I am looking for a new UPS for my Mac Pro, a late 2013 model. I would like to have the following 2 features: 1. Controlled battery powered outlets: I want to shut off the power to external HDs when the Mac Pro is in sleep mode.

The 2013 Mac Pro’s small chassis limits the user to only four RAM slots, supporting an official maximum of 64GB of memory (several manufacturers have 32GB DIMMs, enabling up to 128GB of RAM, although we have yet to test this configuration). This limit is a step down from the previous Mac Pro design, which supported eight RAM slots, for at current memory densities. This means that many purchasers of the new Mac Pro will want to maximize the available slots and upgrade their system’s memory from the 12 or 16GB capacities found on the Mac Pro’s. Since the 2013 Mac Pro’s launch, several companies have announced third party RAM upgrades and we decided to put two of the best-known brands to the test. Today, we’ll be looking at 64GB Mac Pro RAM upgrades from (OWC) and to find out what advantages they have over the stock Apple RAM (and each other) in terms of performance and value. Testing Hardware & Methodology The 2013 Mac Pro RAM tests were performed on the 3.5 GHz 6-core model, with two D500 GPUs, the standard 256GB SSD, and stock 16GB of RAM.

For the tests, we performed a clean install of OS X 10.9.2 and disabled any unnecessary apps and services. Our testing software is Primate Labs’, version 3.1.3.

For each RAM configuration, the tests were run three times and the results were averaged to provide the data in the charts below. RAM Specifications & Installation The stock Apple RAM arrives as four 4GB DIMMs, rated at PC3–14900 (1866 MHz).

The memory is sourced from, a longtime Apple supplier. From the top, a Crucial, Other World Computing, and Apple DIMM for the 2013 Mac Pro. Microsoft fix-it tool for windows 10. At the 64GB capacity, both the Crucial and OWC RAM upgrades maintain the same PC3–14900 rating, and both sets are configured as four 16GB DIMMs.

OWC’s memory is also sourced from SK Hynix, while Crucial relies on parent company. The Crucial memory arrives alone, but OWC throws in a nice extra in the form of a tool that helps release the Mac Pro’s RAM slots. As described by Apple Support Document, the user must press a RAM bay release lever to enable the slots to swing outward for access.

But as noted by OWC, and verified by our own experimentation, this release lever is alarmingly easy to bend while applying force. The “spudger” included in the Other World Computing kit allows for easy release of the RAM lever. To solve this, OWC includes a “” with which the user can easily lift up the RAM bay lever to release it.

This method is easier, safer, and a great example of the way that OWC goes out of its way to make sure customers have the resources they need for hardware upgrades. Referencing the above-mentioned Apple Support Document, 2013 Mac Pro RAM upgrades are fairly simple. Just note that with the Mac Pro’s cover removed, capacitors and other sensitive components are exposed on the cylindrical chassis. Make sure that when you are installing or removing DIMMs that your opposite hand is positioned safely for leverage, so that you don’t accidentally damage any components. Benchmarks The value of more RAM is obvious, so both the OWC and Crucial kits are important upgrades for power users. But we’re also interested to see if there’s any performance benefit to having more RAM and, as you’ll see below, the answer in this case is ‘yes.’ The Geekbench memory test performs on RAM bandwidth, and measures results in both single- and multi-core configurations. Looking first at single-core results, we see that both the Crucial and OWC RAM kits provide a slight bump in performance over the stock Apple RAM of between 3 and 5 percent, with Crucial slightly ahead of OWC.