Are there any 775 boards that support 16GB RAM?

[JohnVM]

If there are I sure can't find any... just see 8GB max.

Do you have to go to socket 771 for 16GB+?

Thanks,
JohnVM

 

[lopri]

I believe so. And for that amount of RAM, ECC or FB-DIMM is a must.

 

[NXIL]

Dear John,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...7023%2CN82E16813153075

All "support" 16/32 GB, but:

All have only 4 DDR2 RAM slots though, so you would need to buy 4GB memory modules, but, it looks like most of those are going to be ECC/registered/Buffered:

http://www.crucial.com/store/l...&tabid=DDR2+PC2%2D5300

For those modules, call it about: $750 or so per 4 GB module, times 4 = about 3 kilobucks.

But, from what I can see, there are no 4GB regular DDR2 modules....so, you are back to a max of 8GB on those boards, since the biggest you can put in is 2GB.

I think that a motherboard has to have some special mojo in it to run that much ram: more than 4 DDR2 slots means more leads to be routed, electrical noise, etc: and, for that much memory, ECC/registered/buffered is essential:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_memory

http://images10.newegg.com/Upl...tered_Memory-v1.1e.doc

Motherboards that can really support that much memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813151072

"Massive memory support!"

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...1058%2CN82E16813128035

Four gigs (2 x 2GB) of server quality memory: looks like average price about $250 for the 4 GB, so, about one kilobuck for your 16GB:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...8117%2CN82E16820148118

And, one more thing: a good quality Intel system with a 5000X chipset motherboard, nice case, 1000W PSU, which takes up to 16GB of FB-DIMM ran, for less than you can put it together piece by piece:

http://store.apple.com/AppleSt...2GhimXRnPge39aj/1.?p=0

Mac Pro: of course, buy your 16GB of memory separately....not from Apple....runs Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X fine.

HTH

NXIL

 

[hans007]

dont get the mac pro. you can get a dual quad core dell server for $729 with dual 1.6 quad core and 1gb fb dimms.

go on ebay where fb-dimms are dirt cheap and buy 8 2gb dimms and you are set.

 

[NXIL]

Hi Hans,

looked at the Dell site, that $ 729 includes just one single dual core processor @ 1.6 Ghz.

With 2 2.0 dual cores, a 250GB hard drive, dvd rw, no OS, and on board graphics (integrated ATI, 16MB DDR Ram), 750W power supply: about $2K:

http://configure.us.dell.com/d...&s=bsd&fb=1&vw=classic

No option to upgrade video on Dell, I assume they are using a 5000P chipset (no PCIe 16 slot)..

Equivalent Mac Pro, includes OS, and video: $2200.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-M...2LlgsKu1I5Z9eT7/2.?p=0

Figure $100 for OS X, and another $100 (ok, a 7300Gt is not worth that much) for video expandability, over the OS-less Dell, and it's pretty darn close. (Also, Mac Pro can burn DVDs, Dell is DVD-ROM only, though that would be 0nly about 40$ to fix, with a drop in DVD burner....)

There was this comparison (in a Mac Magazine, of course) last year:

http://www.macworld.com/2006/0...cprofollowup/index.php

Even taking into account the high price of RAM upgrades from Apple (necessary, in this case, to make the Mac Pro ?equivalent? to the Dell), the above comparisons show that the standard Mac Pro bests the Dell in price, and does so across various configuration suggestions from both sides of the debate.

The OS X and Windows dual boot option with a Mac Pro is another benefit, IMO....

NXIL