Ram: 8Gb vs 16Gb

There are quite a few threads on this question. You may find reading a few of those useful, such as this one:

Will I regret not getting 16GB?

GGJstudios said:

There are quite a few threads on this question. You may find reading a few of those useful, such as this one:

Will I regret not getting 16GB?

Click to expand...

This doesn't apply to the iMac. The rMBP's don't have user-servicable RAM, while the iMac does.


OP, get 8 GB, then upgrade to 16 using aftermarket RAM. So much cheaper than what Apple will charge you.

dbrewer80221 said:

This doesn't apply to the iMac. The rMBP's don't have user-servicable RAM, while the iMac does.

Click to expand...

The decision as to how much RAM a user needs is largely independent of which Mac model you choose. It is far more a consideration of the memory demands of the workload you typically run. The same thought process applies, even though consideration for future needs should carry more weight with a Mac with no user-upgradeable memory.

To determine if you can benefit from more RAM, launch Activity Monitor and click the System Memory tab at the bottom to check your page outs. Page outs are cumulative since your last restart, so the best way to check is to restart your computer and track page outs under your normal workload (the apps, browser pages and documents you normally would have open). If your page outs are significant (say 1GB or more) under normal use, you may benefit from more RAM. If your page outs are zero or very low during normal use, you probably won't see any performance improvement from adding RAM.

Using Activity Monitor to read System Memory and determine how much RAM is being used

Considering it is cheaper to buy RAM and fit it yourself after, just get the 8Gb, and if you find you're maxing it out, go for 16Gb, you'll have saved money over ordering RAM from Apple that you may not need.

Since it is 27", get the standard 8 and monitor your ram usage, if it comes close to 8 upgrade to 16 yourself.

If you're getting the 27" iMac, stay with the standard 8GB of memory, then go order yourself 32GB from OWC [http://www.macsales.com/]

http://macsales.com/

Jethryn Freyman said:

If you're getting the 27" iMac, stay with the standard 8GB of memory, then go order yourself 32GB from OWC [http://www.macsales.com/]

http://macsales.com/

Click to expand...

Or Crucial

W/ 27 inch imac, there is no reason not to max out on ram. Of course whatever is serviceble by user should be done by them.

You can never have too much ram in my opinion...

A Hebrew said:

Since it is 27", get the standard 8 and monitor your ram usage, if it comes close to 8 upgrade to 16 yourself.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that. There might be moments when he gets close to 8, but everything still runs fine. If that's the case, then he should be happy with his choice.

It's when things become consistently swappy under his normal workload that he might need to consider upgrading to more.

Really, it all depends on what he wants to do. If he intends on using it as a normal consumer/gamer desktop, 8GB is more than enough. He could even get by on 4 quite easily. If he plans on doing tons of Photoshop/CAD/whatever work, then hey, more the merrier.

Renzatic said:

It's when things become consistently swappy under his normal workload that he might need to consider upgrading to more.

Click to expand...

I'm starting to notice that for ordinary computing tasks, 8 GB isn't going as far as it used to. I usually only reboot my computer when necessary, and I've found myself doing it more frequently lately, because it's slowing down so drastically.

It's definitely time for a new iMac.

Well, it depends on what your definition of what "ordinary computer tasks" is, but really, 2GB should be plenty enough for your everyday stuff. If it's getting swappy on you at 8GB, I'd check out what's running in the background and see what's going on.

Yes, my "ordinary computing tasks" lol

Photoshop
iPhoto
multiple web borwsers running dozens of tabs simultaneously
casual gaming and web surfing

Plus I have a program running that has a memory leak under Mountain Lion. Unfortunately, it has to run all the time

Yeah, I'd say that's pretty heavy. 16GB wouldn't hurt you at all.

...course, it wouldn't hurt anybody. Like guy above said, there's no such thing as having too much ram. But there is such a thing as spending money for something you'd never need. Most of your average people could get by on 2GB, with 4GB putting them into that comfortable buffer zone.