Hi,
I'm looking to upgrade my 3,1 with 32GB (can't afford 64GB!).
The cheap RAM options on eBay lack the heatsinks shown below. Has anyone had a bad experience buying cheaper RAM without a heatsink for their dual processor Mac Pro?
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/64FB8MPK64GB/
Hmm...
Can't say that I've ever been willing to chance it.
What I've read, is that generally the memory does work well if it is the exact right kind of RAM for your machine.
What I have also read, is that the machine tends to run hotter due to the lack of cooling capacity of the heat sinks.
As a consequence, the fans will run faster to try and cool it down. Generating more noise.
Further, the cheap thin heat spreaders are difficult to remove. So adding better heat sinks can be difficult without breaking something.
But if you want to try it, some have been happy.
Personally, I'd rather spend the money on the right stuff.
That said, if you're the kind that likes to take a gamble, I do have 8 memory modules I pulled from my 2006 Mac Pro with the Apple approved heat sinks on them. I'd been thinking of putting them up for sale since my recent memory upgrade has proven reliable.
We could try to work out a deal if you want to try transplanting heat sinks. Be your gamble.
My memory modules are reliable working modules. But I don't think they'd work in your generation machine. And if I remember correctly, the combination totaled 11 GB or 14 GB something like that (I'd have to look at them again). Done too much algebra since my upgrade lol.