Memory: 24GB 1600MHz or 16GB 1867MHz?

[playmakvr]

Long story short, started a new job which entails a heavy mixture of video, sound and photo editing, plus a bunch of backend website stuff. Now they have ordered me a new iMac but have been told it could be up to a month before it arrives. In the meantime I've been given a 2015 iMac with 16gb of 1867 to use.

However, there is another iMac next to me which is a 2013 but it's been upgraded to 24gb of 1600MHz. Just wondering if I'm better off going with the 24gb as a temp solution as I am getting very slow results during day to day tasks.

Cheers.

 

[velocityg4]

If you’re starting to use the swap file. Then I’d take the one with more RAM. It won’t matter how fast the computer is. If there isn’t enough RAM.

Take a look at the memory tab in Activity Monitor. When you’re doing your full workload.

 

[wilberforce]

What number and sizes of memory sticks does each machine have?

Don't worry about 1867 vs 1600 MHz, this will make almost no real world difference. Just maximize the RAM in the 2015 machine by stealing sticks from the 2013, to get 32GB if possible. It is fine to mix 1867 with 1600, the controller will just drop the frequency to 1600Mhz.
Very important: make sure there is the same amount of RAM in each channel, in order to run in dual channel. Dual channel effectively doubles the RAM transfer speed (Check: About This Mac, System Report, Memory) For example:

 

[playmakvr]

What number and sizes of memory sticks does each machine have?

Unfortunately the 2013 just had 2 x 8 added to it so I only have those 2 plus the standard 4gbs from both computers.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Unfortunately the 2013 just had 2 x 8 added to it so I only have those 2 plus the standard 4gbs from both computers.

Steal the 2 x8GB from the 2013, leave it with 8GB. Then you can buy 2x4Gb and but them to the 2013.
You will have 32GB; and the 2013 has 16GB, until its user complaints.... he he...

 

[wilberforce]

Unfortunately the 2013 just had 2 x 8 added to it so I only have those 2 plus the standard 4gbs from both computers.

In which case, just put 24GB in the 2015. You probably have other bottlenecks, anyway