AppleInsider Staff
Memory manufacturer Transcend on Friday announced availability of high-density DDR3 RDIMM RAM modules that bring the Mac Pro's total memory up to 128GB, doubling the max configuration advertised on the Apple Store.
With the all-new Mac Pro, Apple uses cutting-edge components and a unique design to net huge gains in performance. The additional speed on tap is especially apparent when editing 4K video in applications like Final Cut Pro.
While processing power has been boosted substantially, one gripe some professional users have with the new system is memory expandability. Currently, Apple lists maximum RAM at four 16GB sticks for 64GB, but Transcend recently released compatible 32GB modules that boost memory to 128GB.
"The new Mac Pro 2013 is advertised to support up to 64GB of memory, and we understand that pro users running applications that place high demands on RAM have a need to meet and most likely exceed this threshold," said Transcend's Director of Research and Development Angus Wu. "For this reason, we have developed and fully tested higher density modules to give users the option of raising their Mac Pro system memory to the advertised 64GB right up to 128GB."
For the its new 16GB DDR3-1866 and 32GB DDR3-1333 RDIMM modules, Transcend guarantees "100% compatibility" with Apple's new Mac Pro. The company also offers lifetime warranties for the products.
Pricing has yet to be announced, though registered DIMMs are usually more expensive than their unregistered counterparts.
Update: Transcend has released pricing information for its DIMM sets. The suggested retail price for the 64GB kit is $980 and the 128GB kit will cost $2480.
Meanwhile, MacMall let us know that they already have ">32GB DDR3-1333 ECC RDIMMs
William Gallagher
Mike Wuerthele
Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
59 Comments
I haven't been able to find any mention of price. But I'm glad to see such a product offering. I do a lot of work with The Foundry Modo which can benefit from multiple processors and lots of RAM, and I'm anxious to hear about its optimization for the new Mac Pro with its GPUs.
I haven't been able to find any mention of price....
I doubt you'd want to.
Holy cow, 128 GB of RAM. I wonder how many years it will be before I look back on this comment and laugh.
I've already had my laugh at some very very old 'wow' comments on 16 GB of RAM.
I doubt you'd want to.
Holy cow, 128 GB of RAM. I wonder how many years it will be before I look back on this comment and laugh.
I've already had my laugh at some very very old 'wow' comments on 16 GB of RAM.
Of course I want to. I'm not a dilettante spectator. I've spent a lot of money on memory over the past three decades, making far more money with the resulting enhanced performance of my computers than the cost of the memory. Companies like this realize this value and will probably enjoy good sales to people like me.
Remember 128K Ram in a Mac ? Probably not, but it was large for the day.
[quote name="GTBuzz" url="/t/164520/transcends-32gb-ram-modules-for-apples-mac-pro-doubles-max-memory-to-128gb#post_2487651"]Remember 128K Ram in a Mac ? Probably not, but it was large for the day.[/quote] Heck I felt spoiled with 128K and no need for a language card to add an additional 16k as with the Apple ][. :D I had to get a new Mac Pro in 2013 so had to settle for what was shipping early, a six core. I really would like more RAM that I was able to get stock so this is great news. Now I just want to see the same for the SSDs from third parties, larger and less expensive but 100% compatible ... (I hope)