# How much RAM can Cubase 9.5 use?



## Taj Mikel (Nov 2, 2018)

I have had a difficult time finding clear information on how much RAM Cubase can use. Does anyone know/can direct me to a support link or something with a clear definition of how much RAM Cubase can actually utilize?


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## EgM (Nov 2, 2018)

Using the "Empty" template on Cubase Pro 9.5.41 :






If you load instruments, then it can use whatever Windows is allowed to use.


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## Taj Mikel (Nov 2, 2018)

So Cubase doesn’t have a set RAM cap of any kind?


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## EgM (Nov 2, 2018)

Taj Mikel said:


> So Cubase doesn’t have a set RAM cap of any kind?



Not if you use the 64bit executable, I've loaded 99% of my physical RAM under a VEP template and everything still worked fine.

Those are limits of the operating system, not the app itself.


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## Taj Mikel (Nov 2, 2018)

EgM said:


> Not if you use the 64bit executable, I've loaded 99% of my physical RAM under a VEP template and everything still worked fine.
> 
> Those are limits of the operating system, not the app itself.


Thank you! Can I ask how much RAM you were using? I’m looking at 128 but the computer tech wants to confirm my DAW can utilize this before we begin the build.


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## EgM (Nov 2, 2018)

Taj Mikel said:


> Thank you! Can I ask how much RAM you were using? I’m looking at 128 but the computer tech wants to confirm my DAW can utilize this before we begin the build.



I'm still using an old i7 3770 which has a maximum limit of 32Gb and I was using 99% of that, but I've seen on this forum people using VEP slaves under Windows for way more than that.


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## dzilizzi (Nov 2, 2018)

I'm wondering if the question you might need to ask is if the CPU that can run 128 GB RAM is compatible with Cubase. I say this only because what I've been reading is that currently to get 128 GB RAM you have to use a Xenon processor and I've been hearing conflicting things about running a DAW on a Xenon.


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## Taj Mikel (Nov 2, 2018)

dzilizzi said:


> I'm wondering if the question you might need to ask is if the CPU that can run 128 GB RAM is compatible with Cubase. I say this only because what I've been reading is that currently to get 128 GB RAM you have to use a Xenon processor and I've been hearing conflicting things about running a DAW on a Xenon.


Interesting. Can you link any articles in that topic? I was actually looking at the new i9 9920x


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## EgM (Nov 2, 2018)

dzilizzi said:


> I'm wondering if the question you might need to ask is if the CPU that can run 128 GB RAM is compatible with Cubase. I say this only because what I've been reading is that currently to get 128 GB RAM you have to use a Xenon processor and I've been hearing conflicting things about running a DAW on a Xenon.



Your best bet would be to google your potential CPU and click on the link that points to ark.intel.xxxx and see what the RAM limit is on that specific cpu.

Like this for my own CPU:


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## dzilizzi (Nov 2, 2018)

Taj Mikel said:


> Interesting. Can you link any articles in that topic? I was actually looking at the new i9 9920x


Well, I remember reading complaints about the Xenons, but when I searched on it, it seems that it is more the dual Xenons on a server mobo that don't play well with the DAWs and it takes some work to find drivers that work. But it is possible to make it work. 

I was questioning more because most of the CPUs that aren't Xenons aren't rated for 128GBs RAM. They may work, it just may be a matter of getting everything to match well. The i9 may work. I was looking at i7's and couldn't find any rated for more than 64. But if you can find a motherboard that will work with an i9 and 128 RAM that is great. They probably exist now. I haven't looked in about 4 months or so.


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## EgM (Nov 2, 2018)

I don't think drivers from Xeon CPU motherboards would be any different from any iCore cpus to be honest, I think the general consensus is that for virtual instruments we aim for a higher single core speed. While multi cores are great, it's not really the most ultimate thing.


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## Kony (Nov 2, 2018)

dzilizzi said:


> I was looking at i7's and couldn't find any rated for more than 64.


The i7 6800K supports 128Gb RAM.

https://www.intel.com.au/content/www/au/en/products/processors/core/x-series/i7-6800k.html


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## dzilizzi (Nov 3, 2018)

Okay, I am wrong. I think I will bow out and go back to resetting up my computer. Just one suggestion. After it is set up, make an system image and label it so you can find it later. I know I made one but it was almost 2 years ago. Sigh. I think it is on one of the internal drives which won’t show up until I get the system loaded again.


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Nov 3, 2018)

Kony said:


> The i7 6800K supports 128Gb RAM.
> 
> https://www.intel.com.au/content/www/au/en/products/processors/core/x-series/i7-6800k.html


This is rather interesting and seems to break from the format that has been followed for so long.
Though it was of the X-Series range, but this latest one is even more weird:
https://ark.intel.com/products/186604/Intel-Core-i7-9700K-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4-90-GHz-

No Hyper-Threading now... If I was not mistaken this could show that Intel are out of ways to improve the die now, so they are just chopping and changing between the odd tweaks they can make


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