RAM selection for Mac Pro

[bigsnowdog]

My refurbished Mac Pro is arriving this week. It has 3Gb of RAM. I want to add to that.

I read that it uses 3 pieces of 1Gb RAM. Looking at the selection from OWC, it seems the 4Gb are the most affordable.

I could get 3, so I had 12, or I could get 2, and then use 2 of the 1Gb, making a total of 10. Does that work, or is it violating some technical requirement?

If you got 3 pieces of the 4Gb, could you run those with the last slot containing a 1Gb, or is that bad?

Thank you.

 

[johnnymg]

snip................
If you got 3 pieces of the 4Gb, could you run those with the last slot containing a 1Gb, or is that bad?

Thank you.

3x4GB + 1x1GB (which will run all mem in "single channel" mode) will work fine!!!! The difference in app performance will be less than 3% compared to running a triple channel (3x modules) configuration.

congrats on the new MP!
JohnG

 

[bigsnowdog]

3x4GB + 1x1GB (which will run all mem in "single channel" mode) will work fine!!!! The difference in app performance will be less than 3% compared to running a triple channel (3x modules) configuration.

congrats on the new MP!
JohnG

So, you are saying that putting that piece of 1 in with the others technically slows it down?

 

[johnnymg]

So, you are saying that putting that piece of 1 in with the others technically slows it down?

Do you think you would notice a 3% difference? 😛

 

[bigsnowdog]

Do you think you would notice a 3% difference? 😛

No, not at all. I just wanted to understand.

 

[vogelhausdesign]

The general Consensus is aim for Triple channel if you can afford it, but more ram is always better.. as the tri-channel benefits are applicable in only a select number of applications and instances.

 

[bigsnowdog]

The general Consensus is aim for Triple channel if you can afford it, but more ram is always better.. as the tri-channel benefits are applicable in only a select number of applications and instances.

Are any of the applications common? Can you offer an example?