iMac SSD or 8 GB RAM upgrade

[dongiavongie]

Hi, I am looking to help my friend buy an imac. He will be getting the 27" i7 imac with either the SSD or 8GB of RAM. The computer will be running many applications at the same time and he does a lot of programming with xCode. Which do you think is a better upgrade for him? I am leaning towards the SSD because it is easier to upgrade the RAM. Thanks!

 

[elpmas]

Hi, I am looking to help my friend buy an imac. He will be getting the 27" i7 imac with either the SSD or 8GB of RAM. The computer will be running many applications at the same time and he does a lot of programming with xCode. Which do you think is a better upgrade for him? I am leaning towards the SSD because it is easier to upgrade the RAM. Thanks!

I would too, but with ram, it'll allow him to run more intense apps. :X

 

[dakhein]

Correct. Buy aftermarket RAM but you probably should go SSD+HDD (1 or 2 TB) because you will want the extra space. 256 GB fills up fast.

 

[topmounter]

If you have a budget, don't buy RAM from Apple. RAM is cheap and easy to install.

 

[Obioban]

He should get an SSD from Apple and nothing else.

When it comes, order a hard drive online for the second bay and as much RAM as he can afford. Both are dirt cheap on newegg, etc, and will vastly speed up the computer.

The SSD really only needs the OS and applications loaded on to it to get 90% of the benefit from it.

More RAM is better... no need to limit to 8gb if he'll be running lots of programs at the same time. Aftermarket ram is cheap!

 

[Comeagain?]

More RAM is better... no need to limit to 8gb if he'll be running lots of programs at the same time. Aftermarket ram is cheap!

but there is a limit to what the OS can use. There is a limit at a chain point.

 

[David085]

Get the SSD, and later on Order RAM for OWC - http://www.macsales.com

 

[philipma1957]

Hi, I am looking to help my friend buy an imac. He will be getting the 27" i7 imac with either the SSD or 8GB of RAM. The computer will be running many applications at the same time and he does a lot of programming with xCode. Which do you think is a better upgrade for him? I am leaning towards the SSD because it is easier to upgrade the RAM. Thanks!

he should not waste a dime on either one from the apple store. for ram in the usa this will work


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231342

40 bucks add the 8gb to your 4gb and you have 12gb ram



read this thread

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1280118/


realize you can pull the hdds and put in ssds and not use its fan .


you can build a super osx unit for booting and use the internal hdd for backup.

if you find a lacie unit for 400 pull the hdds and sell them for 150 on ebay your case is 250 to 275.


you can run one ssd inside of it and leave the other one empty you can put 2 ssds in it like a raid0 a raid1 or JBOD.



look at this ssd from newegg


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147502


you can pull 1 of the 2 hdds in it and just put this inside you can buy two of these and put 2 ssds inside.

don't buy an internal ssd or extra ram for your iMac from apple just get a big internal 2tb hdd from apple.

 

[Obioban]

but there is a limit to what the OS can use. There is a limit at a chain point.

The current iMac and OSX both can support up to 32gb of RAM