Memory for Dual Core G5 PowerMac

Last time I checked places like OWC listed the same memory parts numbers for the dual cpu and dual core G5's.

As the buss speeds between the two versions is significant that seems to leave the possibilities:

1 - the memory buss is limited to a slower speed identical in all G5 versions (which really is a performance waster)

2 - they're selling slower memory for the dual cores than it can use (another performance waster)

Looked up the memory configurator at Apple's site. For the G5 it lists the PowerMac G5's maximum memory capacity at 8 gb.

Not any help because it hasn't been updated for the dual core boxes.

So - what's the real deal?

I need to buy some 2 gb sticks but so far haven't found any (except uber expensive Crucial for the Quad - $1000+ for 2x2gb sticks)

bfx

All the dual-core G5 models use the same memory. In all cases, memory bandwidth is much slower than the CPU's frontside bus, so it is a "waste" of a sort.
http://developer.apple.com/document...RAM/index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003031

The main logic board of the Power Mac G5 computer has 8 slots of DDR2 SDRAM expansion for unbuffered, DDR2-533 (PC2-4200) dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) for a maximum memory of 16 GB. The Power Mac G5 accepts both ECC and non-ECC DIMMs.

Each DIMM can contain 256 MB (non-ECC only), 512 MB, 1 GB, or 2 GB of double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (DDR2 SDRAM). At least one pair of the RAM expansion slots contains factory installed DIMMs. The Power Mac G5 supports CAS read latencies of 4 and 5.

Additional DIMMs must be installed in the bank slots in pairs of the same size and type; ECC and non-ECC cannot be paired in a single bank. The slot pairs are numbered as indicated in Figure 1.

Click to expand...