New iMac - RAM upgrade

It depends, you need to do some shopping first. Try ebay and see if there are any good deals.

But, unless you are using many open applications the are cpu intense you may not need it. Also, if you are thinking of doing it later, wait for a couple of months and see if anyone has problems with any manufacturers. I know the old PowerBook G4 was very picky about the RAM.

Cheers, Glynn

Without having any idea how you intend to use the machine it's impossible for anyone to answer your question. Yes you can always upgrade later and historically it's less expensive if purchased from another vendor like OWC or Crucial. Memory is user upgradeable.

Regards,

Roger

Hi I checked ebay and 4GB iMac ram is going for 89.00.
Remember that the new iMacs have 4 slots. Two are used
so you will just add the two 2Gigs in the others.

http://computers.shop.ebay.com/i.html?nkw=ddr3+iMac&_sacat=80035&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=ddr3&osacat=80035

Cheers

in the upgrade options for the new iMac it lists 4-2mg ram or 2-4mg ram. the 2 4mg costing more. is they're a performance difference between the 2?

Do the 21.5-inch iMacs have the four slots necessary to take 16GB of RAM? Or do they only have two slots?

according to the upgrade specs only the 27" imac's can be upgraded to 16gb

Message was edited by: frunkis54

As Frunkus54 mentioned the 21.5 can go to 8 GB of RAM max, the reason being is the case is smaller and does not have room for 4 memory slots. The 27' model because it's physically larger has the room to add 4 memory slots so you can fill it with 4 x 4 GB RAM.

Regards,

Roger

You say the 21.5-inch iMac's case is smaller, which it is. But if you configure the 21.5-inch iMac with 8GB of RAM, Apple do it like this:

8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB

See? "4x", 4 times. So that implies that the 21.5-inch iMac really does have 4 RAM slots. What's stopping you from putting 4GB chips in each of those 4 slots in the future, to get 16GB of RAM?

Message was edited by: Reuben Feffer

Message was edited by: Reuben Feffer

But is it new or used? Manufacturer? Not much of a warranty. I wouldn 't take a chance. If it were new and from a reliable seller-that is another story.

Reuben,

The 21.5 only has 2 RAM slots therefore only has the ability to hold 8 GB.

Hi Roger

Unless there is a mistake, it looks to me like the 21.5-inch also has 4 slots, but it only supports 8GB?

Apple is listing a *8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB* ram upgrade.

see > [Configure your iMac 21.5-inch|http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MB950LL/A?mco=MTMzNzYwMDY]

Of course I could be wrong, I haven't seen the full spec sheet or the new iMac yet.

Dennis

Hey Dennis,

I think you are correct unless the specification is a misprint which I doubt. So that re-opens the questions of "could 4 x 4 GB be installed" to that I'll have to say I just don't know.

I downloaded the manual http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/iMac_Late2009UG.pdf which states

"Your iMac has four memory slots. Two are filled with at least a 2 GB memory module. You can install additional memory in the free slots or replace the memory in the filled slots with 2 GB or 4 GB memory modules, for up to 16 GB of memory."

so it appears somewhere Apple has made a goof.

Thanks for pointing that out, I was reading an article earlier from "http://gizmodo.com/5385841/apple-imac-hands-on" which implied the 21.5 only had 2 RAM slots. Maybe on my next trip to the Apple store I'll find out.

Regards,
Roger

Duh' when all else fails look at the User's Manual, Good find....

Message was edited by: den.thed

What I think everyone is failing to realize is that its possible and more likely that the 27 inch iMac is actually running a non nvidia chipset. I think that the 27 in iMac is running a different systemboard to support the quad core i5 & i7 processors. Note that nvidia and intel are in a legal dispute or the nehalem chipset. That is why the the 27 inch imacs support 16GB and the 21.5 do not.

Just a thought, but according to other info pertaining to i7's, seems more factual.

BB

Good thread, I just got a MBP 13 inch, so swapping out the 2x1Gb of RAM for 2.2Gb modules. I also ordered a new 21.5 iMac and am wondering if i can add the 2x1Gb modules to the iMAc for a total of 6Gb. I do not need 8Gb and instead of having the modules gather dust in my closet i figure i could use them. Please advise if i should start a new thread on this. Thx. Steve.