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bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
what is 2GB capable of, what extras do u get with 4GB, like tell me how many mid size apps i can run at once, how many professional type apps, and what kind of load, and again, tell me what more i can get with 4GB, thanx!!!
 

MK2007

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2007
121
0
If you use Safari a lot and don't reboot your computer often, then you'll appreciate having 4 GB. Safari has memory leakage. Even if you quit the application OS X never reclaims the memory. With 2 GB and frequent browsing a shortage of memory can become a problem after a couple days. But with 3 GB or more you won't have to reboot very often due to a memory shortage.
 

Sam Spade

macrumors regular
Aug 30, 2007
181
0
If you use Safari a lot and don't reboot your computer often, then you'll appreciate having 4 GB. Safari has memory leakage. Even if you quit the application OS X never reclaims the memory. With 2 GB and frequent browsing a shortage of memory can become a problem after a couple days. But with 3 GB or more you won't have to reboot very often due to a memory shortage.
This was a problem in Windows, too. I've been wondering if it was an issue with Safari. I assume Firefox in OS X has memory leakage, as well?
 

idyll

macrumors 6502a
Jun 5, 2007
500
15
what browser should i use that does not have memory leakage? camino?
 

MK2007

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2007
121
0
This was a problem in Windows, too. I've been wondering if it was an issue with Safari. I assume Firefox in OS X has memory leakage, as well?
It's a known, long running issue with Safari. I remember it from several iMacs ago when I bought the first G4 lamp style iMac. Safari had leakage then (as well as a major speed problem) and it still has memory leakage now several years later. I don't think Apple will ever get around to fixing the problem, assuming they have any idea what causes it.

I think they just assume that users reboot often enough that it isn't worth wasting Apple's development time on pursuing the matter. It is indeed a problem regardless of their priorities. Try browsing for a couple days. Then clear the cache and quit Safari. You never get back as much memory as you began with.

My usage of other browsers such as Firefox is very minimal. Maybe someone else can offer guidance with this browser and memory leakage.

I reboot about once a week. Sometimes less often, sometimes more often. Usually, by that time there is either a software update, a thunderstorm, or something else like desk cleaning to require a shutdown. I would prefer not to reboot very often, though. I can accomplish much of this objective now with 3 GB (actually two 2 GB modules) as long as there are no storms or OS updates.

My area experienced storms recently. I had to shutdown a couple times this week. After one day of uptime Application Monitor tells me that I have 1.48 GB free with the following apps open: iTunes, Safari, Firefox, MS Word, MS Entourage, MS Excel, TextEdit, Terminal, and of course Application Monitor itself. During that one day of usage I am certain that I retrieved a few hundred web pages.
 

Craiger

macrumors 6502a
Jul 11, 2007
846
285
What is the best browser to use?

HAHA! That question is worth like a 10 page argument thread. I think it is personal preference, but I like Firefox for all of the add-ons.

Back to somewhat of the original post. I have had Firefox open for the last 5 hours maybe with some pretty heavy browsing and it is using 319 MB... So I think all browsers have there problems over extended time....
 

0007776

Suspended
Jul 11, 2006
6,473
8,170
Somewhere
I'm assuming that you are talking about RAM, more will just make you computer go faster, there is not a specific number of apps.
 

Vapor

macrumors member
Aug 15, 2007
65
0
the sweet spot on ram for the imac is 3 meg. you can get a 2 meg for 119 and with your single gain 100 percent performance increase "with certain apps ie photoshop" the 4 meg only adds about 5% more. you can always get another 2 meg later if you want to go.
 

HLdan

macrumors 603
Aug 22, 2007
6,383
0
I'm assuming that you are talking about RAM, more will just make you computer go faster, there is not a specific number of apps.

Actually it doesn't really make your computer go faster but rather more ram will prevent the slow downs when multitasking or when using ram hungry apps. :)
 

GTiPhone

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2007
249
0
Island Heights, NJ
Youre experience with 2 vs 4 gigs of ram will depend on wat u do. 2 gigs will run lots of apps smoothly including games. 4 comes in handy when working with huge .tiffs or .psd ( a few hundred mb). Unless you do intense photo or video editting, you may never notice a difference.

Its like the difference between a car with 500 horsepower or 600 horsepower...

what I meant about games was beyond 2 gigs your graphics card becomes the bottleneck for performance, not RAM.
 

wakerider017

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2006
1,790
1
US of A
the sweet spot on ram for the imac is 3 meg. you can get a 2 meg for 119 and with your single gain 100 percent performance increase "with certain apps ie photoshop" the 4 meg only adds about 5% more. you can always get another 2 meg later if you want to go.

Lol,

Like I would take advice from someone who says "the sweet spot on ram for the imac is 3 meg"
:eek:
 

powerbook911

macrumors 68040
Mar 15, 2005
3,997
378
3GB over 2GB made mine go faster, but mainly with just things like aperture and VM Ware. Other things are the same.
 

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
imac with 2gb or 4gb

im getting the highest end imac with 2.8 core 2 extreme, alot of people on here have that, except they all upped the ram to 4gb, is the 4gb worth it for web design, sum photo editing, movie editing with final cut maybe, listening to music, surfing the net, and playing fsx on bootcamp running vista, im planning on getting my imac with leopard, will leopards app recommend at least for 4gb??? please tell me!!! thanx alot in advance
 

sinisterdesign

macrumors 6502
Dec 10, 2003
422
3
atlanta
without a doubt. RAM can be expensive, but i've always said that it's the most bang for your buck. i notice more of a difference in doubling the RAM than upping the processor (to an extent, of course).

if you're doing all the design & editing on the badest-ass machine, no doubt go for the 4GB. if price is an issue, go down a step in the processor & get the extra RAM.

my $.02
 

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
without a doubt. RAM can be expensive, but i've always said that it's the most bang for your buck. i notice more of a difference in doubling the RAM than upping the processor (to an extent, of course).

if you're doing all the design & editing on the badest-ass machine, no doubt go for the 4GB. if price is an issue, go down a step in the processor & get the extra RAM.

my $.02

i said on the imac 24 core 2 extreme,photo editing will be done in elements, for my websites, any maybe sum other stuff, but not intensive, video editing MAY get serious, as i might get final cut, is 4gb still worth it?
 

mothergoose45

macrumors member
Oct 21, 2006
93
0
I have had my 2.4 24" Imac for 3 weeks now with 4 gig OWC ram. Good ram by the way. I have done everything you have mentioned and never get over 2 ram in use. 2 gb should be enough but for how cheap it was ($239) it was a no brainer to get the 4 gig. The 2.4 is very fast by the way. Im glad I went with the 2.4 instead of the 2.8. You cant overclock it anyway which is the main purpose of the extreme. Spend the extra $250 on ram.
 

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
I have had my 2.4 24" Imac for 3 weeks now with 4 gig OWC ram. Good ram by the way. I have done everything you have mentioned and never get over 2 ram in use. 2 gb should be enough but for how cheap it was ($239) it was a no brainer to get the 4 gig. The 2.4 is very fast by the way. Im glad I went with the 2.4 instead of the 2.8. You cant overclock it anyway which is the main purpose of the extreme. Spend the extra $250 on ram.

so u do EXACTLY what i do?? do u use final cut and run fsx??
 

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
imac config question

can i get the highest end 24inch imac standard config, then goto the memory section of the store and buy one gig of memory, so in total it will have 3gigs of ram? the one in the imac is 2x1gb, and the one gig apple sells seperately is just 1x1gb, tell me if that combination will work
 

Blue Velvet

Moderator emeritus
Jul 4, 2004
21,929
265
There is no need to start three threads over the past few days in different forums to ask exactly the same questions over and over again. I've merged them all together.
 

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,544
23
MD & ATL,GA
no. The iMac has only 2 memory slots.

okay, can i get the low end 24 imac, with standard config (the 1 gig takes one memory slot) and the 2 gig which is 1x2gb? will that work? also, is there a difference on how many slots are fill like will 2x1 be more powerfull than 1x2?

There is no need to start three threads over the past few days in different forums to ask exactly the same questions over and over again. I've merged them all together.

this is a different question :( i was talking about memory slots, not how much memory i shud buy
 
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