MacPro quad and PTLE

[dpmd]

Definitely looking to upgrade my system...actually from PC to MacPro. As I am looking to buy very soon, is there a really big noticible difference between the (stock) 3 GB ram vs. an optional upgrade to 6? I do not tend to use a lot of synths/samples, just a fair (12-24) number of audio tracks & plugs. From what I have to the stock macpro is a huge upgrade! Is there any experience from users who have worked with 3GB and feel it is extremely insufficient?? Thanks all as I am new to the DIGI world!!

[Obsidian Dragon]

The sweet spot seems to be 4 GB. Each person's sessions has different needs and you really need to experiment to find what is the best amount of RAM for you. Start with the three and yoy can easily add mor as needed. Don't buy the REM from Apple unless you have money to burn. There are many online sourcess that have RAM for a fraction of the price compared to the Apple store. I do suggest you get some good RAM however as bad RAM is one of the most difficult issues to diagnose.

[dpmd]

Thank you...I appreciate it. Just going to be getting into both Apple and back to PT.

[flommer]

The new MacPros actually use a triple channel memory bus and do have "ideal" configurations that are in multiples of 3 (3,6,12 etc)

I don't claim to know all the implications of this. I would suggest logging in to the Apple MacPro forums and searching/asking there..

One disadvantage of the single - quad core processor MacPro is that it only has 4 Memory slots, so this limits your options when trying to get into the "ideal" configurations.. If you start with 3x 1GB sticks, then how do you upgrade without obsoleting the factory ram?

$150 for the upgrade to 3 x 2GB factory ram isn't too steep..

Here's a favored aftermarket dealer for Mac Ram;

OWC

[BlueThursday]

I have the older 8 core model with 2GB standard, i upgraded and didn't even notice when the extra 4 GB failed and I was down to 2GB.

I noticed much more of an improvement over my PC when going from one 2.5 GHz processor to eight 2.8 GHz processors than from 2 GB to 6 GB of RAM.

[Darney]

Originally Posted by Obsidian Dragon

The sweet spot seems to be 4 GB. Each person's sessions has different needs and you really need to experiment to find what is the best amount of RAM for you. Start with the three and yoy can easily add mor as needed. Don't buy the REM from Apple unless you have money to burn. There are many online sourcess that have RAM for a fraction of the price compared to the Apple store. I do suggest you get some good RAM however as bad RAM is one of the most difficult issues to diagnose.

Yes, 4GB is the magic number... that's all the memory a 32-bit program can address. More than 4GB allows your mac to use the "extra" memory (Since G5's and Intels are 64 bit machines) for processing and housekeeping, freeing up memory for Pro Tools. I'd suggest 4GB as a minimum for any system.
I've never heard of the "multiples of 3" configuration before (except in the case of 3GB will outperform 2 GB). Matched memory generally outperforms unmatched, and MORE memory will outperform matched memory. So, the best combo would be the maximum amount of matched memory your system can hold.

Your results may vary.

[flommer]

Here is some information about about triple channel vs. dual channel memory in the newest MacPros:

http://macperformanceguide.com/Revie...html#Bandwidth

The memory performance potential of having 3 slots filled (vs 4) is definitely greater, but in the real world you are unlikely to see this difference. I don't think that PT is necessarily memory bandwidth intensive, but it can definitely be memory amount intensive.

My recommendation to the OP for 3 x 2GB sticks from the factory stands. 6GB is a nice starting point, upgrading to anything more is going to be pretty expensive at this point, and having 3 x 1GB sticks could be a bottleneck and would be more expensive to upgrade later (the sticks need to be matched pairs as a minimum). Plus having the triple channel configuration will be a little more future proof.. Who's to say how Apple (and Digi) might optimize the OS to take advantage of this in upcoming versions??

[dpmd]

Yes, it's only a $150 option to upgrade from 3 to 6GB and considering the cost...that shouldn't break the bank. I've been gathering my cookies for a while to buy this so a bit of future-protection makes sense. Thanks again!

[Darney]

Originally Posted by flommer

Here is some information about about triple channel vs. dual channel memory in the newest MacPros:

http://macperformanceguide.com/Revie...html#Bandwidth

The memory performance potential of having 3 slots filled (vs 4) is definitely greater, but in the real world you are unlikely to see this difference. I don't think that PT is necessarily memory bandwidth intensive, but it can definitely be memory amount intensive.

My recommendation to the OP for 3 x 2GB sticks from the factory stands. 6GB is a nice starting point, upgrading to anything more is going to be pretty expensive at this point, and having 3 x 1GB sticks could be a bottleneck and would be more expensive to upgrade later (the sticks need to be matched pairs as a minimum). Plus having the triple channel configuration will be a little more future proof.. Who's to say how Apple (and Digi) might optimize the OS to take advantage of this in upcoming versions??

Thanks for the link! I hadn't seen that discussion before.. enlightening.