Best RAM for CAD Workstations in 2023
The primary memory unit in a computer workstation, whether it is a desktop, laptop or mobile phone, is RAM, or Random Access Memory. Compared to your hard drive with 2TB, it’s faster because it doesn’t have any moving parts. Because it’s only electronic circuitry navigating electrical signals, it can work much faster than all other memory systems.
This is why your processor works in conjunction with RAM, not total space on your drives. Before the processor begins working on it, it needs to be given access to the data it needs so that it doesn’t have to wait. Since the processor’s time is the most valuable resource in a computer (it cannot be blank, theoretically), RAM is the most important resource. When you click the right mouse button and the context menu pops up, it does so almost instantly because the context menu is stored in RAM, not on your hard drive. If a processor had to do that in just a few seconds, that would be a lifetime. To find out what RAM works best for CAD, continue reading.
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G-Skill Sniper series RAM review~Best RAM for CAD Workstations
In our first review, we’ll be looking at G-Skill’s Sniper series model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR, which is a great memory option for cadNow. As its name implies, this is 16GB of DDR3 SDRAM that’s specifically designed for desktops. The speed is 2400MHz without ECC and requires 1.2V of voltage. Unbuffered RAM for extreme performance and premium grade processing of graphics and visual data. Users have reported that the RAM clocks in exactly at 2400Mhz when used with the XMP profile. It is compatible with all Intel 2nd/3rd generation processors, as well as AMD’s Llano/AM3+ platforms. Although the RAM looks like a cool Hollywood dagger, the bulk of its size tends to push against the slots when inserted. Having more than two DIMMs sitting side-by-side would be an issue, but the chances of this happening vary from motherboard to motherboard.
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Kingston Fury Beast 32GB RAM Review~Best RAM for CAD Workstations
The industry leader Kingston claims to have invented DDR4 RAM with its latest innovation. DDR3 has a max density of 8GB for single modules, while DDR4 has a maximum density of 16GB. Therefore, a single DIMM offers more memory. Data rates have been tested to reach 3200Mbps, almost double the DDR3 limits at peak. A lower voltage consumption, internal bank groupings, and expanded assembly capabilities allow larger sets of data to be accessed at once. If you can afford a motherboard that offers such DIMMs and supports such RAM then you can definitely afford this RAM. I strongly recommend getting it. The pin configurations are maxed out to 288 and accompanied by the ECC, CRC, parity error checking and GDM are included by default.
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Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB~Best RAM for CAD Workstations
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB
To complete this comparison, let’s take a look at the 16GB (2×8) Corsair Dominator Platinum Series DDR4 RAM, running at 3200MHz and having most of the same characteristics as the DDR4 above.
The C14 memory kit includes two 8GB memory modules that can be installed as a single DIMM, giving you 16GB to fill up as you choose. It’s been recommended for extreme gaming and processor-intensive applications and the website shows good performance data.
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RAM selection guide~Best RAM for CAD Softwares in the Market
How much RAM is required?
Whether you’re putting together a new workstation or upgrading an existing one, it’s important to consider how much RAM you’ll need. Foresight can be quite useful when it comes to CAD related situations. It’s the number of memory slots where you can stick the RAM. Let’s discuss both. Windows only needs 4GB of RAM, while Macs need 8GB of RAM. I’m adding such large margins because I intend to account for an OS upgrade. The highest recommended RAM for CAD software such as AutoCAD is 8GB, with at least 4GB required for resource-intensive software such as AutoCAD. This assumes you will be using your CAD editor and nothing else of substantial importance.
Afterwards, choose between 8GB, 16GB, 24GB or 32GB memory modules. According to research, multicore processors running multi-threaded programs will benefit from having the total memory distributed amongst all the available slots. On the other hand, single core processors will benefit from having the total memory spread across four slots (remember some motherboards have 16 slots), which is not the case at all. If you are unfamiliar with these details (which is not the case at all), then it should be enough to split the total over a maximum of four slots (remember some motherboards have 16 slots).
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What about RAM speed? ECC over non-ECC RAM?
As for the speed of the RAM, it doesn’t matter much because it comes in DDR3 versions that run between 1333Mhz and 3000Mhz. Also, you can purchase it with an embedded feature known as ECC, which will be discussed later on. In addition, DDR RAM sticks into DIMMs (Dual Inline Memory Modules) rather than SIMMS, so any modern motherboard should be able to handle them. DDR stands for Double Data Rate.
However, ECC is something you should pay attention to as it detects single bit errors and prevents them from executing, possibly even from existent. As most Intel Xeon processors come with ECC, if the cost is not a disadvantage, always choose ECC RAM as less expensive, non-ECC RAM may cause the blue screen of death as well as abruptly closing applications when they succeed a second time. These hindrances are not acceptable in CAD applications, and it has been reported that such errors are likely to take place again once encountered. Check out below for the best RAM for CAD workstations and software. Hopefully, these will help you make a decision.
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What do I think and whats next to come in RAM technology?
Ultimately, if I were to purchase the best RAM for CAD, I would definitely choose Kingston. In addition to their long history, they have established new standards in the memory sector. You can choose from a wide variety of Kingston products, from flash cards to NAND SSDs. The online tool allows you to choose your system configuration and then be presented with its best products based on that configuration.
Here is what Corsair has in store for the upcoming days. The Dominator GT is a 32GB stick that can be configured for dual or quad channels. It has a DDR3 speed of 2400MHz.
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