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how's the 3rd party ram working out?

S

swingline

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 9, 2005
80
0
if you got em a few weeks ago, have you had any troubles at all? i'm looking to add 2x1gb and was wondering where i can get it for the best price? like some of you have said, the heatsinks are not that big of a deal, so if there has been no problems so far without them then i might be looking for something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144176
anyone have any links to better deals?
 
If I decided to skimp on the heatsinks, I'd probably still go out on a limb and buy the correct memory for my system. But that's just me.
 
I'm running 4GB of the Kingston ram (stock heatsinks) plus 1GB of the Apple stuff. So far absolutely no problems.
 
I bought 2GB from data memory technologies: www.datamemtech.com
direct from the states for $378 + $26 S&H -- far cheaper than anything available via Crucial or Kingston here in the UK. This was added to the 2GB Apple RAM.

No problems at all, BUT, there is an increase in hum from the fans -- you couldn't really call it noise. Nothing that I can't live with, but it's definitely not whisper-quiet like before.

Will have to look into 3rd-party RAM heatsinks -- these are proving difficult to source over here. Will post separately on the matter.
 
I'm normally a cheapskate. I didn't want to spend $300+ dollars on a 2GB upgrade but after putting in some standard heatsink ram in the machine, I changed my mind.

I had read how hot the ram gets and decided to do a touch test and see how bad people exegerated. The regular ram was so hot I couldn't hold it, while the apple ram, was at best, uncomfortable to hold. This was just using the machine for web surfing, itunes listening and email. I thought about it, and I know at some point I'm going to be doing some rendering in Final Cut or play some high end game in Windows and the heat will be worst.

I decided I didn't want to spend $200 now, have problems and then not be able to return the memory and end up spending another $200 or more later on.
 
phantasm10 said:
I'm normally a cheapskate. I didn't want to spend $300+ dollars on a 2GB upgrade but after putting in some standard heatsink ram in the machine, I changed my mind.

I had read how hot the ram gets and decided to do a touch test and see how bad people exegerated. The regular ram was so hot I couldn't hold it, while the apple ram, was at best, uncomfortable to hold. This was just using the machine for web surfing, itunes listening and email. I thought about it, and I know at some point I'm going to be doing some rendering in Final Cut or play some high end game in Windows and the heat will be worst.

I decided I didn't want to spend $200 now, have problems and then not be able to return the memory and end up spending another $200 or more later on.
Click to expand...

what's your recommendation?
 
My datamem are doing great, still no issues. I didn't notice any more noise. Of course now it doesn't matter, as I filled up my hard drive slots, and that is all I hear now. Still fairly quiet, just the whine of the drives.

Kimo
 
roland.g said:
what's your recommendation?
Click to expand...

Really depends on what you need, versus what you want. Either pay up and get memory that is "certified" for the mac pro or wait until prices come down.
 
My 2x1gb Kingston FB-dimms from newegg arrive tomorrow. I also ordered some small, attachable ram heatsinks which I plan on sticking to the stock Kingston heatspreaders.

Will let you know how it goes...
 
I've had the kingston in my system for a while now with no problems and I play a lot of games. It gets too hot to touch though. I still don't think the large heatsinks are worth double the price. I'm sure someone out there will start making larger RAM heatsinks soon and then I'll just get a couple.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the heat. RAM is designed to handle a pretty good heat load. Also, just because the outside of the Apple heatsinks is relatively cool it doesn't mean the ram module itself is that much cooler.
 
amtberg said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the heat. RAM is designed to handle a pretty good heat load. Also, just because the outside of the Apple heatsinks is relatively cool it doesn't mean the ram module itself is that much cooler.
Click to expand...

Not only that, but there's a 120mm Fan directly next to the RAM slots in the Mac Pro.
 
Digidesign said:
My 2x1gb Kingston FB-dimms from newegg arrive tomorrow. I also ordered some small, attachable ram heatsinks which I plan on sticking to the stock Kingston heatspreaders.

Will let you know how it goes...
Click to expand...
Any news?

I'm also using Kingston RAM (1G sticks) with the default heat spreaders. Of course my Mac Pro isn't here yet, so no issues. :)

Trying to decide if I should be putting on some additional RAM heatsinks.
 
Update:

Installed my Kingston 2x1gb FB-dimms last night, and also added on 7 small attachable heatsinks on each side of the memory for a total of 28 heatsinks added.

One thing I'm trying is to align the heatsinks so that the airflow can go past it without obstruction. That means to attach the heatsinks with the fins all horizontal. I took pictures, but forgot to bring my camera to work to upload them. I will upload the pics tonight.

I'm happy to say that initial results are very good. I spent a good four hours or so installing windows and all my PC apps as well as getting all software up-to-date. So while I wasn't running anything super processor/memory intensive, I did keep the system busy.

During the installs, I would sometimes have to swap out drives as I set them up. I touched the heatsinks on the kingstons and they were warm but not hot as in I could hold my finger on them. Did not feel any noticeable heat radiating from the lower area where they were installed. The Apple's felt about the same, only ever-so-slightly cooler.

No fan noise increase or errors.

Again, I will post pictures later tonight. :)
 
Here are pics of the heatsinks added to the Kingston RAM
 

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Digidesign --

Did you take the heatspreaders off the Kingston RAM before you fitted the RAMsinks? I was thinking about just attaching the ones that I have ordered directly to the metal heatspreaders.

Can't believe no-one has rushed out a clone of the Apple RAM sinks. Maybe it's just a matter of time...
 
digidesign -
Good to hear that the Kingston Ram / after market heat sinks is working well. Hopefully it will continue to do so under stress. I see no reason why it shouldn't. How mush do you estimate you saved over FB-DIMMS with Apple style heat sinks
 
I would like to purchase the 4GB kit either from OWC or TransInt'l, which is better in terms of stability and heat concern? anyone has idea on this? thanks
 
I added 2x1gb via OWC- no heat or stability issues. Will run a mem test tonight, but things seem flawless.
 
When I ordered the Mac Pro, I also ordered 2x512MB=1GB of RAM from Crucial for $202.99 USD including 3-day shipping. The RAM got here 1 day before the machine and when I put it in I got a Kernal Panic. Bad RAM from Crucial. I called them and they sent me another 2x512MB and all went well. I had to pay return shipping of $8.40 USD, but after all said and I paid a total of about $212 USD for a 1GB RAM complete with heat sinks. So far so good. Crucial charged another $199 on my CC, but quickly refunded my money upon return of the bad RAM.

The various memory test programs have checked the memory as well as possible and no heat or noise issues.

A bit of a hassle, but folks here told me that I could also get bad RAM from Apple and would be in a similar situation. If I had to do it again, I would get 2-GB Kingston RAM with heatsinks from Newegg.
 
spetznatz said:
Can't believe no-one has rushed out a clone of the Apple RAM sinks. Maybe it's just a matter of time...
Click to expand...
MaxUpgrades did come out with the MaxSink a few days ago but at the prices they are charging ($40 for one or $79 for two), it doesn't make much sense unless you bought FB-DIMMs with the standard heat spreader early on when they were priced lower. With current memory prices plus these heat sinks, the price is about the same as the ones from OWC and Transintl and you don't have to worry about voiding any warranties.

Also, DMS is also now selling memory with the larger heat spreader (looks the same as the OWC ones and priced around the same).
 
Senbei said:
MaxUpgrades did come out with the MaxSink a few days ago but at the prices they are charging ($40 for one or $79 for two), it doesn't make much sense unless you bought FB-DIMMs with the standard heat spreader early on when they were priced lower. With current memory prices plus these heat sinks, the price is about the same as the ones from OWC and Transintl and you don't have to worry about voiding any warranties.

Also, DMS is also now selling memory with the larger heat spreader (looks the same as the OWC ones and priced around the same).
Click to expand...

I don't have a need to replace the heatspreader on the kingston, but it's nice to see companies comming out with the larger heatsinks. Hopefully more will follow and the prices will come down to $10. :D
 
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