I just purchased a new motherboard for a new build and was looking around for PC3 memory in the form of 32 GB (2 x 16). I am not looking for any particular speed, just the two sticks that equal to 32 GB. I am totally lost here.... :sad:

if you do a search on newegg.com for your mother board, it should tell you what type of ram you can use with it. 

it's important to know what ram is compatible with your motherboard, as not using the right type can cause serious damage depending on what you're doing.

~Shane

not heard of any 16Gb sticks, AFAIK they only go up to 8Gb in size

Quote - not heard of any 16Gb sticks, AFAIK they only go up to 8Gb in size

16gb sticks are available, they're just not commonly used for desktop pcs, and they're very expensive. You're looking at around 400 per stick, give or take.

~Shane

8GB would seem to be the largest I've seen. Your version of Windows, if that's what your running, will also be an issue. Physical memory is limited-

Windows 7 Home Basic - 8GB    Windows 7 Home Premium - 16GB   Windows 7 Professional (and up) - 192GB

a quick google search provides several sources for 16gb dimms, and the prices range from $350 to $900.

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=2x16gb+ddr3&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=shop&source=og&sa=N&tab=wf&ei=gRxeUI-lNY649gSf9oAY&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=a6a95e223bcac68b&biw=1680&bih=949

It's server memory.

Without specifics on the type of mother board, or what you're building, there's really not much anyone can help you with.

~Shane

GA-A55M-DS2 Built in Sound and Video

I'm aiming for the following CPU:

AMD A6-3500 2100MHz 1MBx3 443 MHz Llano 32nm 65w

1TB Hard drive

DVD Drive

Input devices will be limited to keyboard/mouse and tablet.

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit

Basically I am hoping to build a machine that will handle Poser/Vue and the other DAZ Software. Fast render times are a priority. So is the decibel factor. I want it as quiet as possible without resorting to more than the CPU/PSU fan noise.

Currently I am running an AMD Phenom 9750 Quad 2.4 GHZ with a 8 GB ram limit. 64 bit.

It would be far less expensive, and make for a faster pc to go to a mobo with 4 memory slots.

I agree with you. But I am stuck with the motherboard now. Had I realized that 32GB in two sticks was real expensive and mostly hard to find I would have purchased a different kind of mb.

     Memory capacity is determined by three factors, which limit RAM capacity in a "weakest link in the chain" manner.

• OS version - (Ashley9803 listed the 64bit Windows limits)
• physical number of slots on the mobo
• mobo's main chipset

     Before you spend money on memory, check the motherboard manufacturer's website and see how much memory that mobo can read, not just physically hold.  A motherboard with only two slots implies that it is

• dual channel
• small capacity

     Bear in mind that the mobo's main chipset may only be able to read 8 GB or 16 GB.  For example, I have a laptop with two slots, each holding a 4 GB stick.  Its chipset can only read 8 GB total, so it would not do me any good to even get two 8 GB sticks.  Similarly, I have a desktop with three slots, each holding a 4 GB stick.  I wanted to upgrade to three 8 GB sticks, but the chipset will only read 12 GB total, so again it would not help to buy bigger sticks. 

     Generally, a mobo with higher memory capacity will also have more RAM slots.

seachnasaigh is totally correct. I'm currently maxed out with my hardware specs and can't really expand without a new mobo. I got 6x4GB sticks and there ain't no more slots, and my board can't handle more than 24GB anyway.

Well currently running Windows Vista 64 Bit on the motherboard (AM2), and got two 4GB sticks DDR2 installed, so system memory is at 8 GB. I figure about 1 GB, maybe even 2 GB is being used by the system itself? I'm not sure.

However, according to the Qualified Vendors List (QVL) for GA-A55M-DS2 (http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/mb_memory_ga-a55m-ds2.pdf ). There is no support for anything above 4 GB.

Now I am wondering...if the manual specifically states:

2 x 1.5v DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 32 GB of system memory

Dual channel memory architecture

Support for DDR3 1866/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

Then someone at GIGABYTE is giving the wrong information, because the pdf and the User manual aren't agreeing.
PDF does state that "Memory modules listed below are for reference only. Due to massive memory models on the market, we can only verify some of them."

*Notice I stated the difference between my current setup and the future build....

its just a selling point. a lot of board manufacturers will say things like that, even tho they know full well it's not feasible. 

did you research the board before you bought it? i always look for user reviews.

a few other points you should note. onboard graphics is generally a (very) bad idea when building a machine that's intended for gaming or graphics work (especially fast render times, as you stated is your goal). they're never as powerful as having a dedicated graphics board with its own ram, and usually always cause problems. onboard graphics will pull system resources that a seperate graphics card will contain on its own. 

even if you do manage to get 32 gigs in it, combined with a quad core processor, your heating issues will be insane unless you have some serious air flow and/or a liquid cooling system in place. judging by the fact that it's a micro board, I'm guessing you're putting it in a micro case. Even at just 16gb of ram you're still likely to have heating issues in a small case.

this board is intended for office work. good for word processing, data, web browsing, etc. not good for graphics. 

8gb of DD3 is really not much better than 8gb of DD2. You'll see some minor improvements but really not much, and since the onboard graphics will be pulling a portion of that ram, it's likely it will be slower than the build you have now. 

If you haven't had it for long, it's possible you could exchange it for a better board. Depending on your budget, that would be my recommendation.

~Shane

I saw that it was on sale at Frys and that it supported 32GB. Originally it was paired with a FM1 processor, but didn't go for that processor, so I was hoping to wait for something faster. Tip off was that it was $59.00. I wasn't even aware that it was a microboard. Still, noise is a big factor.

I'll see if I can return/exchange it for a better deal.

     The following is naught but speculation:

     The discrepancy between the stated RAM limits may be because one figure (32 GB) is for the bare (chipless) board, while the lesser figure is for the assembled motherboard with controller chipset installed.  If so, then that would mean that the chipset is the limiting factor.  But as I read that PDF, it seems to imply that it accepts 4 GB sticks in dual channel, which would mean 8 GB total.

     As for the 32 GB figure, does that make sense to you, given that there are only two DIMM slots?  I think it only makes sense if it refers to a bare board;  with a more expensive chipset (and hopefully four DIMM slots), it might accept 32 GB.

[/end speculation]

     I'll second shvrdavid on the advice to cut your losses with this board, and buy another mobo which has a better chipset and more slots.  Ashley's 24 GB board (triple channel with six slots) would be plenty for the power Poser user, and the 4 GB sticks would be less expensive than buying 8 GB sticks for a 32 GB board (dual channel with four slots).  For anything more than six slots, you'd probably need to shop in the workstation section.

edit:  cross-posted by both AmbientShade and Inspired_Art while I was composing.

The 32GB figure made sense to me as I've actually seen the (2 x 16) modules for sale...albeit at about a $300+ price range. (I'm not in any hurry to build this machine.)Actually I saw at Frys where they had 32GB on sale for half that, but don't know if it was (2 x16). Most likely it was not. Funny thing is I was hoping to shop for something with a little more capacity anyways: something I could start of by putting maybe 8 or 16Gb in and then increasing later.

Now according to my understand, with a mb having more than 2 memory slots, it's not necessary to fill all the slots in order to use the board, correct?

You do not need to fill all the slots. You do need to follow the user manual as to which slots to plug the ram into tho. Usually the slots are color-coded. For example, if a board has 4 slots, 2 will be one color, 2 will be a darker color - they are also numbered, and usually staggered. 

investing in a high quality board that will last you a while and is capable of expansion would be the best way to go, IMO, and save you money in the long run.

This is the board I have: Asus Sabertooth 990FX AMD3+

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131736

It's a very well made board. It may be a bit out of your price range at the moment (I don't know what your budget is) but for me it was well worth the price. I got it on sale for a bit cheaper than that about 6 months ago, and I shouldn't need to buy another board any time in the near future unless something unseen happens to this one. 

Also, the board size is extremely important based on what case you're putting it in. Of course a case can be modified to accept various boards, but it's not recommended unless you really know what you're doing, as it is not difficult at all to short out a mother board if its installed incorrectly as the screw holes are for mounting as well as grounding.

For graphics and rendering, you want lots of air flow to keep the components as cool as possible. The more ram and processors you have the more heat your machine will generate, so you want to make sure your case is large enough and you have several fans running. There are cases that are designed specifically for high air flow, and cases really aren't that expensive. But the more fans you have the higher your noise levels will be. Its necessary for high powered machines, so it's really a trade-off. Which is more important based on your needs.

~Shane

Just checked on the crucial.com site and they reccomend only upto 16Gb. Price didn't seem too bad. Could be a good alternative along with PCI graphics(if possible) and a clear out of starting apps if you can't return the mobo

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-A55M-DS2&Cat=RAM

Thanks for that info and lookup ypvs, much appreciated.