Maximum RAM for Mid-2010 iMac 3.2GHz w/ Core i3 Processor?

Question

Maximum RAM for Mid-2010 iMac 3.2GHz w/ Core i3 Processor?

I am looking to upgrade the RAM on my iMac. This is the first time I've ever done so and the reason for it is that I'm finally starting to experience some noticeable lag while playing games. I'm not a hardcore gamer by any means but I feel as though the kinds of games I play shouldn't be struggling so much to run. Some examples of games I've played that have had trouble include Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Left 4 Dead. These games came out a few years ago so it's not like I'm pushing the limits of my machine here! I've done quite a bit of research online but I've come across some conflicting reports on the maximum amount of RAM I can install.

Apple's support files state that the computer can hold up to 16GB of RAM, but then go on to state that this would be equivalent to a 4GB SO-DIMM in each slot. Is that because there are four total slots in my iMac? (See... I told you I'm new at this!)

At the same time, I've also read that it is possible to install up to 32GB of RAM in this particular model of iMac. Is this actually true?

Whichever the case may be... can anyone recommend some good, quality, dependable brands of RAM? Because in doing my research I've read a few horror stories about faulty RAM (and no... I'm not planning on shopping on eBay so don't worry!).

My final question is this: Is upping my RAM actually worth it? As in, will it help my games run smoother and/or better? I ask because I've also wondered if the video card might be the bigger problem (which I hope it's not because I have no idea if it's even possible to replace that).

Sorry for being so long-winded but I just really want to make sure I do this right and don't waste my money. Thank you in advance for any help! =)

iMac (27-inch Mid 2010), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Dec 16, 2014 2:22 AM

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Answer 1

dwb

Level 7

33,326 points

Dec 16, 2014 7:04 AM in response to Community User

Your computer has 4 slots. When Apple shipped the computer the largest DIMM shipping was 4GB so Apple advertises 16GB as the max. According to OWC that remains the maximum for your computer, only the i5 and i7 models can be upgrade to 32GB. At this time 16GB should be plenty for most people.

There are a number of things that have an impact on speed and, of course, one of them is RAM. When your computer first came out the operating system you were using was less RAM hungry. It seems that each new upgrade (or every other OS upgrade) ups the RAM ante. Other things that have an impact are the utilities and programs you run behind the scenes. They can burn up lots of CPU cycles and RAM. Hard drive space is another factor - the operating system and programs need room for temporary files and when this room isn't available the computer slows down. So, are you running anything like anti-malware? Dump it, not needed. Do you have about 25GB of free drive space? If not, free some up.

Quality RAM - not only what you buy but who you buy it from is important. I go with Crucial or OWC.

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Answer 2

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,698 points

Dec 16, 2014 12:38 PM in response to Community User

OWC also provides an video that shows how to install, here is link to the 2010 iMac video http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/imac_mid_2010_mem/

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Answer 3

Dec 16, 2014 12:02 PM in response to dwb

Thank you so much for all of the information. My computer has no anti-malware, etc. running on it because after I upgraded to Yosemite it really slowed everything down... especially in Safari. I also have tons of free HD space and the only program that constantly runs in the background is iTunesHelper. So it sounds like a RAM upgrade should help out quite a bit... 4 x 4 GB. I will probably buy from OWC as well because their site seems easy to use and it's easy to find the exact type I need.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me.

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Answer 4

Dec 16, 2014 12:59 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Thank you as well. I was going to just use Apple's step-by-step instructions on their site but a video is always better than pictures. =)

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