# New Computer with 256GB RAM Support - getting confused - anyone could help?



## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

HI,

maybe someone could help me out with a few hints understanding this jungle of hardware (I have build an x99 Setup 6 years ago the first time, and I have forgotten most of what I have learned  Maybe someone could help me with some questions:

I would like to find a way to configure a computer this year or early next year for heavy Cubase / Virtual Instruments Work with the possibility of maybe having 256GB of RAM installed in a single PC.
I have read about the new *Z690 , *but despite all the performance improvements no 12 gen CPU would support 256GB RAM , is that right ?
I think I would need to rely on the XEON Cpus for more RAM support above 128 GB ? (But the seem to be an "older" technology and the X299 Platform also seems old)

What would you think would make sense. Maybe wait for the successor of the X299 chipset which has not been announced and wait for new xeon chips ?

Sorry If I got it all wrong, but it is confusing and I still don't get why Intel won't support above 128 GB Ram with their newest Alder Lake everybody is talking about...

Thanks a lot,
Cheers, lokotus


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## CSS_SCC (Dec 17, 2021)

If you want something that you can buy today:


https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-pro-3955wx


https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/WRX80-SU8-IPMI-rev-10 - max 1TB of RAM

Or you can go up to 64 core/128 threads:


https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-pro-3995wx


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## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

CSS_SCC said:


> If you want something that you can buy today:
> 
> 
> https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-pro-3955wx
> ...


thanks a lot will look at this...


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 17, 2021)

lokotus said:


> HI,
> 
> maybe someone could help me out with a few hints understanding this jungle of hardware (I have build an x99 Setup 6 years ago the first time, and I have forgotten most of what I have learned  Maybe someone could help me with some questions:
> 
> ...


Even if the motherboard supports that amount of RAM, the CPU has to support it too. No currently available 12th gen Alder Lake Intel CPU supports more than 128 GB, so if you're looking for Intel CPUs specifically, your only bet now is the Xeon line.


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## Simon Ravn (Dec 17, 2021)

Don't always count on CPU specs being right about the supported memory. It might support 256GB or more. I think it's mainly about the motherboard chipset and BIOS actually.

For example I use this:









Product Specifications


quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.




ark.intel.com





Running fine with 160GB RAM.


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 17, 2021)

Simon Ravn said:


> Don't always count on CPU specs being right about the supported memory. It might support 256GB or more. I think it's mainly about the motherboard chipset and BIOS actually.
> 
> For example I use this:
> 
> ...


True, but it's a gamble. A very expensive gamble if it turns out you can just use the 128 GB in your 256 GB setup.


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## Ruchir (Dec 17, 2021)

Could you maybe rethink your setup. Do you really need that much ram. Are you trying to keep every instrument you have loaded? could you instead prioritise fast loading of libraries rather than having everything on tap?


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## Simon Ravn (Dec 17, 2021)

Marcus Millfield said:


> True, but it's a gamble. A very expensive gamble if it turns out you can just use the 128 GB in your 256 GB setup.


Google around for some peoples experience with 256GB RAM...?


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 17, 2021)

Simon Ravn said:


> Google around for some peoples experience with 256GB RAM...?


How many people do you know that have the need for 256 GB of RAM? I mean, I manage database servers for financial modeling for a living and even those don't need that amount of RAM 😄

And new 12th gen processors that barely hit the store? Probably not much to go on, unless OP has some time to wait for that.


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## Simon Ravn (Dec 17, 2021)

Marcus Millfield said:


> How many people do you know that have the need for 256 GB of RAM? I mean, I manage database servers for financial modeling for a living and even those don't need that amount of RAM 😄
> 
> And new 12th gen processors that barely hit the store? Probably not much to go on. So unless OP has some time to wait for that.


I needed more than 128GB for a 1 machine DAW setup.

Yeah I can see it's very early days for those CPU's. So safer to take something existing or wait until details surface.


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## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

Thanks for the replies so far. See the thing is this. Too many libraries with too many microphone positions costing a lot of ram. I touch 128 GB RAM easily loading a full orchestral setup and "only" has loaded about 25% of my libraries inside Vienna Ensemble Pro on the same machine...
Also working with deactivated instruments inside Cubase but the heavy orchestral Libraries are always fully loaded inside Vienna Ensemble Pro on the same machine. And I would like to stay on one powerful machine only because of licensing, iloks management etc.... That's the only reason why I think about having the possibility of going above 128GB RAM.

Now what I don't quite understand: The x99 chipset (newer x299) had possibility for i7 and xeon cpus, which would allow me to go beyond 128GB when inserting a xeon - Do i understand this right ?

Will the Z690 chipset ever be able to also support a future generation of xeon CPUS or tis this theoretically impossible ?
There is no newer X299 Platform successor which would allow me to do that and invest in the newest technology....

Its still a bit of a mess in my head but I am slowly getting to understand this better....
Thanks a lot, Cheers, lokotus

PS: honsetly. A bit afraid of using AMD. Would like to stay intel...


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 17, 2021)

lokotus said:


> Now what I don't quite understand: The x99 chipset (newer x299) had possibility for i7 and xeon cpus, which would allow me to go beyond 128GB when inserting a xeon - Do i understand this right ?



Yes, as long as the chipset and motherboard support that too.



lokotus said:


> Will the Z690 chipset ever be able to also support a future generation of xeon CPUS or tis this theoretically impossible ?
> There is no newer X299 Platform successor which would allow me to do that and invest in the newest technology....



Probably not, as it seems the Z690 chipset is aimed for the consumer desktop market. It doesn't support all the options commonly associated with workstation or server products.


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## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

Marcus Millfield said:


> Yes, as long as the chipset and motherboard support that too.
> 
> 
> 
> Probably not, as it seems the Z690 chipset is aimed for the consumer desktop market. It doesn't support all the options commonly associated with workstation or server products.


Thanks Markus, is this the intel strategy to separate consumer (i7, i9) (max 128GB) vs Pro (Xeon) ?
I mean the current 12gen I7 with the new architecture seem way more powerful and better suited than higher latency dual xeon for example for our professional work...
I am only thinking to myself I only need the power of a 12gen I7 with 256GB Ram possibility, but I really would need another type of CPU and Chipset just to achieve this (which hasn't even been released yet because all the other chipsets are older...)?


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## Jdiggity1 (Dec 17, 2021)

The next "server class" Intel chip is due 2nd half of 2022. Personally, I'd be waiting for that.
In fact, I am.
Although my X99 build died a few weeks ago, so I was forced to upgrade to get back up and running. I went with a Z690 ddr4 system as a temporary measure and so that I could use my old memory, even if only half of it.
Performance is great so far, so I'm quite optimistic about the next xeons.
It's such a shame about the memory limit of consumer boards. It's the one thing that holds me back from going "all in" with the z690 and DDR5


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## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

Jdiggity1 said:


> The next "server class" Intel chip is due 2nd half of 2022. Personally, I'd be waiting for that.
> In fact, I am.
> Although my X99 build died a few weeks ago, so I was forced to upgrade to get back up and running. I went with a Z690 ddr4 system as a temporary measure and so that I could use my old memory, even if only half of it.
> Performance is great so far, so I'm quite optimistic about the next xeons.
> It's such a shame about the memory limit of consumer boards. It's the one thing that holds me back from going "all in" with the z690 and DDR5


Thanks, probably A Good I idea to wait then if I want more than 128GB. May I ask what the manufacturer of your motherboard was that died ? I am using an X99 gigabyte now and always used this manufacturer and never had a board "die"... Cheers, lokotus

Dont you feel for your case another z690 with network Vienna ensemble Pro would be a better choice than upgrading to a xeon ?


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## Jdiggity1 (Dec 17, 2021)

lokotus said:


> Thanks, probably A Good I idea to wait then if I want more than 128GB. May I ask what the manufacturer of your motherboard was that died ? I am using an X99 gigabyte now and always used this manufacturer and never had a board "die"... Cheers, lokotus
> 
> Dont you feel for your case another z690 with network Vienna ensemble Pro would be a better choice than upgrading to a xeon ?


It was an Asus X99 Deluxe motherboard.
Just refused to boot one day, after 7 years of being the most stable and dependable machine I'd had.
A second machine would probably be wiser from a purely performance-based perspective, but I just prefer to have a single machine.
I used two machines before I went the X99 route and it just simplified everything for me when I was able to cut ties with needing a separate sample server.


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## lokotus (Dec 17, 2021)

Jdiggity1 said:


> It was an Asus X99 Deluxe motherboard.
> Just refused to boot one day, after 7 years of being the most stable and dependable machine I'd had.
> A second machine would probably be wiser from a purely performance-based perspective, but I just prefer to have a single machine.
> I used two machines before I went the X99 route and it just simplified everything for me when I was able to cut ties with needing a separate sample server.


Thanks good to know, although I think this could happen to every motherboard suddenly... are there actually any infos about the new platform / chipset with xeon support for next year / would this be the successor to the x299 chipset ?


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## Jdiggity1 (Dec 17, 2021)

lokotus said:


> Thanks good to know, although I think this could happen to every motherboard suddenly... are there actually any infos about the new platform / chipset with xeon support for next year / would this be the successor to the x299 chipset ?


Intel Sapphire Rapids. Yes it's the successor to the previous X-core processors and X299. Dropping the X-core branding in favor of Xeon.

There's also another LGA1700 chip due 2nd half of 2022, "Raptor Lake", successor to Alder Lake. So far the main difference seems to be a higher core count, but there are early reports of lower clock speeds and single-core performance. Not sure if they'll allow for more memory than Alder Lake, but they're supposed to work in the same MoBos, so I doubt it.


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## lokotus (Dec 18, 2021)

Thanks, now I am getting less confused


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