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RAM in new iMacs??

OldCorpse

OldCorpse

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Dec 7, 2005
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Sorry if this was covered somewhere, but I read 200 posts before I ran out of time, and didn't find the answer at that point.

So, max RAM on the new iMacs is 3GB. I find that very disappointing, as I do a lot of editing and dvd authoring w/ FCS, and was really looking forward to buying a new iMac (MP is too much $$, and does not work perfectly with FCS as yet). However, I was hoping for 4GB RAM in the new iMacs! Anyhow, if there are 2 slots available, how do they come up with 3GB?? Probably a 1GB stgick is soldered in, leaving you to get a 2GB stick (which is very pricy out there).

So:

1)Is the 1GB RAM that comes with the new iMacs ONE stick? Or 2 512MB sticks?

2)If it is a 1GB stick in a slot, is it *soldered in* or can one remove it?

Anyone else bummed about the 3GB RAM limit in the iMac? The most economical for me would have been the $1200 17" with the slightly better video card, but this 3GB RAM is just killing me...
 
That initial 1GB is probably soldered on the the board. This is what they did with the iBooks.

You *could* remove it if you had a solder sucker and a high degree of skill with an iron. But I definately don't reccomend trying so.
 
you cannot achieve full 4Gb because some of the video memory si mmapped into the physical address space by the chipset... it is a known limitation of the NAPA chipset (32 bit address space - I/O mapped space). even other vendors cannot achieve full 4Gb of physical ram... (until Santa-Rosa will be released with full 64 bit support)

3 Gb is 1x2 Gb + 1x1Gb no soldered...

bye
 
Wow, you're both right. I don't know where my math disappeared to. In any case, yeah . . .
 
alor said:
you cannot achieve full 4Gb because some of the video memory si mmapped into the physical address space by the chipset... it is a known limitation of the NAPA chipset (32 bit address space - I/O mapped space). even other vendors cannot achieve full 4Gb of physical ram... (until Santa-Rosa will be released with full 64 bit support)

3 Gb is 1x2 Gb + 1x1Gb no soldered...

bye
Click to expand...

Isn't there a NAPA64 chipset?

Which raises the question, which one is Apple using?
 
Thanks for the info... if however the limitation is due to NAPA 32 bit, then why is Apple using a 32 chipset for a 64-bit Merom? Seems unnecessarily limiting... makes me think that we're getting gypped on the whole 64 bit thing with this update... "yeah, it's 64-bit, but no it's not *really* 64-bit"... ugh...
 
so just to clarify ( sorry in advance ) there are 2 DIMM slots, meaning you have to buy a 2GB and a 1GB stick? Where can one buy the 2GB stick? Can I order it from OWC? since the ram they list for the imacs is the exact ram listed on the apple page.


how do you configure it to get 3GB? ( I'm thinking of selling my G5 tower that doesnt get used to its potential and getting one of these 24" imacs )
 
Have you thought that it might be a marketing reason, not a technical reason?

I'm guessing at the cost but imagine adding $1150 to a $1499 computer. It looks pretty expensive suddenly. $750 for the 3 GB configuration is about 50 % of the cost of the machine.
 
can't 32 bit systems support up to (and including) 4GB RAM?

And why would they be using 32 bit systems when the Core 2 Duo is 64 bit?
 
Scarlet Fever said:
can't 32 bit systems support up to (and including) 4GB RAM?
Click to expand...

yes, but to increase speed, the I/O subsystem is mapped into the physical address space of the ram, so videomemory, basic I/O etc steal addresses from thos 4 Gb...
if you put a 4Gb ram into it, the OS will see almost 3.4 / 3.6 Gb.

And why would they be using 32 bit systems when the Core 2 Duo is 64 bit?
Click to expand...

because the 64 bit chipset are not yet available from intel... santa-rosa will be the first full 64 bit platform... btw the chipset is not limiting the 64 bit of the processor. it is only a problem of addressable memory.

bye
 
alor said:
yes, but to increase speed, the I/O subsystem is mapped into the physical address space of the ram, so videomemory, basic I/O etc steal addresses from thos 4 Gb...
if you put a 4Gb ram into it, the OS will see almost 3.4 / 3.6 Gb.

bye
Click to expand...
Which is basically what Apple states in their memory install document for the iMac under -- what happens if I install 4GB of memory in my computer.

Without the technical jargon for the newbies ... aka, you'll only see 3GB.
 
hmm

heres another question....what about the ram itself. Like in my macbook/pro the computer likes 2 of each, aka, like 2 1GB sticks, or 2 512 sticks. Would it almost hurt to have a 2gb stick and a 1 gb stick??
 
CrEsTo said:
2GB sticks are way too expensive, been looking for one and they're around$600 USD...
Click to expand...

I found one today for £870. This is from curcial Uk website. Shocking
 
OldCorpse said:
Sorry if this was covered somewhere, but I read 200 posts before I ran out of time, and didn't find the answer at that point.

So, max RAM on the new iMacs is 3GB. I find that very disappointing, as I do a lot of editing and dvd authoring w/ FCS, and was really looking forward to buying a new iMac (MP is too much $$, and does not work perfectly with FCS as yet). However, I was hoping for 4GB RAM in the new iMacs! Anyhow, if there are 2 slots available, how do they come up with 3GB?? Probably a 1GB stgick is soldered in, leaving you to get a 2GB stick (which is very pricy out there).

So:

1)Is the 1GB RAM that comes with the new iMacs ONE stick? Or 2 512MB sticks?

2)If it is a 1GB stick in a slot, is it *soldered in* or can one remove it?

Anyone else bummed about the 3GB RAM limit in the iMac? The most economical for me would have been the $1200 17" with the slightly better video card, but this 3GB RAM is just killing me...
Click to expand...

Check out www.everymac.com to be sure of the memory configs your iMac supports. I've found that what Apple says is the max. ram possible isn't always the case.
 
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