4 x 32 gb RAM - what kind do I need & where to get it?

artbywaqas

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Apr 2, 2019
57
17
I have this motherboard which claims to be able to handle a max 128 gb RAM




Though I'm thinking of only getting 32 gb RAM to begin with I'd rather
not have to completely replace them ( = waste money?) if I eventually upgrade to 128 gb.


I'm trying to find the correct 32gb single stick of RAM for now. It looks like one single 32 gb stick costs about the same as 2 x 16 gb sticks.


2x 16gb



1x 32gb ( is this compatible with my motherboard?)




What do you guys suggest? I can see myself upgrading to 64 gb in a year or two.

Which would equal spending around $400 total


but then the concern is the day I upgrade to 128gb I will end up replacing the $400 worth of RAM entirely to get $800 of new RAM. Which means over all spending $1200 on RAM!?


Right now 128gb sounds outrageously like an unnecessary overkill but there used to be a time 32gb was huge amount!

or perhaps the prices will go down a lot by the time I actually need to use 128 gb?
 

ExplodingWaffle101

SFF Lingo Aficionado
May 11, 2018
129
82
The 32gb stick you linked is an RDIMM, or Registered ECC. You want a non ECC DIMM (or if you're on ryzen i heard some boards support UDIMMs/Unregistered ECC). It's been noted that samsung has/will start making new memory chips which can be used to make 32gb DIMMs, but I dont think these are available just yet (computex maybe?) and they are gonna cost a pretty penny when they are.
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
32GB is still a huge amount for the vast majority of use cases. My partner edits 4k video just fine with 32 (few multi-hour projects, but still). I've been gaming on a single 8GB stick while a friend borrows its twin (due to a drawn-out RMA process on his part). With a small heap of Chrome tabs and a bunch of background apps. I'm going to need to hear what you're going to use this for that requires that much memory unless you want a concerted effort put into talking you off this ledge. Remember that Windows 10 caches stuff in free memory, which can (dramatically!) inflate how much memory it looks like you're using.
 

artbywaqas

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Apr 2, 2019
57
17
I do a lot of 3D graphics work whether it be for animation, vfx or game engine stuff. The files can get really heavy to work with.

I think you're right though. i was really just trying to decide between getting 2 x 16 gb or 1 x 32 gb to start with and trying to figure out what would be cheaper
to do in the long run.

I found this https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-64gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232821

but that's pretty damn expensive. I think I'll just stick to 2 x 16 gb for now..
 

rfarmer

Spatial Philosopher
Jul 7, 2017
2,588
2,702
Yeah that is stupidly expensive. I recently bought 2x16GB TridentZ 3200 MHz off Newegg for $199.
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
I do a lot of 3D graphics work whether it be for animation, vfx or game engine stuff. The files can get really heavy to work with.

Can never have too much RAM when dealing with 3D assets...!


Those new 32GB DDR4 DIMMs from G.Skill are for specific ASUS motherboards only...

Here is to hoping that G.Skill will come out with some blazingly fast 32GB Flare X DDR4 DIMMs...
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
Well, Samsung has just started volume production of their new high-density A-die DRAM chips, so I'm guessing they'll start trickling out into retail in a few months after datacenter demand tapers off a bit.
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
Well, Samsung has just started volume production of their new high-density A-die DRAM chips, so I'm guessing they'll start trickling out into retail in a few months after datacenter demand tapers off a bit.

Just in time for Zen 2 CPUs & X570 motherboards...!