MP 7,1 Best RAM configuration for the 2019 Mac Pro

[jasoncarle]

Hey all, I am ordering my Mac Pro right now. Rather than pay Apple prices for RAM I am looking at OWC instead. They have a mind boggling array of choices in all different sizes of ram modules and chips. Is more RAM per chip best? Is more RAM sticks with smaller amounts of RAM per chip better?

Help a guy out here.

To get an idea what I am seeing, here is a link: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/owc/apple-mac-pro/2019

 

[Slash-2CPU]

6 sticks will be best speed. It has 6 memory channels. The performance difference between 6 and 12 sticks will however be practically nil for typical use.

4, 6, 8, or 10 sticks all unevenly load the 6 memory channels and give reduced performance.

Getting 6 now allows you to upgrade to 12 later with no real performance loss. Start with 6.

 

[bxs]

1. The first question to ask yourself is - How much RAM do I need to get the current workload done in shortest time possible?
2. The second question to ask yourself is - How much RAM might I need in 1,2,3 yrs from now; will your workload increase and demand more and more RAM ?
3. The third question to ask yourself is: how much money do I have currently to spend on RAM ?

The least costly approach is to buy the RAM needed today to satisfy/answer question 1.
The more expansive approach if you can estimate your future RAM needs will be to address/use answer to question 2.
If budget is tight then this will affect the choice of dealing with the answer to questions 1 and 2.
Any of the above answers to the questions can lead you to have to decide between R-DIMMs and LR-DIMMs.

 

[jasoncarle]

So what I am seeing here is that this RAM config here: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/2933L6M384/

Is the best for performance, for future upgradability, and current use case as well as foreseeable future use as well as price.

 

[bxs]

Well, if you have the $2,550 to spend, then for sure.

For my MP7,1 use case I'm adding 256GB to my stock 32GB for a total of ~$1,000, buying from 3rd party NEMIX on the Amazon web site https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X5D51NC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This will give me 288 GB RAM using all 6 memory channels.

Note: The prices for MP7,1 compatible RAM on the Amazon web site are crazy at this time. My recent order for two sets of 4x 32GB R-DIMMs made a few days ago has now increased by $60 per set.

 

[chfilm]

I got 6x32gb ram and have the 4x8gb that the machine shipped with.
My plan was to just get rid of the 32gb and use only the new ones to have 6 channels going.
But I’m wondering, if I would add those 4 dimms on top of the 192gb (not that it’s really needed I think)- would the performance be so degraded by this that the gain in storage would be defeated by the performance hit?
How could I even measure this?

 

[StuAff]

As far as I know, the benefits of maximum memory throughput (i.e. , for a 7,1, 6 channels with 6 or 12 identical DIMMS) are at best marginal if not barely noticeable for most use cases. And you're certainly better off with having enough/more than enough memory for those uses than not enough. If/when I succumb to buying a 7,1 (or 8,1...) I'll leave the stock memory alone and add third-party- for a 32GB stock model I'd probably get 2x32GB modules.

 

[Virtuoso]

I'm going for 6x64GB, which means I'll have to ditch the 32GB it comes with, as LRDIMMs can't be used alongside RDIMMs.

I'm seeing HUGE differences in pricing though and wonder if I'm missing something?

Apple charges $6k for the 384GB upgrade. OWC is $2550. AllHDD is $1620. Memstore is $1050! Not sure about the last one, but the spec looks to be the same.

 

[chfilm]

I'm going for 6x64GB, which means I'll have to ditch the 32GB it comes with, as LRDIMMs can't be used alongside RDIMMs.

I'm seeing HUGE differences in pricing though and wonder if I'm missing something?

Apple charges $6k for the 384GB upgrade. OWC is $2550. AllHDD is $1620. Memstore is $1050! Not sure about the last one, but the spec looks to be the same.

Apple tax probably... I got 192gb for 800$ from Samsung. Don’t have my machine yet but will report back immediately on January 2nd!

 

[OkiRun]

I'm going for 6x64GB, which means I'll have to ditch the 32GB it comes with, as LRDIMMs can't be used alongside RDIMMs.

I'm seeing HUGE differences in pricing though and wonder if I'm missing something?

Apple charges $6k for the 384GB upgrade. OWC is $2550. AllHDD is $1620. Memstore is $1050! Not sure about the last one, but the spec looks to be the same.

The Memstore is an eBay stick... not something I would risk. The ALLHFF is x4. Possibly the OWC is x8?

 

[jasoncarle]

I know this is an expensive machine, but why spend the money on it and then cheap out on RAM? It is possible to save money on RAM and get a quality item as well.

 

[moab1]

Apple tax probably... I got 192gb for 800$ from Samsung. Don’t have my machine yet but will report back immediately on January 2nd!

Do you have a link to the sticks you bought? Looking for the same set-up and already ordered from OWC, but may return and get the Samsung.

 

[Virtuoso]

I know this is an expensive machine, but why spend the money on it and then cheap out on RAM? It is possible to save money on RAM and get a quality item as well.

The Apple RAM is apparently just bog standard Micron running at CAS22, while the 3rd party stuff is CAS21. I wouldn't say buying Samsung is cheaping out - it just seems like a waste to pay a lot more for essentially the same chips.

Edit: Just ordered 6x 64GB Samsung chips from Memory.net - total $1680 including a lifetime warranty. Fingers crossed!

 

[tommy chen]

samsung memory is the best you can buy

 

[kittiyut]

samsung memory is the best you can buy

And where's the best place to get them for the new Mac Pro?

 

[chfilm]

Do you have a link to the sticks you bought? Looking for the same set-up and already ordered from OWC, but may return and get the Samsung.

M393A4K40CB2-CVF this is the article number of the sticks that I bought. I got them from a German mac memory Webshop, but I’m sure if you enter this number into your local google you’ll find good offers.

 

[Virtuoso]

M393A4K40CB2-CVF this is the article number of the sticks that I bought. I got them from a German mac memory Webshop, but I’m sure if you enter this number into your local google you’ll find good offers.

Looks like the 32GB version of the ones I ordered. They are $132 at Memory.net:-

M393A4K40CB2-CVF - Samsung 1x 32GB DDR4-2933 RDIMM PC4-23466U-R Dual Rank x4 Module

Get ➡️ Lifetime warranty ✅ Great savings ✅ Buy factory original M393A4K40CB2-CVF - Samsung 1x 32GB DDR4-2933 RDIMM PC4-23466U-R Dual Rank x4 Modules @Memory.NET!

memory.net

 

[Slash-2CPU]

I know this is an expensive machine, but why spend the money on it and then cheap out on RAM? It is possible to save money on RAM and get a quality item as well.

Yes. Apple factory RAM is nothing special. “Quality” RAM is anything from a major manufacturer. If it meets JEDEC specs, it’s all the same.

 

[jasoncarle]

Yes. Apple factory RAM is nothing special. “Quality” RAM is anything from a major manufacturer. If it meets JEDEC specs, it’s all the same.

I wasnt referring to the Apple RAM as being anything special, but it seems to me that buying from a place like OWC and still saving a ton on RAM is better than buying some unknown generic as was suggested above. I am sure Samsung RAM is good as well. Geez.

edit: this reply is to everyone that replied to me, not necessarily just you.

 

[Virtuoso]

For every Mac Pro, iMac and Macbook I've ever owned, I always bought the memory from OWC, but this time there doesn't seem to be any point. It's readily available server memory and, for the configuration I want, the unknown brand that OWC are selling is $870 more than the Samsung chips.

 

[chfilm]

As far as I know, the benefits of maximum memory throughput (i.e. , for a 7,1, 6 channels with 6 or 12 identical DIMMS) are at best marginal if not barely noticeable for most use cases. And you're certainly better off with having enough/more than enough memory for those uses than not enough. If/when I succumb to buying a 7,1 (or 8,1...) I'll leave the stock memory alone and add third-party- for a 32GB stock model I'd probably get 2x32GB modules.

So you think I could add my 6x32 dimms and leave the 4x8 dimms that came pre installed as well and will profit in the end?
I wasn’t sure about the performance differences... had I known that it doesn’t matter at all I wouldn’t have gotten 6 but only 4x32gb...

 

[BigSeven]

So you think I could add my 6x32 dimms and leave the 4x8 dimms that came pre installed as well and will profit in the end?
I wasn’t sure about the performance differences... had I known that it doesn’t matter at all I wouldn’t have gotten 6 but only 4x32gb...

chfilm -

My understanding is that the Mac Pro will only support 4,6,8 and 12 sticks of memory configurations per Apple’s support page. My recommendation would be to pay an extra 300 and get 6x8 DIMMs and the 6x32 for a total of 12 lanes. The other option is to sell the 4x8gb and then get 6x32gb you wanted. I have also used OWC for all my memory needs in the past and offer a rebate program which you could sell the 4x32 gb However, others have pointed out that Samsung is the cheaper option. Either way you go - you cannot run the Pro with 10 sticks of memory.

 

[cable]

chfilm -

My understanding is that the Mac Pro will only support 4,6,8 and 12 sticks of memory configurations per Apple’s support page. My recommendation would be to pay an extra 300 and get 6x8 DIMMs and the 6x32 for a total of 12 lanes. The other option is to sell the 4x8gb and then get 6x32gb you wanted. I have also used OWC for all my memory needs in the past and offer a rebate program which you could sell the 4x32 gb However, others have pointed out that Samsung is the cheaper option. Either way you go - you cannot run the Pro with 10 sticks of memory.

I think it makes sense to do what your saying and just buy the extra 2 sticks of 8gb in addition to the 6x32.

That’s what I plan on myself with the Samsung

 

[cable]

I’m not very sharp when I comes to exactly what RAM does. Can someone explain why these 5 Samsung RAMs are all different prices?

 

[Virtuoso]

You can just type the SKU into Google - the top one at $348 is faster at 3200, rather than the 2933 that the Mac Pro uses.