Best Place & Price for 32GB RAM for New iMac

[grizfan]

Originally Posted by nosnhojm

Buy it when you need it, not before. Yes, you may decide to do video work later, but you can always buy the extra ram at that time...probably at a reduced price.

Actually - this is usually not the case. Right now, DRAM fabs around the world are cranking out excessive amounts of this type of memory, driving down the costs. Two years from now, supply and demand could be more in balance resulting in higher prices. Also, in two years time, DDR4 or higher speeds of DDR3 could be the mainstream memory accounting for the bulk of production and this memory will likely be "legacy" product and priced higher. So, while memory prices in general will most likely be lower (32GB for the cost of a 16GB upgrade today) the memory that works with this computer will likely be quite a bit more expensive.

[kennyap]

Originally Posted by Tanax

Are you doing all those at once? And are you doing any of those for a living or just a hobby?

I'd say that you might benefit from 16GB but still probably don't need as much as 32GB. In any case, getting 16GB(2x8GB) at first won't hurt. If you notice that things are running slow, get 2x8GB more and you'll have 32GB.

I have 32GB in my 2011 iMac and it uses it all. I do video editing in FCPX, run two Fusion vms, and stream movies to ATV's and Popcorn Hour. Some people need/use tons of RAM. I just wish I could upgrade to 64GB... and will do when 16GB SODIMMS are available.

I'm waiting on my ordered 2012 iMac 27" 3.4ghz 680MX, received my Samsung 840 Pro 512GB & 32GB Ram yesterday. I am really looking forward to putting it into action.

[WizardHunt]

Originally Posted by Confuzzzed

Apologies for the multi-tag, can't find the answer anywhere and need to install RAM today. Do you install before or after the first boot?

I don't think it matters if you install the Ram first before the 1st boot up or not. I think you could do it either way. Does anyone else have a opinion on this? or tried something and got a different result?

[WizardHunt]

Do you think this memory set from Amazon would be a good one to upgrade to? It is Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory (CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10). The link is Here.

Or another choice is Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Memory Modules For Mac CT2C8G3S160BM and it can be found Here. The price is about the same, so which is better to get?

Comments?

[seanm9]

Originally Posted by WizardHunt

Do you think this memory set from Amazon would be a good one to upgrade to? It is Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory (CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10). The link is Here.

Or another choice is Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Memory Modules For Mac CT2C8G3S160BM and it can be found Here. The price is about the same, so which is better to get?

Comments?

stock ram is CL11... if you mix the stock and the Vengeance (CL10?) the ram will slow to 1333 mhz... if just just want to run 16GB it will run at the full speed (1600 mhz)

the crucial ram should work with the stock as both sets are CL11...

there is a thread about that here somewhere

edit: found link http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1508059

[WilliamG]

Originally Posted by WizardHunt

Do you think this memory set from Amazon would be a good one to upgrade to? It is Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory (CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10). The link is Here.

Or another choice is Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Memory Modules For Mac CT2C8G3S160BM and it can be found Here. The price is about the same, so which is better to get?

Comments?

I'm running the Corsair, 4x 8GB of them, and having no issues. As mentioned, if you run them in conjunction with the stock Apple RAM, you'll slow down to 1333. I've read of very few issues with either the Crucial or the Corsair, but the Corsair will be a hair (and I DO mean a hair) faster due to it being CL10. Only benchmarks reveal this speed difference. Impossible to tell in practice, of course. Go with whatever's cheapest.

[craigblues]

Well I've ordered 32GB Ram from Crucial, plus got 7% cashback. So worked out cheaper.

Hopefully it will arrive soon......

[WizardHunt]

Originally Posted by seanm9

stock ram is CL11... if you mix the stock and the Vengeance (CL10?) the ram will slow to 1333 mhz... if just just want to run 16GB it will run at the full speed (1600 mhz)

the crucial ram should work with the stock as both sets are CL11...

there is a thread about that here somewhere

edit: found link http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1508059

I plan to upgrade to a full 32 GB so I would be replacing all 4 modules. So as long as they are all the same it should not affect anything.

----------

Originally Posted by WilliamG

I'm running the Corsair, 4x 8GB of them, and having no issues. As mentioned, if you run them in conjunction with the stock Apple RAM, you'll slow down to 1333. I've read of very few issues with either the Crucial or the Corsair, but the Corsair will be a hair (and I DO mean a hair) faster due to it being CL10. Only benchmarks reveal this speed difference. Impossible to tell in practice, of course. Go with whatever's cheapest.

Where can I find out what the Apple's Ram specs are? On the Tech info on their site does not give much info. I do plan on upgrading to a full 32GB but I still would like to know what Apple put in their machine. I mean FULL SPECs.

[uptownnyc]

I find I use between 16GB - 18GB of ram replying to threads asking why I need that much ram, so it'll be 32GB for me.

[joeycool]

I just ordered my new i mac and am waiting shipment so would also like to upgrade the ram.