need advice re buying a new mac

colak · 2008-04-01 13:38:52

Here at NeMe we are considering of buying a new mac-pro as we are still working on 800MHz machines.

The question is simple.

For now we think that 4GBs RAM will be good on a Mac Pro with two Quad intel processors but what we do not know is if having 2×2GB RAM is a better solution to having 4×1GB. The reps here are not very helpful. We heard that macs work better with the second solution (4×1) but the first solution will allow for less wastage as time passes and RAM gets cheaper.

Anyone here knows if mac performance is affected if we use 2×2 instead of 4×1 RAM?

jakob · 2008-04-01 14:43:50

It’s ‘supposed’ to work best with two pairs of matching RAM modules, two on each riser for the max throughput, in order to make the most of the quad channel ram throughput. I remember reading somewhere that 4 RAM modules can be faster than having more ram but not a factor of 4 (e.g. 6 modules) – just can’t find where off hand.

See here and here for more infos. You don’t have to buy them directly from Apple at their exorbitant prices, but you should buy with the extra large heatsinks as they get hot. They’re very easy to install.

One way or the other, I have the lowest-spec mac pro (2.66 quad, last summer) and only 3 MB RAM (2×1 on one side, 2 × 512 on the other) and it is still a fast beast and has no problems with lots of programs running at once.

More detailed infos on diglloyd (no longer free but maybe still in google’s cache or the web.archive.org? sub articles still there)

Last edited by jakob (2008-04-01 14:56:41)

variaas · 2008-04-01 15:26:01

Hey Colak, what do you plan to use the machines for? Photo, video, etc.? The specs you are looking at would be an awesome workhorse, but I’d hate to see you spend extra dollars that you won’t utilize. RAM works best in pairs for 2×2GB will give you better performance.

jm · 2008-04-01 17:43:44

I’d go with the 2gb/slot option. 4GB would give you plenty of breathing room, since Leopard and Office ’08 love RAM, in addition to Adobe apps and their usual cravings :).

benchfrooser · 2008-04-01 19:49:23

4GB are good but I think this is the minimum of RAM for a Computer, which has 8 Cores. With 2×2GB its easy to upgrade to 8GB with 4×2GB and you have 4 slots for RAM left.

colak · 2008-04-02 06:21:38

thanks guys!!!!

jakob wrote:

It’s ‘supposed’ to work best with two pairs of matching RAM modules, two on each riser for the max throughput, in order to make the most of the quad channel ram throughput.

This is what I heard too. That’s why I posted. ALso thanks for the links – RAM from alternative sources can save us a lot of €€€€€

variaas wrote:

Hey Colak, what do you plan to use the machines for? Photo, video, etc.? The specs you are looking at would be an awesome workhorse, but I’d hate to see you spend extra dollars that you won’t utilize. RAM works best in pairs for 2×2GB will give you better performance.

Hi varias, the machine will be used for a lot of things. video (FCP, aftereffects etc) and photo (PS2) editing/compositing will be definetely in the list so yes, it will need to be high end – but possibly the low end – 2.9MHZ due to budget constraints. One application which we are refusing to install is word. We think that apple pages does the word processing work better, faster and simpler.

jm wrote:

I’d go with the 2gb/slot option. 4GB would give you plenty of breathing room, since Leopard and Office ’08 love RAM, in addition to Adobe apps and their usual cravings :).

benchfrooser wrote:

4GB are good but I think this is the minimum of RAM for a Computer, which has 8 Cores. With 2×2GB its easy to upgrade to 8GB with 4×2GB and you have 4 slots for RAM left.

Regardless of other/possibly better advice this is what we think here too. Apple ships mac pros with 2×1GB RAM so, although the recommendations indicate that 2 pairs occupying 4 slots enhance the performance, apple themselves do not follow that dictum. 2×2 seems to be the better choice.

Off to ordering it and getting ready for the frustrating delivery date which can last up to 6 weeks.

Thank you all.

masa · 2008-04-02 11:47:32

I’m sure you’d be hard pushed to ever notice a difference in every day usage. It’s usually only people with stopwatches that uncover them ;-)

jakob · 2008-04-03 21:05:15

Another article from today on the different Mac Pro purchase options currently available and their effect on speed (and wallet)…

colak · 2008-06-04 09:34:16

I know it’s been more than two months since I created this thread. Here is the result. If any of you had similar experiences I’d like to hear about them.

>Edit typo

Last edited by colak (2008-06-04 09:57:04)

zero · 2008-06-04 11:36:03

Sorry to hear that, Yiannis. Two months is way too long. I’ve not had a directly similar experience but have come across the excuse of “it’s not my fault, it’s someone else” by everyone I contact, more and more in the last few years.

colak · 2008-06-04 12:57:31

Hi Peter,

It is always the same no matter where we live. In the building industry I can accept delays like that as material specs remain the same. A marble from that part of the world has such and such specs so any delay normally results to the contractor having to pay penalties.

In the case of computers though, delays mean devaluation of the product and its imminent replacement from the manufacturer due to upgrades in technology. Buying a computer should be an off the shelf process not a an ordeal.

I (and other NeMe members), tend to believe the reseller. It was in his interest for the computer to come as soon as possible as it was only then he he would make his meagre profit. Having dealt with the Greek system before, I strongly believe that the fault lies with Rainbow unless they manage to convince me otherwise.

Last edited by colak (2008-06-04 12:58:43)

colak · 2008-06-08 10:13:13

I’m not sure what is happening but our further research revealed that rainbow.gr might not be an apple authorised reseller as their site (or Greece) is not included in apple.com. A friend will soon be coming from the states though and he offered to bring us a macBook Pro. I seem to remember some months ago that I read in many sites on the net that there is a problem (due to overheating?)

Is anybody here informed enough regarding MacBook Pros?

>edit: typo

Last edited by colak (2008-06-08 11:51:30)

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#1 2008-04-01 13:38:52

need advice re buying a new mac

#2 2008-04-01 14:43:50

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#3 2008-04-01 15:26:01

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#4 2008-04-01 17:43:44

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#5 2008-04-01 19:49:23

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#6 2008-04-02 06:21:38

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#7 2008-04-02 11:47:32

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#8 2008-04-03 21:05:15

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#9 2008-06-04 09:34:16

Re: need advice re buying a new mac

#10 2008-06-04 11:36:03

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#11 2008-06-04 12:57:31

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#12 2008-06-08 10:13:13

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