Anyone with 64 GB or 128 GB RAM build out there?

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ashma

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Jun 14, 2012
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I need to build system with plenty of RAM for Photoshop work. The feedback information from motherboard buyers indicates that most LGA 2011 motherboards have issuance recognizing complete 64 GB of RAM, let alone 128GB. Did anyone build stable system with that much RAM? If you are, please be kind to share your component setup, particularly Main Board info, Bios revision, RAM manufacturer and stick/ kit serial number. Thank you in advance.
 
I'm a multimedia designer. I run with Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Dreamweaver and a ton of web windows open simultaneously and media players. I have four monitors to spread this all out in. I only have 16 gb of RAM, and I'm constantly running out of memory-- Constantly! I can't image that 32 gb will be enough. I think I will really enjoy having 64gb of RAM. That's what I'm getting in the system I'm shopping for now. However, I can't find a reputable custom builder who will build one with 64gb of RAM.
 

Kenny,
I'm already using a system with 64GB of Memory,
and I started building another one with 128 GB of Memory as follow:
Intel i7 5960x 8 core processor about $1,000.00
8 16GB DDR4 memory for a total of 128GB about $2,000.00
nVidia GTX 980 Video Card about $600.00
AsRock X99X Motherboard LGA2011-3 8 memory slots about $300.00
Samsung SSD 840 EVO 1TB Disk for the Operating System about $500.00
Seagate STBD6000100 6TB Disk about $300.00 Each.
Thermaltake Level 10 Limited Edition Chassis about $300.00
Rosewill Lighting-1300 1300W Power about $200.00
Blu Ray optical Disk about $100.00
I'll build it for you.
Regards.
Luis.
 


You will need to build your own. Relax. It isn't that hard

Motherboards that take 64 GB are out there (I think they are LGA2011)
 
I have a build with 256GB of ram. sounds ridicules but the reason i don't have 512gb is because i cant find any 64 gb sticks. Here is the Mother Board.
http://www.asus.com/us/Commercial_Servers_Workstations/Z10PAD8/
It is used in like severs, but I'm using it for gaming.... sounds ridicules because it is. The only operating system that is compatible with it is windows 8 pro.
 
Im a independent photographer, initially a chef -> IT Professional -> Photographer. Does that matter? Nope, other than I have technical experience in building and deploying imaged and custom machines. Now that I am a Photographer, I have built an editing machine back in Feb of 2012. There are 2 pretty major steps you can take to increase your performance, productivity, and efficiency within the machine itself and any Adobe program. Create a RAM Disk and edit off of a VM. Below ill explain why.

RAM Disk: Go download ImDisk. Its free. If you have 16GB of RAM - Dedicate 8GB to a RAM Disk or create 2 4 GB Ram Disk and set 1 for your environment variables for both TEMP and TMP folders. Also, goto IE and set the temp folder to the same RAM Disk. The Machine and any application will have a massive increase in speed.

Virtual Machine: Why? Its faster simply because the drivers it uses are less intensive. Laugh or call bullshit if you want but try it first and youll see. It may be tedious setting it up but, once its configured properly it makes a hell of a difference.

My build was:

Case: Thermaltake Armor II
CPU: AMD 3.2 Ghz Thuban Black 6 core
GPU: ATI Radeon 6850 HD x2 XFire configuration
RAM: Corsair Vengence 16GB (4GBx4) Quad Channel Ram
Mobo: ASUS ROG Crosshair Formula IV (OG = Republic Of Gamers)
SSD: 256 OCZ Vertex 4
HDD: 2TB Seagate Backup Plus
PSU: Corsair AX1200
H20 Cooler: Corsair H50 All-In-One
Fan Controller: NZXT Digital Display

 


...but shouldn't the entire kit be made from a single batch and tested to ensure all sticks work together? Been looking for an 8 x 16 GB 128 GB kit for a dual Xeon 3D workstation build project but the only full 128 GB kits I've seen are 4 x 32gb.
 
I custom configure large deployment systems like this for several clients on a regular basis (100+ servers/workstations). If you wanted to consider working with a VAR for a build like this I'm sure I could help you out, you might be surprised at the prices too - plus you can have someone else worry about your RMAs.
 


running 64 gb on a asus z9pe8ws board also 2 gtx 980 s and 2 xeon e5 2650s.i do a small amount of photoshop. some video editing mostly autodesk revit inventor and showcase. no problems
 
What are you trying to do, run Chrome? j/k.

But on a serious note, unless you are building a server (even then only if it is intended for VM instances, video server, or some other actual RAM intensive use) a desktop PC should never require more than 16GB. I have a high-end gaming rig that doesn't even max out 8GB.

Photoshop can't exceed 16GB unless you are compositing around 300 pictures taken from a high-end DSLR at *32 megapixels or a 3d model (yes, photoshop does 3d now) with just under ^^2 million polygons.

So I hope this has given some clarity as to why exceeding 16GB might not be a reasonable endeavour. (Yes I am aware I did not account system resources, those are miniscule if you are not multi-tasking, say with Chrome, ok I'm done, seriously)

* see here for my reference to 32 megapixel sizes (http://web.forret.com/tools/megapixel.asp?width=5655&height=5655)
^^ see here for my reference to polygons to data size http://blog.artillery.com/2012/05/reducing-polygon-count-and-file-sizes.html
Keep in mind these data sizes completely depend on compression, meta-data and other data overhead incurred by the OS, filesystem, and program utilizing the data.
 


Photoshop knows it ploughs through RAM and has it's own swap to help that. so whilst I'd add heaps of RAM as you suggest you will need a fast swap anyway. RAM disk is fastest but a bit weird for 64 bit cumputing, I'd recommend a RAID 0 set up, SSD if you want to go really fast or have the cash. Manually set it up and move your OS (Windows?) and Photoshop swap files onto it. The good: You're moving data twice as fast as the person using the single disk swap next you. The bad: Your swaps chance of dying has quadroupled compared to the person next to you, but because it's swap it doesn't really matter (apart from the cost of replacement and downtime).

An expensive realtime rendering card wouldn't be utilized properly with Photoshop not to say good rendering and off-board processing speeds wouldn't help. Opening and saving files alone in Photoshop can be a blessing at ridiculous sizes. Having a RAID 5 disk set up for file storage is pretty much a must have for a serious workstation. It provides a good mix of increased read and write performance, automatic recovery from disk failure, and distribution of "wear and tear". If you need even more reliability, look at RAID 6 or JBOD.
 
Not strange requirements at all. I play music. I have 32Gb Ram and a RAMDISK program on an "i7" laptop. Latency is CRUCIAL in Live Music. I load all my music software into RAM !!! Incredible Speed & Accuracy. (No moving around the rest of the computer). I learned this from a Movie producer friend. He uses a Lot of programs and needs three times my needs. RamDisk software is Over 50 x times Faster than your system, But, it's still your same computer. NO BRAINER
 


not true at all, the more the better from what i can see, ive use 300gb of ram (but only had 16 so the rest overflowed to the scratch disks) making my store sign of 15'x5' at 600dpi. i understand where the OP is coming from. At the moment my computer sucks up all 16gb of my ddr4 instantly while in premiere so i can see 64gb being usefull. 128gb is too much $$.. what i would recommend for you OP is to use RAID0 SSD's as well. that is what i did and it worked GREAT! 1gb/sec read/writes on my samsung 850 evos
 
I have built the following a rig:
- Asus Rampage V extreme
- i7 5960X
- 128 Gig DRR4 Corsair Dominator 2800MHz
- Quadri SLI Titan X
under ubuntu 14.04

Works Fine !
(it is called a Digits DevBox by Nvidia version 128 gb)
 
For people that may ask, what this ram for, the answer is:
In machine learning, we have huge datasets and so we need a lot of ram to put it in,
even 128 is not enough, but it is better than 64 :
for example the famous dataset image.net is 1.4 terabytes
 


windows 7x64 not all versions see 64 gb most of the home versions only see 2-16 gb however if you have pro or above it supports up to 192 gb
 
After Effects uses every last gig of my 64 GB rig, and I could see 128 GB + being extremely useful for VFX compositing and motion graphics. Premiere and Photoshop... not so much. probably fine with just 16 -32 GB.
 


I have 3 1tb ssd drives and 4 256gb ssd drives. I don't need all the space, so I used about 8gb of vram for each drive. it keeps going up and up. its now at 65gb of vram
 


 
i bought a used HP server chasis ( HPZ800 ) and to minimise costs just bought it with 2 XEON cores but no HDD or RAM. it cost e 350 $. I added 1 ssd and 2 HDD and put in 96 GB RAM . it had 16 GB x 8 (slots) so a total 128 gb capacity. I put in a 2gb nvidia vram as I dont do graphics . so it cost me little over 1000 $ for the entire system.

i am limited by 64 GB ram capacity of VMWARE work station , so thinking of installing linux on bare system to get all the 96 GB ram .
 

Xtreme5... I don't know what u do?.... but u have quite lake of knowledge about editing... what u mean about editing? I've Rendering and editing in at 4k res... in 3dsmax just two days ago...... and I've been using 64GB kit (16x4). but I thought if I want more smooth performance I should go about 128gb or similar something.......... I'm strongly deny your cheap theory of 16gb is require for editing''............ u should remember satisfaction has no limits........ thank you
 
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