RAM Manufacturer Opinions

6-8 GB? 12 GB?

yow!

I am starting to understand how my coworkers felt in 2000 when I loaded up my Mac with a gig of RAM. "What could you possibly need that much for?" they asked. "Photoshop!" I answered.

So have to ask, what sorts of things do you all do that require so much RAM? I'm told that Aperture really hums along on 4 GB, but I have a hard time imagining what one does with twice that or more! 🙂

well, yes, it does hum along nicely with 4GB,

when you have large event shoots with multiple photographers working for you and you have to edit all yours and their photos on one machine, it can get icky... in photoshop, aperture, or lightroom. so, there you have it.

i had to buy another couple of hard drives, then there will be additional external RAID in addition to the internal Raptor RAID

and since i have not had an opportunity to test the machine out yet, if it pages at all, i am just going to get as much RAM as i can afford so i can worry about work, and not what is wrong with the machine. know what i mean? 😉

I'm not sure you can get two rebates on one order, but if you placed two orders and sent in two rebates (with chips) it might be doable. Their website doesn't say there is any limit on the rebate, but it doesn't say you can send in more than two chips at a time either.

i'm calling in the morning... just thought to ask if
someone might have known.

hoping 12GB total will be enough

What did you find out? Can one do the rebate more than once? Two rebates at once?

In the end, I don't think it really matters which store you buy your RAM from these days. As long as you can get the correct RAM you need for your Mac model, at the right price you are willing to spend, you can get it shipped in the manner that works best for you, and the store has a decent policy for returning any RAM that is defective.

I have bought RAM from 18004memory.com for several years and haven't had any problems. The RAM I bought last Thursday for $270, arrived on Monday and it works fine. I put the new 2x1G memory in Riser A's 1&2 slots and moved Apple's 2x512Mb memory into Riser B's 1&2 slots.

Since using my Mac Pro for a few days before the RAM arrived, I can say there is a noticeable difference in performance. My eyeTV scans digital and analog channels faster, application launches and Finder windows are faster. iTunes is wicked fast getting me into the iTMS and cacheing my previews. Scrolling is much too fast so I generally prefer to page up/down. (BTW, I don't like the Apple mouse. I find it too strenuous to use. And I was constantly switching applications with the side buttons when I didn't want to. I prefer trackballs, but the Apple Mouse is the smoothest scrolling mouse I've ever used. I especially like the horiz. and vert. scrolling.)

But the most surprising speed increase has been with internet downloads. I have DSL and it's much faster with my Mac Pro than my PowerBook. But adding the new memory made it even faster. I haven't had any crashes or kernel panics before or after the new RAM, but now I'm not hesitant to open several applications at once. Since I'm always multi-tasking, the biggest problem for me is multiple applications with multiple windows. I hope that still holds true when I get MS Office.

Methinks that I may want to try to get 2x2G next time. So I'll probably wait until May to order, unless the RAM continues to drop in price. Maybe by then I'll have the time and energy to buy a new game also. The Sims2 seems to enjoy the new memory, though I usually start falling asleep too early to really test my new Mac Pro during the week. (All those weeks of reading these forums and hanging out at the online Apple Store til the wee hours of the morning while drooling over the Mac Pro I wanted finally caught up with me!)

unfortunately, i wasn't able to call today due to business. will try on monday and post back.

I was checking the rebate info at OWC today and discovered this passage

"When you upgrade to a new memory module(s) or hard drive from Other World Computing, a rebate for up to the same number of modules or drives purchased is available for the return of your qualified old hardware! Memory and Drive must be in working order."

So it looks like if you bought four chips, you can send in four chips for rebate. Currently the reabte is $100 for two 512s and $225 for two 1Gbyte chips.

i called today and spoke with one of their reps. nice fellow.

anyways, says that they will give $200 for 4-512MB sticks of Apple RAM.

so i bought the 8GB OWC kit, and will send in my 4 sticks of 512MB as soon as i get them.

i hope 12 GB will be enough.

OWC has some good prices. I usually buy from Crucial but OWC's are lower.

How is the installation of the modules in the MacPro? Is it easier than installing in a G5 where I've had nearly permanent holes embedded in my thumbs trying to push down. Thanks.

Adding RAM to the Mac Pro is a non-event. OWC even has a video showing how easy it is.

Michael

12GB installed and running from OWC with no errors.

Packaging from OWC was top notch. no potential movement or foam nightmares. i have bought apple RAM and the RAM i got from OWC was not only identical, but the part numbers were the same where printed on the heatsink (aside from being 2GB stick)

what is the hottest the RAM should be allowed to get to? i'm not doing anything right now and they're sitting at abou 60C

Sounds good and glad it is up and running. Others have reported that the 2GB modules will (higher density) run warmer and some posted their results.

I wonder if Hardware/Temperature Monitor app has a known database of uploaded results (I think ThermographX does).

how long did it take for your OWC RAM to start throwing Parity Errors at you Hatter?

and the RAM i got from OWC was not only identical,
but the part numbers were the same where printed on
the heatsink (aside from being 2GB stick)

You bought the OWC RAM as opposed to the Netlist? I bought that too... I wanted the OEM look yet they sent me NetList for the 1G modules and two are now getting ECC errors...

what is the hottest the RAM should be allowed to get
to? i'm not doing anything right now and they're
sitting at abou 60C

How are you measuring this? I have various tools running... all of it looks to hot... many sensors and NO ONE knows what this is actually measuring.

FWIW,

Robert

On the parity errors - started early but were only a few, but within 24-48 hrs went to 10's of thousands.

Keep the number of tools to monitor your system's heath to a minimum. Or none (once you are satisfied). Leads to a more stable system, and even better performance (wouldn't think a couple small scripts had any effect? they do).

Some were worried about the temp range for the 5160 (3GHz model) and tried to get a straight answer from Intel.