MP 1,1-5,1 Can anyone confirm my Mac Pro (5,1) can use 1333 MHz memory?

[Ashton1]

Hi,
I know this may have been discussed before (I searched but couldn't find the answer, or need a bit more clarification.....I'm not super technical even though this site and all the info guided me thru 4,1 to 5,1 upgrade a few months ago...thanks for all that!!)

I want to speed up my Mac Pro as much as I can and use it mostly for Lightroom and Photoshop.
My set up is a Mac Pro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 (early 2009) with a 2x3.45GHz Quad Core Intel Xenon processor
32gb 1066 RAM
RX 580 8Gb Graphics card
500g SSD

Would 3 x 16Gb 1333 Mhz memory speed things up (or will it be negligible compared to the current 32Gb 1066)?
Is the 1333 Mhz compatible with my processor?

Thanks for the help!

Alan.

 

[tsialex]

It's a lot easier to just check what is your Xeon model than search for the supported memory controller speeds. There are lots of ways to get the model name of your Xeon, like:

sysctl -a | grep brand

Telling the speed and quantity of cores is not useful for identifying the model of the Xeon, unless you know that no Nehalem Xeon that works with MP4,1/MP5,1 have a clock over 3.33GHz. Most people don't know this detail.

So, you have a X5677 and it supports 1333MHz RAM. Upgrading your RAM from 1066 to 1333MHz will not make any gigantic speed difference unless you have a scientific application that are memory bound - most apps will perform just 3~5% better overall.

 

[Ashton1]

It's a lot easier to just check what is your Xeon model than search for the supported memory controller speeds. There are lots of ways to get the model name of your Xeon, like:

sysctl -a | grep brand

Telling the speed and quantity of cores is not useful for identifying the model of the Xeon, unless you know that no Nehalem Xeon that works with MP4,1/MP5,1 have a clock over 3.33GHz. Most people don't know this detail.

So, you have a X5677 and it supports 1333MHz RAM. Upgrading your RAM from 1066 to 1333MHz will not make any gigantic speed difference unless you have a scientific application that are memory bound - most apps will perform just 3~5% better overall.

OK, thank you appreciate the help.
Would a faster graphics card help (I have RX 580 8Gb) do you think, or is the one I have good for photo editing and scrolling through a lot of images..?
Alan.

 

[carylee2002]

As for ram...I have 5,1 using only 3 dimms instead of 4 because the 5,1 is a 3 channel machine so putting in 4 dimms slows it slightly down. As for your flashed machine going from 1066 to 1333Mhz, you will need to update your cpu's to 6 core vs quad's to recognize the 1333 speed, At that rate the 6 core cpu's are 3 channel cpu's. But since most programs nowdays emphasize GPU over RAM speed then what you have now should suffice without putting a lot of investment at which at this time it is really not that productive because of the age of the rig.

 

[tsialex]

As for your flashed machine going from 1066 to 1333Mhz, you will need to update your cpu's to 6 core vs quad's to recognize the 1333 speed, At that rate the 6 core cpu's are 3 channel cpu's.

Wrong, Westmere have quad cores too and the only one quad core of all Nehalem and Westmere processors that are supported by MP5,1 and have a clock of 3.46GHz is X5677:

Intel® Xeon® Processor X5677 (12M Cache, 3.46 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) Product Specifications

Intel® Xeon® Processor X5677 (12M Cache, 3.46 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

QPI of 6.40GT/s equals 1333MHz RAM support.

 

[tsialex]

OK, thank you appreciate the help.
Would a faster graphics card help (I have RX 580 8Gb) do you think, or is the one I have good for photo editing and scrolling through a lot of images..?
Alan.

Faster storage and more RAM (more RAM available means that macOS have more filesystem read ahead cache) will be more beneficial than a faster GPU, since you already have a RX 580.

 

[carylee2002]

Wrong, Westmere have quad cores too and the only one quad core of all Nehalem and Westmere processors that are supported by MP5,1 and have a clock of 3.46GHz is X5677:

Intel® Xeon® Processor X5677 (12M Cache, 3.46 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) Product Specifications

Intel® Xeon® Processor X5677 (12M Cache, 3.46 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

QPI of 6.40GT/s equals 1333MHz RAM support.

Well in my rig I use the Westmere W3690 which is simular to your X5677 but it is older but the specs are similar so X5677 is not the only option. Again it uses 3 channel memory like the x5677 and is able to use both 1066 and 1333 memory.

 

[tsialex]

Well in my rig I use the Westmere W3690 which is simular to your X5677 but it is older but the specs are similar so X5677 is not the only option. Again it uses 3 channel memory like the x5677 and is able to use both 1066 and 1333 memory.

Still wrong for two motives:

First, since W3xxx is only for single CPU boards, while OP stated on first post that he has a dual one:

My set up is a Mac Pro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 (early 2009) with a 2x3.45GHz Quad Core Intel Xenon processor
32gb 1066 RAM
RX 580 8Gb Graphics card
500g SSD

Second, Intel never released a Westmere quad core for single CPU boards (W36xx or i7-9xx), all Westmere single CPU versions are hexa cores (W36xx or i7-9xx). Interestingly, Intel used all faulty core binned ones to make dual CPU versions.

Again, the only Xeon processor that works on OP dual CPU Mac Pro that have 3.46GHz clock plus is a quad core is the X5677.

 

[streak8047]

For My case After the CPU upgrade to X5680 frequency shows 1333mHZ

 

[carylee2002]

Same here My case using w3690 cpu shows also 1333mHZ also. So 5,1 can use 1333mHZ dimms.

 

[farikatik]

1. This kind of memory for Mac pro 5.1(2010) will only work 1066mhz (Green)
2. This is the kind of memory that will work for Mac pro 5.1 (2010) 100% work 1333mhz (Black)

 

[Macschrauber]

1. is 4Rx4 what is not fully compatible with our Xeons.

Second: you holding it very wrong, never touch such sensitive electronics with the naked fingers. Finger prints and statics are harmful.

 

[diegonishi]

It's a lot easier to just check what is your Xeon model than search for the supported memory controller speeds. There are lots of ways to get the model name of your Xeon, like:

sysctl -a | grep brand

Telling the speed and quantity of cores is not useful for identifying the model of the Xeon, unless you know that no Nehalem Xeon that works with MP4,1/MP5,1 have a clock over 3.33GHz. Most people don't know this detail.

So, you have a X5677 and it supports 1333MHz RAM. Upgrading your RAM from 1066 to 1333MHz will not make any gigantic speed difference unless you have a scientific application that are memory bound - most apps will perform just 3~5% better overall.

My Mac Pro is a 2 x 2,4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processador Intel® Xeon® E5620 AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB 14 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 with 14.2 (23C64), is possible upgrade to 8 x 8GB PC10600 DDR3 ECC-R 1333MHz DIMMs for Mac Pro 2009-2012 'Nehalem' & 'Westmere' models? This one: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/1333D3X8M64K/ or this https://www.somemorias.com.br/memoria-ram-kingston-8gb-ddr3-1333mhz/prod-8068644/ Thanks.

 

[tsialex]

My Mac Pro is a 2 x 2,4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processador Intel® Xeon® E5620 AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB 14 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 with 14.2 (23C64), is possible upgrade to 8 x 8GB PC10600 DDR3 ECC-R 1333MHz DIMMs for Mac Pro 2009-2012 'Nehalem' & 'Westmere' models?

A dual CPU MacPro5,1 will accept up to 8x DIMMs of 16GB 2Rx4 1333MHz without any manual configuration. Just works, if you buy the correct specified DIMMs.

X5620 is a 1066 MHz Westmere Xeon and the Memory Controller will only work up to 1066MHz. Any ECC DIMMs, 1066 or 1333 MHz, with 2Rx4 ranking will work.

If you buy 1333MHz DIMMs and later upgrade the Xeon for a 1333MHz pair, the DIMMs will work at 1333MHz.

 

[carylee2002]

My 2012 Macpro 5,1 was a 4 core rig..I then mounted the intel w3690 chip and my upgraded ram was recognized at 1333. I only run 3 dimms instead of four because the bus only recognizes 3 channels natively. You can fill all the dimms but it is not a efficient.