Mac Pro and Xserve memory compatibility

Essence_of_War

Platinum Member
Feb 21, 2013
2,650
4
81
I've got a Mac Pro 3,1 that I want to add more RAM to, to try get another year or so of use out of it.

I found this item:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA7S63636776

Code:
[U][B]Brand:[/B][/U] Nemix RAM
[U][B]Capacity:[/B][/U] 8GB (4 x 2GB)
[U][B]Frequency:[/B][/U] 800MHz
[U][B]Speed:[/B][/U] PC2-6400
[U][B]Pin Count:[/B][/U] 240-pin
[U][B]Voltage:[/B][/U] 1.8V
[U][B]ECC:[/B][/U] Yes
[U][B]Reg/Buff:[/B][/U] Fully Buffered
[U][B]Ranking:[/B][/U] 2R
[U][B]Organization:[/B][/U] x8
[U][B]Type:[/B][/U] FB-DIMM
[U][B]Compatible With:[/B][/U] Xserve Quad-Core Xeon 2,1 2008

Which claims it is compatible only with Xserve 2,1, but all of those RAM specs: FB-DIMM, 1.8V, PC2-6400, are the exact specs of RAM for the Mac Pro 3,1 as well.

Is this likely compatible?
 

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,313
7
81
Its probably the same. I think at the time the MacPro RAM had huge heatsinks, and the xserve ram just had heat spreaders. If I were you, I would by the ram from ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...acpro3,1+ram.TRS0&_nkw=macpro3,1+ram&_sacat=0

You can buy twice as much for what newegg is charging. More than likely the ram is the same, but the cooling in an xserve is more substantial than in a Mac Pro. Apple probably put those heatsinks on the ram for a reason. It most likely wont matter, but I vaguely remember 3rd party ram coming with those heatsinks too.
 

Essence_of_War

Platinum Member
Feb 21, 2013
2,650
4
81
Thanks for the link! That's pretty nice, that seller has good feedback, and is selling literally double the capacity for the same price, so I'll probably consider picking up something from them.