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Will the refresh allow for more than 16GB of RAM?

A

Amnesiac1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
I'm planning on purchasing an iMac with 16GB of RAM, but I heard that the Sandy Bridge will make 32GB of RAM a possibility...

Is this true? If so, would Apple likely start offering a 32GB RAM option?

I'm assuming 16GB is more than enough, though.
 
Theres already a 32 gig option.

But at $3200, no one is rushing out to get it.

Hopefully you arent buying your 16 gigs direct from apple, $600 is 3X the going rate. Most resellers offer it for $200.

Is there some reason you think you need 16 gigs of ram? You could go with the stock 4 gigs and 8 more gigs for $100, half of what 16 gigs cost. Buying 16 gigs and replacing all your chips essentially means the 4 gigs going from 12 gigs to 16 gigs costs $100. ouch.
 
Have iMacs always allowed for user replaceable memory? I would order mine with the minimum and upgrade afterwards, but I'm concerned they could change the cabinet.
 
Dr99 said:
Have iMacs always allowed for user replaceable memory? I would order mine with the minimum and upgrade afterwards, but I'm concerned they could change the cabinet.
Click to expand...

So what is it exactly you are concerned about ?

- Once you order current gen iMac - RAM slots will always remain there ...
- No iMac was sold without RAM slots, not at least they went with Intel anyway
- Yes Apple can always ditch whatever they want for the greater good

But if you order iMac now it will have RAM slots forever
 
Dr99 said:
Have iMacs always allowed for user replaceable memory? I would order mine with the minimum and upgrade afterwards, but I'm concerned they could change the cabinet.
Click to expand...

Yes, iMac uses memory slots, just like in the MBP. They are also user-replaceable and many third party manufacturers sell memory modules to fit many computers. Crucial is one of the highest quality RAM suppliers out there. Apple uses cheap Korean brand "Hynix" which are supplied with most Mac computers.
 
Badger^2 said:
Theres already a 32 gig option.

But at $3200, no one is rushing out to get it.

Hopefully you arent buying your 16 gigs direct from apple, $600 is 3X the going rate. Most resellers offer it for $200.

Is there some reason you think you need 16 gigs of ram? You could go with the stock 4 gigs and 8 more gigs for $100, half of what 16 gigs cost. Buying 16 gigs and replacing all your chips essentially means the 4 gigs going from 12 gigs to 16 gigs costs $100. ouch.
Click to expand...

My reasons are as follows:

1. I'm an inordinate multi-tasker. I'm tired of slow down when I have tons of documents, pdfs, tabs, etc. open at once. It sometimes takes 20 minutes to recover from such slowdowns and get proper control over my OS again (i.e., not staggered responses from each click). I also want to preemptively prepare for the future (i.e., buy an excessively up to date computer so that, years down the line, I don't have to worry about my machine showing its age).

2. I hear that going with Apple RAM is best because it avoids errors that sometimes crop up when you buy RAM from elsewhere and because it is covered under Apple Care that way.
 
Amnesiac1 said:
My reasons are as follows:

1. I'm an inordinate multi-tasker. I'm tired of slow down when I have tons of documents, pdfs, tabs, etc. open at once. It sometimes takes 20 minutes to recover from such slowdowns and get proper control over my OS again (i.e., not staggered responses from each click). I also want to preemptively prepare for the future (i.e., buy an excessively up to date computer so that, years down the line, I don't have to worry about my machine showing its age).

2. I hear that going with Apple RAM is best because it avoids errors that sometimes crop up when you buy RAM from elsewhere and because it is covered under Apple Care that way.
Click to expand...

And there are people starving around the world.

No matter how much RAM you put in it, it's not going to make your computer "futureproof."
 
vincenz said:
And there are people starving around the world.
Click to expand...

Why would you say this? I wasn't trying to excessively inflate the importance of my slowdown issues or my decision to purchase 16GB, nor was I attempting to present said issues as something commensurate with the plight of starving people. Of course not.

vincenz said:
No matter how much RAM you put in it, it's not going to make your computer "futureproof."
Click to expand...

Okay. I'll do my best then.
 
Last edited:
MacYale said:
configuring it online, yes, 16 gb. but the slots can be filled to 32 gb aftermarket.
Click to expand...

Ah, neat. I did not know this. I thought 16GB was the limit. Is it possible to buy more of the exact same RAM that Apple sells on their website?
 
Amnesiac1 said:
Ah, neat. I did not know this. I thought 16GB was the limit. Is it possible to buy more of the exact same RAM that Apple sells on their website?
Click to expand...

Ummm why? There's nothing special about Apple RAM. Seriously. Nothing. The only Apple I currently own that still has the original Apple RAM is my Mac Mini Server and that's only because it was the first gen Mac Mini Server and I don't feel like tearing it apart to install 8GB.
 
paulrbeers said:
Ummm why? There's nothing special about Apple RAM. Seriously. Nothing. The only Apple I currently own that still has the original Apple RAM is my Mac Mini Server and that's only because it was the first gen Mac Mini Server and I don't feel like tearing it apart to install 8GB.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I was misinformed, but I heard that non-Apple RAM is not covered under Apple Care and that the best way to guarantee that no RAM related issues will crop up is to ensure that your machine uses Apple RAM. That's not to say that issues won't crop up regardless, but that there is a history of problems cropping up when customers attempt to upgrade their iMacs themselves.

Again, this is not a guarantee, but I've read so many comments like these that it's evidently gotten to the point that I've imbibed the message!
 
paulrbeers said:
Ummm why? There's nothing special about Apple RAM. Seriously. Nothing. The only Apple I currently own that still has the original Apple RAM is my Mac Mini Server and that's only because it was the first gen Mac Mini Server and I don't feel like tearing it apart to install 8GB.
Click to expand...

Is it even "apple ram"? I don't think they make their own ram. My ram from my mid-2007 iMac is Samsung made and branded.
 
paulrbeers said:
Ummm why? There's nothing special about Apple RAM. Seriously. Nothing.
Click to expand...

Exactly. No idea where you heard that BS about Apple ram being best blah, blah, blah -- but they pull ram from the same giant bins as everyone else.

Total hogwash.

What kind of Mac are you using now? Have you thought that it just might be outdated, or need a system reinstall and thats why its so slow?

Why not buy it stock with the 4 gigs and give it a try? Then if you need more, add it?

to go to:
12 gigs: $100 <<-- add to stock 4 gigs.
16 gigs: $200 <<-- and you have to pull the 4 gigs already in it = 4 gig boost over 12 gigs for $100
32 gigs: $3200 <<-- more than the most expensive iMac costs

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/2010/DDR3_21.5_27

Installation: http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/imac_mid_2010_mem_m/

And iMacs have had user replaceable ram since day one. Since the G5 iMac a 8 year old could do it.

And I hear you say "a lot" but thats a relative term.

heres my daily "a lot" -- dont get me started with tabs and windows. too many to count.

34.png


and my desktop:

desktopp.jpg
 
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Amnesiac1 said:
My reasons are as follows:

1. I'm an inordinate multi-tasker. I'm tired of slow down when I have tons of documents, pdfs, tabs, etc. open at once. It sometimes takes 20 minutes to recover from such slowdowns and get proper control over my OS again (i.e., not staggered responses from each click). I also want to preemptively prepare for the future (i.e., buy an excessively up to date computer so that, years down the line, I don't have to worry about my machine showing its age).

2. I hear that going with Apple RAM is best because it avoids errors that sometimes crop up when you buy RAM from elsewhere and because it is covered under Apple Care that way.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but lots and lots of RAM will NOT in any way make your computer future proof.

It only allows you to multitask beyond the ordinary and run extremely memory hungry programs without delays.

With that said, I can have more than 100 browser windows open, Aperture, Pages, Numbers, email and play backgammon at the same time and I'm still not using more than 16 GB RAM.

So I think I can safely say, that 16 GB RAM will be more than enough for 99% of all Mac users needs.
In fact as 'little' as 8 GB RAM will probably be more than enough for 98% of all Mac users 😉
 
I HAVE 10GB RAM ON MY 2009 iMac it has 4 million page ins and 16 page outs. basically 16 times out of 4,000,000 operations I was short ram. So no need to go to 12gb or 16gb in my case.
 
I have 6gb of ram in my desktop and I still can't max it out. I do video encoding regularly. Gaming. I have multiple monitors with apps always up and still I can't max it.

I would be shocked if you actually needed anywhere near 16gb for your activities. I'm willing to bet you don't need more than 4gb. If you are getting massive slow downs you likely have something else going on.

Have you opened up the task manager/activity monitor to see what you're actually using?
 
Amnesiac1 said:
What if I use Photoshop a lot and want to edit videos in the future?
Click to expand...

I use lightroom and Photoshop lightly and haven't maxed my ram. I've edited movies in iMovie and haven't maxed it either. Start with the 4gb it comes with and add more as you need it, it's easy to do and prices come down over time.

Do you know how much ram your system is actually using while doing those tasks now?
 
Amnesiac1 said:
What if I use Photoshop a lot and want to edit videos in the future?
Click to expand...

playing the "what if" game doesn't go anywhere. should you only buy performance cars just in case you get into track racing?

if you do get into video, buy more RAM then. prices will only go down. PS memory requirements vary a lot depending on what you're doing.

also, just because you have lots of stuff open doesn't mean you need lots of RAM. multitasking means you have lots of programs doing things at the same time.
 
toxic said:
playing the "what if" game doesn't go anywhere. should you only buy performance cars just in case you get into track racing?

if you do get into video, buy more RAM then. prices will only go down. PS memory requirements vary a lot depending on what you're doing.

also, just because you have lots of stuff open doesn't mean you need lots of RAM. multitasking means you have lots of programs doing things at the same time.
Click to expand...

Actually, in terms of memory, prices don't only go down. As memory becomes more obscure, it often spikes in price per gig.

You can get 8 GB (4x2) of DDR3 PC3-10600 for $93 right now, but for my friend's old laptop it's $48.99 for 1 GB of DDR PC2700.
 
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