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The base system has 2 x 4GB memory modules installed. Does it make any difference which slot the modules are in, and which modules should/must match in size? Does it make any difference whether the 4GB or 16GB are in the original slots?
iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.14
Were the original modules in slots 1 + 3? That means they are matching. And the additional modules would then go into slots 2 + 4 - which should then show exactly the way your screenshot shows - perfect. Having said all that, I don’t know that it matters that much any longer with the new arrangement of the slots.
Were the original modules in slots 1 + 3? That means they are matching. And the additional modules would then go into slots 2 + 4 - which should then show exactly the way your screenshot shows - perfect. Having said all that, I don’t know that it matters that much any longer with the new arrangement of the slots.
As a general rule of thumb RAM should be installed in matched pairs. The way you installed the RAM is 100% correct. When upgrading RAM it's also wise to simply install the new RAM into the empty slots. That's it, its that simple.
Slots
4 -- Added 16GB
3 -- Original 4GB
2 -- Added 16GB
1 -- Original 4GB
System is running great and noticeably faster vs just having the original 8GB, so really just wondering if the system architecture would perform (even) better if I swap 1-2 and 3-4.
Also any benefit to symmetry between slot pairs (whether having all the modules being the same size would make a difference)?
I used to build PC's in the 80's and 90's... it's been a while since I've done anything to a machine with more than 1 or 2 slots total.
Thanks!
JZ
On the new slot configuration, 1 + 3 are “paired” and so are 2 + 4. That is why they show up paired (next to each other) in the system info. And, as far as I know, not all four need to match and I don’t think it makes any difference as far as speed is concerned.
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017 RAM Upgrade Best Practice
