All the bashing about this soldered memory is a bit of a tempest in a teapot, IMO.
First of all, the computer comes with 8GB of RAM. That's a lot of RAM, objectively. But when you look at it in the context of someone buying the cheapest iMac sold, it's likely to be more RAM than they'll ever realistically need.
The notion that somehow we are still on the curve that requires us to double our RAM ever two or three years to keep up with OS and application upgrades is becoming pretty much obsolete. It's like the idea that we somehow have to be on bleeding edge of the processor wave for our computer to be useable. Just not true anymore.
I'll stop here with a DISCLAIMER: I realize that there are power users out there who push the limits of their machines, from a processing, memory usage and graphics usage standpoint. But who among them would be buying the cheapest iMac, for which you can't even buy memory upgrades from the start? I'll answer that for you. NOBODY.
Fact is, the vast majority of computer users out there think of their computers as just another appliance in their home (and that number is growing). They would no sooner want to open up their computer to upgrade the RAM or hard drive as they would want to put a bigger compressor in their refrigerator, or a more powerful video driver in their television, or tinker with the injectors in their cars. They just want to turn on the appliance and have it do what they need it to do. They buy their computers for what they want to do, and they go on their way.
Sure, if their needs change, and they suddenly go from checking email, producing word processing documents, buying things on Amazon and updating their Facebook page to working on graphic design or video editing for Sony Pictures, they might need to upgrade their equipment. But what reasonable person would buy a small refrigerator, use it for three years, get married and have a couple of kids, then get angry at Whirlpool because they can't upgrade their old refrigerator to hold more food?
I get it that the vast majority of users, of whom I speak above are not necessarily the same demographic as the majority of geekier forum posters here, who like to brag about tweaking and upgrading their computers for years and years (Although I do find it somewhat ironic that those same "geeks" are constantly posting about how frustrated they are that Apple hasn't "upgraded the Mac Mini in far too long" and wait with their wallets in their hands for the next new MBP, MBA or iMac to be released every 12-14 months.).
It's time to start getting comfortable with the fact that we're in the midst of an evolution in the computing world, where things like processor speed, maxed out RAM, etc. are not nearly as important, as long as the computer serves the purpose for which it was bought.
I can't think of the last time I was on a videophile forum where the posters were complaining about or comparing the processors in DVD players. Why? Because what's more important is that the DVD player has the FEATURE SET that they need. They've accepted the fact that the industry has matured enough to put the necessary hardware/firmware/software combination in place to support the features that they need/want. That's where Apple is on the computer side of things. If that is not your cup of tea, I suggest you spend your time at Newegg, purchasing PC components to roll your own, instead of an Apple rumor site.
First of all, the computer comes with 8GB of RAM. That's a lot of RAM, objectively. But when you look at it in the context of someone buying the cheapest iMac sold, it's likely to be more RAM than they'll ever realistically need.
The notion that somehow we are still on the curve that requires us to double our RAM ever two or three years to keep up with OS and application upgrades is becoming pretty much obsolete. It's like the idea that we somehow have to be on bleeding edge of the processor wave for our computer to be useable. Just not true anymore.
I'll stop here with a DISCLAIMER: I realize that there are power users out there who push the limits of their machines, from a processing, memory usage and graphics usage standpoint. But who among them would be buying the cheapest iMac, for which you can't even buy memory upgrades from the start? I'll answer that for you. NOBODY.
Fact is, the vast majority of computer users out there think of their computers as just another appliance in their home (and that number is growing). They would no sooner want to open up their computer to upgrade the RAM or hard drive as they would want to put a bigger compressor in their refrigerator, or a more powerful video driver in their television, or tinker with the injectors in their cars. They just want to turn on the appliance and have it do what they need it to do. They buy their computers for what they want to do, and they go on their way.
Sure, if their needs change, and they suddenly go from checking email, producing word processing documents, buying things on Amazon and updating their Facebook page to working on graphic design or video editing for Sony Pictures, they might need to upgrade their equipment. But what reasonable person would buy a small refrigerator, use it for three years, get married and have a couple of kids, then get angry at Whirlpool because they can't upgrade their old refrigerator to hold more food?
I get it that the vast majority of users, of whom I speak above are not necessarily the same demographic as the majority of geekier forum posters here, who like to brag about tweaking and upgrading their computers for years and years (Although I do find it somewhat ironic that those same "geeks" are constantly posting about how frustrated they are that Apple hasn't "upgraded the Mac Mini in far too long" and wait with their wallets in their hands for the next new MBP, MBA or iMac to be released every 12-14 months.).
It's time to start getting comfortable with the fact that we're in the midst of an evolution in the computing world, where things like processor speed, maxed out RAM, etc. are not nearly as important, as long as the computer serves the purpose for which it was bought.
I can't think of the last time I was on a videophile forum where the posters were complaining about or comparing the processors in DVD players. Why? Because what's more important is that the DVD player has the FEATURE SET that they need. They've accepted the fact that the industry has matured enough to put the necessary hardware/firmware/software combination in place to support the features that they need/want. That's where Apple is on the computer side of things. If that is not your cup of tea, I suggest you spend your time at Newegg, purchasing PC components to roll your own, instead of an Apple rumor site.
