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What should be the minimum RAM in next Mac Pro

What should be the minimum included RAM in the new Mac Pros

  • Total voters
    59
englishman

englishman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 6, 2006
730
10
I appreciate (but don't agree with) the arguments for minimum included RAM and then let the users add their own.

But I know many who simply stick with what they came with.

So how much should be in the next Pros? And why.

I guess lots of people use virtualisation now so that needs to be factored in.
 
12GB for the single processor model
24GB for the dual processor model

That should be sufficient for most people.
 
I'm not sure what your point is.

Are you stating what the minimum ram apple should provide, or the minimum ram the consumer should be running with?

If its the latter, I don't look at what I need as a minimum but how much ram I need to keep the computer running efficiently.
 
maflynn said:
I'm not sure what your point is.

Are you stating what the minimum ram apple should provide, or the minimum ram the consumer should be running with?

If its the latter, I don't look at what I need as a minimum but how much ram I need to keep the computer running efficiently.
Click to expand...

Hi yes I meant included as I appreciate some will need a lot more.

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alphaod said:
12GB for the single processor model
24GB for the dual processor model

That should be sufficient for most people.
Click to expand...

Do we know yet whether there will even be a SP model?

I guess I was thinking of the SP model when asking the question.

My point is that 3GB in the current SP is for a workstation very low and I would have thought 6GB should have been the minimum in the 2010 models. I hope Apple are more realistic next time.
 
They will include 6 GBs or 3 GBs. I cannot see Apple being generous and including more.
 
theSeb said:
They will include 6 GBs or 3 GBs. I cannot see Apple being generous and including more.
Click to expand...

Apple has never been "generous" with stock ram levels. In fact they have history of providing less then what you really need. For instance 2gb of ram for a mini is much to low to have a decent functioning system running lion
 
Current prices at Crucial

12GB kit (4GBx3) - US $167.99 (UK £123.59)
 
maflynn said:
Apple has never been "generous" with stock ram levels. In fact they have history of providing less then what you really need. For instance 2gb of ram for a mini is much to low to have a decent functioning system running lion
Click to expand...

Agreed. However other manufacturers such as Dell or Lenovo aren't generous with the amount of RAM in their workstations either.

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englishman said:
Current prices at Crucial

12GB kit (4GBx3) - US $167.99 (UK £123.59)
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure that is non-ECC RAM - not that ECC vs non-ECC matters to 99% of Mac Pro users.
 
maflynn said:
Apple has never been "generous" with stock ram levels. In fact they have history of providing less then what you really need. For instance 2gb of ram for a mini is much to low to have a decent functioning system running lion
Click to expand...

I've noticed that since since I've been buying Macs but 3GB these days in the MP is less than the iMacs (4GB).

I would have thought Apple should have made a minor refresh to eg 6GB and should be more realistic next round.

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theSeb said:
Agreed. However other manufacturers such as Dell or Lenovo aren't generous with the amount of RAM in their workstations either.

----------



I am pretty sure that is non-ECC RAM - not that ECC vs non-ECC matters to 99% of Mac Pro users.
Click to expand...

Crucial wouldn't do that - its ECC:-

Module Size: 12GB kit (4GBx3)
Package: 240-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR3 PC3-8500
Specs: DDR3 PC3-8500 • CL=7 • Unbuffered • ECC • DDR3-1066 • 1.5V • 512Meg x 72 •

Depending on the model Dell at least do 25% more either 4GB 6GB or 8GB minimum depending on the model and that is for UK £600 ish Xeons
 
englishman said:
I've noticed that since since I've been buying Macs but 3GB these days in the MP is less than the iMacs (4GB).

I would have thought Apple should have made a minor refresh to eg 6GB and should be more realistic next round.

----------



Crucial wouldn't do that - its ECC:-

Module Size: 12GB kit (4GBx3)
Package: 240-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR3 PC3-8500
Specs: DDR3 PC3-8500 • CL=7 • Unbuffered • ECC • DDR3-1066 • 1.5V • 512Meg x 72 •

Depending on the model Dell at least do 25% more either 4GB 6GB or 8GB minimum depending on the model and that is for UK £600 ish Xeons
Click to expand...

I see. I didn't realise how cheap ECC RAM was these days. I really don't care how much memory they put into it - I just want the new model now.

Edit: They should really have revised the prices at least for the current Mac Pro since they are an embarrassment or a horrible joke gone wrong (for the SP models anyway).
 
theSeb said:
... - I just want the new model now.
Click to expand...

Me too - the current Nehalem (not Westmere hex) models are an embarrassment compared to the i7s etc for the price (new) - still good machines though. This is reflected I think by the current very low historically used prices in the UK.

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theSeb said:
Edit: They should really have revised the prices at least for the current Mac Pro since they are an embarrassment or a horrible joke gone wrong (for the SP models anyway).
Click to expand...

Exactly - embarrassment all round! ;)
 
Last edited:
The next model will use the LGA2011 chips, which has 4x memory channels on the die, not 3 as current LGA1366 based models do.

So the base models of the next MP's will include 4GB for SP, and 8GB for DP systems.

It's the cheapest Apple can do and still show the full memory bandwidth in testing, particularly with synthetic benchmarks, which is exactly what they've been doing with the LGA1366 based models, so there's nothing really different going on.
 
nanofrog said:
The next model will use the LGA2011 chips, which has 4x memory channels on the die, not 3 as current LGA1366 based models do.

So the base models of the next MP's will include 4GB for SP, and 8GB for DP systems.

It's the cheapest Apple can do and still show the full memory bandwidth in testing, particularly with synthetic benchmarks, which is exactly what they've been doing with the LGA1366 based models, so there's nothing really different going on.
Click to expand...

And I bet none of us really wants Apple to include more than the absolute minimum in Mac Pro. $525 for 3x4GB from Apple, whereas OWC sells the same for $133 :eek:
 
nanofrog said:
The next model will use the LGA2011 chips, which has 4x memory channels on the die, not 3 as current LGA1366 based models do.

So the base models of the next MP's will include 4GB for SP, and 8GB for DP systems.

It's the cheapest Apple can do and still show the full memory bandwidth in testing, particularly with synthetic benchmarks, which is exactly what they've been doing with the LGA1366 based models, so there's nothing really different going on.
Click to expand...

Or 8GB and 16GB
 
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I agree with nanofrog. 4 gigs for a SP configuration and 8 gigs for a DP configuration. Anything less would be an insult.

I can't wait to see what the new MP will offer. USB 3.0 ?? EOL'd video cards? I want to see an AMD Radeon HD 6980.
Of course by the time the MP comes put the 7980 will probably be out.....
 
Apple should ship them as bare chassis with no memory by default.

Buyers who want to pay Apple prices for convenience (or warranty) can do a custom config. Buyers who don't will have no problem buying their own.

Yeah, I know Apple won't do that, but it should.
 
Every computer sold should come with an addressed envelope to mail the stock RAM someplace for cash. They should make it a law (no envelope = $10,000 fine).
 
Hellhammer said:
And I bet none of us really wants Apple to include more than the absolute minimum in Mac Pro. $525 for 3x4GB from Apple, whereas OWC sells the same for $133 :eek:
Click to expand...
Definitely. :D

englishman said:
Or 8GB and 16GB
Click to expand...
That would require 2GB DIMM's, which cost more money. Apple likes high margins, so it's not likely, no matter how close the 1GB and 2GB DIMM's are in price (1GB DIMM's would have to be EOL before they use 2GB sticks = no choice).
 
Actually I wouldn't mind if they shipped them with no RAM at all or hard drive for that matter. That way you could save money buying it yourself.

What I am more interested in is that they put in the industry standard of RAM slots for the CPU socket. Standard single socket LGA 1366 server/workstation boards have 6 RAM slots so you can fill the slots and still have triple channel memory, dual socket boards have 12 slots. Rather than the 4/8 in the current Mac Pro so you have to chose between total memory or performance.

For quad channel hopefully this standard changes to 8/16 for single/dual sockets.
 
DisMyMac said:
Every computer sold should come with an addressed envelope to mail the stock RAM someplace for cash. They should make it a law (no envelope = $10,000 fine).
Click to expand...

That's a bloody good idea. What am I going to do with 1 GB sticks otherwise?
 
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