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Intel i9 ASUS i9 9940X X299 Platform with 256gb RAM ; running stable in my set up

Paul Jelfs

Senior Member
Hopefully this will be of use to other pc users or potential upgraders , regarding my i9 pc.

Recently upgraded from the X99 platform to X299 , and after discussing it with Pete at SCAN UKwas able to upgrade to 256gb of ddr4 ram.

As far as I know , this is not widely advertised , unless the on server pcs or crazy powerful macs.


It’s corsair 2666 and it runs stable with an ASUs X299 prime motherboard . Some people may be thinking , that’s just a silly amount , however, I had one template about 90gb of ram , and it was causing all sorts of problems with Cubase and system crashes .

RAM prices are now back down to sensible levels, so anyone with a similar set up might be interested to find out if they can go with that much.

SCAN computers UK now offer it I believe on certain custom systems.

Even ASUs themselves don’t have it in their list of supported memory - you think it would shout it from the roof for media creators.

On a separate side note, I run a Rme Raydat and even with an i9 , in Cubase 10 I find I can’t run certain libraries or patches below 256 samples of latency ; for example the virtuoso violin patch in spitfire Solo strings or some divisi patches in aflattus. Could any one with similar libraries test these patches and see if they too struggle to get below 256.

Was hitting them hard with a lot of voices, but only what can be played on the keyboard live

Sorry for long post hope it helps someone
 
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Hi...please could you give details. Operating sys...DAW software etc...be most helpful...No of cores too please

thanks

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I the system had 128GB of Ram in it previously. Which i am now selling if anyone is interested, over in the classified.

The system is Asus Prime X299 ,i9 9940, 256GB ram , with M2 Boot Drive and Various SSD. It has 14 cores and 28 threads i believe.

Anyone want more info about running large amounts of RAM on non server PCs , please feel free to message me.
 
On a separate side note, I run a Rme Raydat and even with an i9 , in Cubase 10 I find I can’t run certain libraries or patches below 256 samples of latency ; for example the virtuoso violin patch in spitfire Solo strings or some divisi patches in aflattus. Could any one with similar libraries test these patches and see if they too struggle to get below 256.

i9 9900X here @3.5 GHz and RME AiO. Confirmed, the mentioned patches indeed won't work without crackling here. But I don't think it is CPU related.
 
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Yes I think it’s to do with Kontakt . It probably can’t take advantage of the cpu fully, or the script is not as robust as it could be etc

Just really annoying when get stable with just about every other vst
 
It’s just a be quiet cooler , and a fractal sound insulating case. Nothing too fancy. So well put together by scan that it does not any fancy cooling . i am honestly surprised how easily it runs 256gb of ram . Popped it in and it recognised immediately . Will be useful for new spitfire BBC so and lots of mic positions .

windows 10 reports the full 256 GB ram.

also running a thunderbolt 3 pice card, which was a bit of hassle to get set up , but as long as you use the bottom most pcie slot on ASUS boards , it runs smoothly with an Apollo x 6
 
It’s just a be quiet cooler , and a fractal sound insulating case. Nothing too fancy. So well put together by scan that it does not any fancy cooling . i am honestly surprised how easily it runs 256gb of ram . Popped it in and it recognised immediately . Will be useful for new spitfire BBC so and lots of mic positions .

windows 10 reports the full 256 GB ram.

also running a thunderbolt 3 pice card, which was a bit of hassle to get set up , but as long as you use the bottom most pcie slot on ASUS boards , it runs smoothly with an Apollo x 6


Hi

Which thunderbolt 3 card do you have ? is the same as if the tb 3 connection is ''built in'' to the motherboard ? (like the ASUS PRIME X 299 DELUXE II)

Thanks!
 
Yes its the ASUS one, so works with the header- Th 3. Depending on which Interface you go with, you might need an addittional Thunderbolt 3 to 2 converter - The old Apollos for example use 2.

Its been rock solid for me - i use with a Raydat /Aio cards, so can use it like a preamp/monitor controller. or an actual interface .

Performance wise , it is good, though not quite on the same level as RME obviously , but not too shabby either.
 
Hi

Which thunderbolt 3 card do you have ? is the same as if the tb 3 connection is ''built in'' to the motherboard ? (like the ASUS PRIME X 299 DELUXE II)

Thanks!


Thanks!

Does it make sense to have an M2 drive only for the Cubase projects ? ..in order to handle all audio and video files of a project ?
 
@Paul Jelfs : just a small request: Could you maybe change the "2X99" in the title to "X299"?
it would make it somehow easier to find the thread in the search function when looking for that mainboard.
 
Hey Paul is this the board? Third one down in the article. They advertise it for AV producers and 256 gb ram is mentioned:

no no. An older and cheaper one.

I notice they have started saying it supports 256gb - it didnt a month ago when me and Pete from SCAN tested it :)
 
The interesting thing is , it seems to run MUCH better and a little faster even on Smaller Projects.

Say a 40GB project, might of caused problems before, even with 128GB of RAM. Now i have never had cubase lock up since.

So their is merit in having it with silly big templates. Besides. Ram prices are back to sensible levels.

Kind of wish i had sold my 128gb at the peak of Prices as i would of doubled its worth and could of bought it back now , but such is regret!
 
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