G5's memory maximum actually 16 GB!

[gopher]

After reading Apple's technote, it would appear the G5 can be upgraded to 16 GB of RAM. Since this contradicts Apple's specs, I wrote the developer site contact link to ask that a revision be made:

Technote's http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2087.html
bottom line of the G4 G5 comparison table says the G5 can address 16 GB of RAM.
Yet http://www.apple.com/powermac/specs.html says it can only address 8 GB of RAM.

Websites like this one:

http://www.pricewatch.com/1/33/5550-1.htm
show that 2 GB memory modules exist that meet the specs of the machine, and with 8 slots,
you'd think the G5 could possibly be taken up to 16 GB. Is the 8 GB limitation hardware or software?
And if hardware is it only because you don't yet sell the 2 GB memory modules, or is it because the controller itself
can't address more? If the controller itself can't address more, I think the technote:
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2087.html

should be revised to say only 8 GB of addressable RAM.

 

[Veldek]

Wow, this would be great. Hope, this isn't a typo...

 

[benixau]

software - most likely

a few possibilities:

Apple firmware stops above 8GB (like in MDDs -> can actually take 4GB, apple stops above 2GB)

apple will not advertise this as they do not sell 2GB modules. apple has not stopped them wirking though.

Hardware will not recognise the modules (dual side, not an accepted bit size)

->you decide what it is.

 

[GeeYouEye]

I'd put more faith in the maximum you see anywhere than anything less; the rev. A iBook had a "maximum" of 160 MB, but I've got one with 288, and I've seen them with up to 544.

Besides, who really needs more than 8 GB, anyway?

 

[gopher]

I'd like to put a full 2 hours of DV Video in RAM and then convert it to MPEG2. Actually I'd need about 30 GB of RAM to do that. Sure I can do that with hard drives, but why not do it with the speed of RAM?

 

[zarathustra]

Originally posted by GeeYouEye
I'd put more faith in the maximum you see anywhere than anything less; the rev. A iBook had a "maximum" of 160 MB, but I've got one with 288, and I've seen them with up to 544.

Besides, who really needs more than 8 GB, anyway?

The same people who upgraded to 8MB of RAM and 40MB of HD space thinking, they will never need more...

 

[tpjunkie]

However, at $1,100 per 2 gb chip, maxing out your RAM to 16 GB would cost 8,800...nearly three times the cost of the dual 2 ghz machine...I don't think its going to really be an issue for the majority of users.

 

[gopher]

True, but down the road, memory will get cheaper.

 

[utilizer]

Originally posted by tpjunkie
However, at $1,100 per 2 gb chip, maxing out your RAM to 16 GB would cost 8,800...nearly three times the cost of the dual 2 ghz machine...I don't think its going to really be an issue for the majority of users.

From the best in the industry in RAM, here's to maxing out a new G5:

CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY RAM -- 8 GB of memory
CT322476
512MB, 184-pin DIMM Upgrade for a Apple Power Mac G5 (Dual 2.0GHz DDR) System
$93.99 each
QTY: 16
$1,503.98

 

[Sun Baked]

Originally posted by utilizer
From the best in the industry in RAM, here's to maxing out a new G5:

CRUCIAL TECHNOLOGY RAM -- 8 GB of memory
CT322476
512MB, 184-pin DIMM Upgrade for a Apple Power Mac G5 (Dual 2.0GHz DDR) System
$93.99 each
QTY: 16
$1,503.98

And you'd leave 8 of them sitting on the bench, try again.

There are only 8 dimm slots.

Look up the price on eight 1GB DDR400 modules

---

As far as what the module needs/limits are, we'll have to wait for Apple to put up the developer docs on the machine.

No telling what the U3 Memory Controller is capable of for this revision.

But don't expect to see a G5 info here until weeks after the machine ships...

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/hardware2.html

 

[daveg5]

same thing happen with thepowermacs powerbooks ibooks imacs etc.
apple list the max avail at that time.
which almostr alwayus ends up higher however i do think the bw and biege g3 have a hardware memory controller that simply cant go past 1 gb regardless of sixe or config, or quanity of memory chips on board stacked or not

 

[rainman::|:|]

From Apple.com/G5
Theoretically, the 64-bit data paths let the Power PC G5 access up to 4 terabytes of physical memory. Impractical now, maybe, but the Power PC G5 architecture allows for plenty of growth well into the future.

So it looks like there's plenty of room to grow, but Apple thinks 8 GB is enough for now, so they went with the cheapest hardware configuration that supports this much...

pnw

 

[bbarnhart]

There are lots and lots of things you can do with more that 8 GB of memory. With that much memory you save time consuming trips to the hard drive. Video on demand is an application that would benefit. Large database applications would benefit.

Yes, it would be cheaper to build out more machines with less memory, but you need to factor in the cost of maintenance for all of these machines.

Granted, all of these are high end server type applications and that is what business need. Windows OS taxes (licensing fees) are quite steep on high end systems. If you can do more with less licenses then business will buy the RAM.

 

[beatle888]

Originally posted by GeeYouEye
Besides, who really needs more than 8 GB, anyway?

youve been around macrumors too long to not be able to answer that yourself.

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
So it looks like there's plenty of room to grow, but Apple thinks 8 GB is enough for now, so they went with the cheapest hardware configuration that supports this much...

that sounds like dell more than apple. i wouldn't be surprised if these 2 GB modules worked in the new PMG5s. apple does cool stuff like that sometimes. speaking of which, does anyone know about putting 1 GB SO-DIMMs in a Tibook when they come out, if they haven't?

 

[smada]

Id say it's quite possible that a G5 could handle 16 GB, and maybe even more if bigger DDR chips are made.

According to Apple.com, my iMac can only handle 512 MB of memory, but as you can see, that just isn't true.

 

[Sun Baked]

Originally posted by smada
Id say it's quite possible that a G5 could handle 16 GB, and maybe even more if bigger DDR chips are made.

According to Apple.com, my iMac can only handle 512 MB of memory, but as you can see, that just isn't true.

According to the Apple Developer docs, the G3 iMac can handle up to 1GB of memory.

These are the documents to look at instead of the insert with the computer.

The link I left at in a previous post is for ALL the macs, but they usually lag product shipment by a few weeks or a couple months.

 

[Frohickey]

Crucial has 128MB, 256MB and 512MB PC3200 RAM. $25.99, $49.99, $93.99 (weird, the 128MB ECC is cheaper than the non-ECC)

The Chip Merchant has 256MB and 512MB PC3200 RAM. $45.50, $89.25 (cheaper than Crucial).
But they also sell Apple(whatever that is, Apple uses standard DIMMs!) memory. 2x256MB and 2x512MB. 2x$48.50, 2x$95.25. Why the price hike for memory?

To get to 8GB, you need 1GB sticks, which neither one sells.

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by Frohickey
Crucial has 128MB, 256MB and 512MB PC3200 RAM. $25.99, $49.99, $93.99 (weird, the 128MB ECC is cheaper than the non-ECC)

The Chip Merchant has 256MB and 512MB PC3200 RAM. $45.50, $89.25 (cheaper than Crucial).
But they also sell Apple(whatever that is, Apple uses standard DIMMs!) memory. 2x256MB and 2x512MB. 2x$48.50, 2x$95.25. Why the price hike for memory?

To get to 8GB, you need 1GB sticks, which neither one sells.

what did you say?

better look harder next time

also, apple RAM has always been more expensive. i dunno why, probably the classic "we use better quality products, even though a lot of idiots with hardware problems on their PCs don't think so."

 

[patrick0brien]

-Folks

Remember, Apple can only advertise the maximum that is available in DIMMs being sold.

I have a 12PB, and Apple advertises it at maximum 640GB. But that's inly true due to the fact that 512mb SODIMMs are the only one really available in any volume. Once the 1gb SODIMMs get a good volume, Apple will revise.

I'm sure there's something similar going on here with the G5.

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by patrick0brien
I have a 12PB, and Apple advertises it at maximum 640GB. But that's inly true due to the fact that 512mb SODIMMs are the only one really available in any volume. Once the 1gb SODIMMs get a good volume, Apple will revise.

I'm sure there's something similar going on here with the G5.

i know i will get fooled into putting at least 1.5, if not 2 GB into my Tibook when they become available

 

[e-coli]

16 GB is insanity. Maybe only for doing 3D work, but still. You'd have to be working on the sequel to Pearl Harbor or something to need that much.

(If, by chance, you are working on the sequel to pearl harbor, please make it better than the first. )

 

[utilizer]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
what did you say?

better look harder next time

also, apple RAM has always been more expensive. i dunno why, probably the classic "we use better quality products, even though a lot of idiots with hardware problems on their PCs don't think so."

Sorry shadow, but the G5 uses 184-pin DDR RAM, not 200-pin RAM, so I assume they're just not available yet in the 1 Gig config yet. Besides, Crucial would tell you if one was available when you put in the PowerMac G5, which it doesn't. I was wrong earlier when I said something about 16 banks of memory only costs $1504 from those guys, but the G5 only has 8 banks; again, they don't list DDR400 184-pin 1 GB chipsets...yet. Time will tell.

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by utilizer
Sorry shadow, but the G5 uses 184-pin DDR RAM, not 200-pin RAM, so I assume they're just not available yet in the 1 Gig config yet. Besides, Crucial would tell you if one was available when you put in the PowerMac G5, which it doesn't. I was wrong earlier when I said something about 16 banks of memory only costs $1504 from those guys, but the G5 only has 8 banks; again, they don't list DDR400 184-pin 1 GB chipsets...yet. Time will tell.

ah, my bad. but Apple will sell you the full 8 GB of RAM when the time comes, with the DDR400 184 pin modules. and there will be 2 GB modules with time. it's just the way things go.... progress...

 

[Frohickey]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
what did you say?

better look harder next time

also, apple RAM has always been more expensive. i dunno why, probably the classic "we use better quality products, even though a lot of idiots with hardware problems on their PCs don't think so."

Um... you need to clean your glasses. Thats a 200pin SODimm module. Though, there is a PC2100 184pin DDR DIMM in a 2GB size. (I feel like Ahnuld... go to a store, I want a PC3200 DDR DIMM in a 2GB size, and a phased plasma rifle in 40W range.

G5s use PC2700 (333MHz) and PC3200 (400MHz).