mac pro 5,1 RAM Upgrade

Question

Level 1

10 points

mac pro 5,1 RAM Upgrade

I am planning to give my Mac Pro (Mid 2010) another RAM upgrade. As the official Kingston/Crucial DIMMs do not include 16GB DIMMs, I think of choosing Kingston Value RAM: ECC Registered (3x, 16GB, DDR3-1600, DIMM 240). Has anyone here in the forum tried these?

Thanks for your comments.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Apr 1, 2015 2:31 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Apr 1, 2015 3:22 AM in response to axxelk

Does Kingston say they will work in a 2012 Mac Pro?

OWC has 16 GB sticks

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1333-memory

Reply

Answer 2

axxelk Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 1, 2015 3:22 AM in response to lllaass

Unfortunately, Kingston doesn't say anything about MacPro compatibility for these modules. And the official Apple-approved Kingston DIMMs are only 4GB and 8GB.

I already checked the OWC RAM specs and compared them to the Kingston, but I am not sure if they really match.

More specifically, I have concerns regarding the CAS: OWC: CAS 9-9-9-24 Kingston: 11-11-11. I also don't know about the thermal sensor.

The main reason why I don't simply order at OWC is that I am in Switzerland and try to avoid high shipping costs / customs problems.

Reply

Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Apr 1, 2015 3:30 AM in response to axxelk

Macs are picky about memory. Since Kingston has some memory that they say will work with your Mac but not the ones you want to use I would not purchase those, Kingston's Value RAM is not the best too.

Reply

Answer 4

axxelk Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 1, 2015 4:15 AM in response to lllaass

Thanks. Yes, you're right. I will not buy those unless someone confirms them to work in a MacPro!

Reply

Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

60,980 points

Apr 1, 2015 5:57 AM in response to axxelk

Use Kingston Memory guided search, same as Crucial. Start with Apple => Mac Pro => and it will show the correct memory

Just not Value stuff

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 1, 2015 6:48 AM in response to axxelk

The biggest official Kingston part is KTA-MP1333/8g which is a single 8GB module.

For 16GB modules the main criteria are that

It must be registered memory - not buffered, this is more because there aren't any 16GB buffered DIMMS
You cannot mix registered and buffered so any other existing memory left fitted must also be registered, as it happens you are supposed to not mix 16GB with smaller sizes anyway
It should be 1333Mhz DDR3 although in theory 1066Mhz DDR3 would work, again I don't believe there are any 16GB 1066Mhz DIMMS
It should be ECC (error correcting)
CL9

The presence of a Thermal Sensor is apparently not compulsory, i.e. memory without it will work in a Mac Pro.

I have not used any 16GB DIMMS myself but other than OWC as per the link provided by Illaass, the following might be suitable

KVR13R9D4K4/64i - this is a kit of 4 x 16GB and this article has a post from someone who says they worked for them http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1493588

If you can find a kit of 2 x 16GB of the same type then logically they should also work, they would probably be KVR13R9D4K2/32i. As a reminder to do 64GB or more you need dual processors. The single processor model Mac Pro 2010 is limited to 48GB.

See http://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KVR13R9D4K2_32I.pdf

Reply