Less Speed More RAM?

[wallybud]

I was thinking about a new Mac Pro desktop computer, however I am on a budget.

The memory upgrade from 2gb to 4gb is 450.00!

and the standard chip is Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

But if I downgrade from that to this One 2.8GHZ Quad-Core Intel Xeon [Subtract $450.00] I get to subtract that 450.00.


So basically as far as image editing (21mp camera) CS4, maybe some digital HD video editing (very basic)

Would it be completely fine to downgrade my speed in order to get the extra 2gb of RAM?

I haven't kept up with computers since 11th grade as you can probably tell so a little help would be appreciated;)

[wallybud]

Nothing?

[tim]

46 minutes... you're so patient :rolleyes:

One Xeon is fine, two is better for some specialist tasks. Don't buy extra RAM from apple, it's standard, probably less than $100 from newegg.

[wallybud]

haha sorry, when your bored times goes by slowwwwly ;)

any recommendations from newegg, apple was talking about their memory is special and what not but I guess it doesn't matter?

I was looking just to get 4gb, but at less than 100 maybe ill upgrade to 8gigs? Will it all run together fine or will it be slower than the memory apple provides?

also will adding my own memory void my 3 year warranty?

[Mark1]

www.macsales.com is a great place to get mac stuff. Get the cheapest ram you can find. There is no real difference anymore, so save your money.

[[CaliGirl]]

They advise you to have a professional add the RAM but I don't know if it will void the warranty. It shouldn't. I loaded mine from 2gb to 4gb. It is quite simple to do. I would recommend getting the faster processor now and just get more RAM when you have extra money.

[wallybud]

I found this, says it doesn't cause your fans to run any higher than apples memory

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16820150080

[[CaliGirl]]

How many slots does that desktop have for RAM? I have [two] 1gb sticks of RAM that I removed from my macbook the day I bought it. It was used once just to test that it works. I can give you a good price if your are interested as it's just sitting in my desk drawer.

[wallybud]

8 slots for up to 32gb of memory

[TheHoff]

;6727934'] I would recommend getting the faster processor now and just get more RAM when you have extra money.

Ditto this. You can always add the RAM later but you're stuck with the processor and motherboard for a while.

Funny that Apple is still screwing Mac Pro buyers on the RAM prices -- I just bought a Macbook Pro and moving it from 2 to 4 gigs was the same price from Apple or if I bought it myself (since Apple gave me trade-in credit on the old sticks).

I'm impressed with how well OS X handles memory management and freeing things up when it can; you'll do fine on 2G until you can upgrade it yourself (it is simple to put more in).

[wallybud]

Sounds good Hoff, I guess your right, I should be fine with the 2 for a little while...until I start getting into some video fun anyway ;)

Yeah screwing isn't even the word, I can run the DsIIIs 21mp files okkkk on this macbook pro and its only 2gb but I'm just not use to hour glasses and the words. reading raw file format loading line lol...plus this is technical my dads so its time for my own machine;)

[wallybud]

Actually CaliGirl was right hhaha

[[CaliGirl]]

wallybud, PM if you want my RAM...I'll hook you up!

[wallybud]

haah will do, thanks

[gjl711]

A faster processor will always improve the performance of the machine but RAM is a funny thing. It is very possible that going from 2 gig to 4 gig will render no improvement in performance at all. RAM runs at a certain speed. Adding more RAM does not make the speed faster, it just gives you more. If you are living within your 2 gig limit and are not paging adding more RAM will do nothing as you have not used up what is already there. If however you are always loading up way more than the 2 gig you have available and are paging like mad, adding RAM will have a huge impact.

What you might do is set up a memory monitor and graph over time how much paging is going on. Not sure how to do that on a Mac but I'm sure there is a way. Anyway, if you have lots of paging going on, go for the RAM. If you have very little then go for the processor.

[TheHoff]

I use iStat Menus

http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatmenus/

It puts the exact amount of RAM used and free in the top system bar (right now, used: 2.64GB, free: 1.11GB -- apps open: Finder, Thunderbird, sKEdit, Lightroom 2, PS CS4, Firefox w/ 9 tabs)

[wallybud]

Awesome, thanks John!

[wallybud]

Haha Hoff your screen sounds like mine ;)

[TheHoff]

At least now I have Expose! And four finger swipe.... I love my Mac (after 24 years of PCs).

[wallybud]

Hoff Im maxed out editing a 30mb file with 4 safari tabs open at a little over 1g of RAM in use (I have 2 gigs)...so does that mean any waiting im doing in CS3 is due to the processor?

[TheHoff]

Hard to say without seeing you use it. I wouldn't compare what you're doing now with the editing and Safari with what you might do later in CS3.

The big help with RAM comes if you switch between Lightroom and CS3/4 a lot... like you take the photos into PS for a final edit or filter. It is like butter on my new Mac... both programs can stay open, mangle their files, and never have to go to swap space.

Just opening up a 1DS3 file in CS3 isn't that bad for memory.. the problems come when you have 10 of them open or one file with 10 layers. You will want to go to 4 or even 8 gigs of RAM in the future, but see how it is with 2 first since you're going to put the new ones in yourself anyway.

[wallybud]

Well I don't have a heavy workflow at all, and I hardly ever have more than one file open at a time. I don't use lightroom to manage my files either I do that on my own...I OPEN IN CS3 edit and save from CS3...landscape photography isn't very hard to mange lol

[René Damkot]

;6728121']wallybud, PM if you want my RAM...I'll hook you up!

Ram from a MacBook won't fit a Mac Pro...

[adam8080]

A faster processor will always improve the performance of the machine but RAM is a funny thing. It is very possible that going from 2 gig to 4 gig will render no improvement in performance at all. RAM runs at a certain speed. Adding more RAM does not make the speed faster, it just gives you more. If you are living within your 2 gig limit and are not paging adding more RAM will do nothing as you have not used up what is already there. If however you are always loading up way more than the 2 gig you have available and are paging like mad, adding RAM will have a huge impact.

I'm not sure how things work on a Mac, but with PCs, just because you have more CORES running at the same speed doesn't necessarily mean that it will be able to run faster. Faster cores, yes; more cores, sometimes.

[gjl711]

I'm not sure how things work on a Mac, but with PCs, just because you have more CORES running at the same speed doesn't necessarily mean that it will be able to run faster. Faster cores, yes; more cores, sometimes.That could be very true. I was referring to processor speed alone. Numbers of processors is a whole different can of worms.

[[CaliGirl]]

Ram from a MacBook won't fit a Mac Pro...
It should, they are both DDR2...

[Hermes]

Adding RAM can be the difference between the image you're working on being stored entirely in RAM and Photoshop having to constantly use the scratch disk - that can make a big difference to your work if you do a lot of retouching on multiple layers.

[tim]

;6733797']It should, they are both DDR2...

Laptop ram is often smaller.

[René Damkot]

;6733797']It should, they are both DDR2...

The Macbook (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/index-macbook.html) is probably PC2-5300 DDR2
The Mac Pro (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/index-macpro.html) ECC DDR2 FB-DIMM.

[TheHoff]

If you're one of those people who thinks just because it doesn't "fit" the first time that it won't work, well, son... you need some more good old do-it-yourself persistence. I'm sure with a nailfile and a hammer we can get that RAM to fit.

Trust me.. my current PC:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2544881923_19eefd179a.jpg

[wallybud]

man your HORRIBLE at diy haha, Hoff you could at least made it look presentable for an extra 10 minutes of work, even some nicer duct tape? ;)