How to know what kind of ecc RAM
How to know what kind of ecc RAM
Two options exist—unbuffered and fully buffered. Fully buffered includes an extra chip between memory and CPU, storing data before it reaches the processor, which makes it more stable but adds delay. The decision hinges on your specific needs. Unbuffered ECC is ideal for casual use, while fully buffered suits server tasks.
just use a fully buffered ECC setup – it's the affordable option you can find cheaply. mainstream systems can't use it, but you can still run it on platforms that support it. the exception is Xeons with server boards sharing the same socket or X58 units (Albie says only X8 works, not X4 for X58). if speed matters, go with X4 ECC RAM because you can get 4Gb I/O in 16GB sticks as 2RX4. this means tight TRFC and plenty of quality RAM options available – like the 4Gb Samsung die.
Fully buffered memory with registered ECC tends to be more affordable on the used market. Servers from that era are nearing the end of their lifecycle and are being phased out. Demand is also lower because it isn't compatible with standard desktop platforms, even if the processor supports unbuffered ECC RAM. Your Xeon E5-2680 v4 can fully utilize DDR4 2400 registered ECC RAM in quad channel. Be aware you cannot combine buffered and unbuffered memory types, nor can you pair them with regular non-ECC desktop RAM. Choose a standard or stick with it unless you plan to upgrade everything.