Mac Pro memory options, while I'm waiting

[janstett]

I ordered a 3.0 GHz Mac Pro, it will arrive late this month (BTO with the ATI card).

While I'm waiting, I took the minimum hard disk (160 GB) and memory configuration (1GB). I already have a 750 GB SATA drive waiting to go, and I want to get at least another 1GB RAM. At the time nobody really had adequate RAM for the Mac Pro due to the heatsink requirements. I haven't seen any updates lately, so...

Does anybody have Mac Pro-friendly RAM that has a company track record of being reliable with Macs yet?

[milozauckerman]

Crucial, OWC (macsales.com), transintl.com and a couple of others are selling RAM with large heatsinks. None seem to offer a significant discount over Apple's prices in small amounts.

[SwitchingSoon]

i bought some kingston ram for my mac pro on newegg.com

It was around $350 for 2gb.

[milozauckerman]

I wish people wouldn't continue to recommend Kingston RAM without long-term testing, or a notice that its' heat-spreaders don't dissipate heat to the same extent as Apple's heatsinks.

In this instance, Apple's precautions seem to be warranted - heatspreader vs. heatsink is a difference of 10-20C in tests I've seen.

[FFTT]

There seems to be a bit of controversy over what exact thermal specifications
actually meet or exceed Apple's expectations.

I normally promote 3rd party RAM, but you have to be extra careful buying the CORRECT RAM for these Xeon Mac Pros.

Please note the thermal fins shown in the RAM DIMMS offered by transtl.com?
http://www.transintl.com/store/images/applcomp/MacProxeon.jpg

Please also note the image of OWC's RAM DIMMS ( RED )
next to correct Apple factory DIMMS.

http://www.barefeats.com/image06/owc_heat.jpg

?The RED OWC DIMS supposedly exceed Apples thermal requirements.
You may also want to consider what OWC is publishing about incorrect thermal specifications.

http://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/Framework.cfm?page=Tips/fbdimms/fbdimms.html

The image shown below on the DMS web page does not show the correct thermal fins to meet or exceed Apple's specifications.
http://www.datamem.com/_memory-information/_img/665.gif

DMS is generally a great provider of quality RAM DIMMS so I've written their sales department for clarification of their Apple specifications.

For now just be very cautious before you place an order.

[freezerburrn]

I would've told you to go with crucial a week ago, but I just checked their page again and it seems their price for 2x512mb FB-Dimm has gone up to $308.99 from around $199.

What gives?

[FFTT]

When the Mac Pros came out announcing their RAM specs, I'm sure all the 3rd party sellers scrambled to find inventory that would qualify on primary specs alone.

Now a few weeks later, they are discovering the importance of the thermal specifiications and they are regrouping and updating their catalogs.

It may take a month or two but once things settle down a bit, I think the prices will fall and the safety of your purchase will be less of a concern.

[milozauckerman]

Low supply, high demand.

Upside: when Crucial is flush with MP memory, prices have been better than anyone else

Downside: when their inventory drops, prices go way up

I'm getting close to biting the bullet, but I'm going to just get the 2GB upgrade from Apple (4x512MB), with the student discount it's as cheap as anywhere else. From there I'll add 4x1GB as prices drop over time. 2GB will suffice for now running Aperture (primarily).

[FFTT]

It's running $250.00 PER GB right now just about everywhere.

If you see a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

[SwitchingSoon]

Hmmm....I haven't been paying lots of attention to this board so I didn't know there was something wrong with my RAM.

I haven't had any problems yet.........and I haven't turned off the mac pro except 3 or 4 times since I got it.

[FFTT]

Does the Kingston RAM you purchased have the standard or the extreme heat spreaders like those shown above with extra thermal fins?

[SwitchingSoon]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820134085

Uhhh...standard?

[fivetoadsloth]

macsales (http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory)

i have used them ,macsales, and have found them very reliable

[FFTT]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820134085

Uhhh...standard?

I would establish a case number with NewEgg and voice your concern that their
RAM might void your Apple warranty.

While your Kingston RAM may be working O.K. in general, your DIMMS could overheat under load and that could lead to increased cooling fan use or at worst, logic board damage.

For more on this , just Google "Apple qualified heat spreaders"
xlr8yourmac.com has a great report about this as well.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/Mac_Pro/mac_pro_ram.html