run faster...
I would NOT have Apple install the RAM unless you have more money than you know what to do with. You can save 30 - 50% with third party RAM, and get a lifetime warranty. Apple uses RAM from Samsung, Micron, Hynix and other manufacturers - just like other sellers do.
Choose a reputable dealer who tests and guarantees compatibility with your model Mac, offers a lifetime warranty, and a no-cost return if it doesn't work.
I would NOT have Apple install the RAM unless you have more money than you know what to do with. You can save 30 - 50% with third party RAM, and get a lifetime warranty. Apple uses RAM from Samsung, Micron, Hynix and other manufacturers - just like other sellers do.
Choose a reputable dealer who tests and guarantees compatibility with your model Mac, offers a lifetime warranty, and a no-cost return if it doesn't work.
My favorite is Crucial RAM. If you go to their site through the link near the top of this page, a small amount of your purchase will even be sent back to MR. This is correct, right? At least, I think arn said that at one time.
This is correct, right? At least, I think arn said that at one time.
Yep Crucial is top quality ram, at Top Tier prices too
Best bet: www.ramseeker.com
check the prices there first, find the lowest 2-3 vendors, go to their sites, and check their compatibility guarentees, return policies, and most importantly, their SHIPPING CHARGES..........
then buy it for the best price
Forget Apple, their ram prices SUCK. Order the machine with the bare minimum and be happy. Installing ram is like a 2 minute operation
Best bet: www.ramseeker.com
check the prices there first, find the lowest 2-3 vendors, go to their sites, and check their compatibility guarentees, return policies, and most importantly, their SHIPPING CHARGES..........
then buy it for the best price
Forget Apple, their ram prices SUCK. Order the machine with the bare minimum and be happy. Installing ram is like a 2 minute operation
Okay okay. I think i've got it all figured out. At macsales.com (Other World Computing) I can get 4GB of ram (2x2GB) for $499. If I get 4 of those that's 16GB for $2000. At Apple it's $7100. NOW I see what you mean.
Thank you for the helping me keep my wallet fat.
Thank you for the helping me keep my wallet fat.
Sorry to be slightly off topic, but is ECC completely interchangeable with non-ECC RAM? I was under the impressions that ECC RAM can sometimes be harmful when non-ECC RAM is needed and I assume it'd be the same vice versa.
mad jew said:Sorry to be slightly off topic, but is ECC completely interchangeable with non-ECC RAM? I was under the impressions that ECC RAM can sometimes be harmful when non-ECC RAM is needed and I assume it'd be the same vice versa.
Harmful no, but in a computer that supports it, and running apps that need it, ECC can be benifical.
It cannot, however, be mixed with Non-ECC ram, nor can it be used in a system that does not support it.
SmurfBoxMasta said:
So it can be harmful? It's just that I think I've read that it'll blow up an iMac G5 but I could be wrong.
mad jew said:So it can be harmful? It's just that I think I've read that it'll blow up an iMac G5 but I could be wrong.
Not so much harmful as incompatible. It's conceivable that the wrong kind of RAM could cause damage (in the stick a knife in a toaster way), but I'd put my money on it just not working or being detected. Since ECC is more expensive and often a little slower, it's not an experiment I think many people have tried
.
SmurfBoxMasta said:Forget Apple, their ram prices SUCK. Order the machine with the bare minimum and be happy. Installing ram is like a 2 minute operation
Fifteen seconds if you've got a powermac G4.....hehehe. It's like tire changing in NASCAR.