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3 or 4GB of RAM?

E

Ellen

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 3, 2007
297
34
I bought a 20" iMac last Nov. and am very happy with it. At the time I upgraded the RAM to 2GB, but I wonder now if I should have gotten more. Will it really boost performance, or just help with graphic intensive programs?

I realize that I would have to replace both modules if I want to go to 4GB, so I was wondering if 3 GB is an option? Any thoughts would be appreciated. I was pricing the RAM out at Crucial, and the 4GB set is about $86. Thanks.
 
It really depends on what applications you want to run. As you have had the computer for a year I assume it is simply an upgrade for performance rather than necessity? If so then the 1 GB extra (assuming you upgade from 2GB to 3GB) is not going to affect you much at all.) No doubt because you know your computer isn't at it's potential optimum level your mind will add lag time.
 
Yes it would be an upgrade for performance. Often I have a couple of things running at once, including a few Safari windows and music, but I am seeing the beachball every so often which got me wondering. Maybe that has to do with Time Capsule, since it backs up every hour. I am also considering getting a TV tuner.
 
Ellen said:
I bought a 20" iMac last Nov. and am very happy with it. At the time I upgraded the RAM to 2GB, but I wonder now if I should have gotten more. Will it really boost performance, or just help with graphic intensive programs?

I realize that I would have to replace both modules if I want to go to 4GB, so I was wondering if 3 GB is an option? Any thoughts would be appreciated. I was pricing the RAM out at Crucial, and the 4GB set is about $86. Thanks.
Click to expand...

It all depends on what apps you are going to be running.

And yes you can go to 3GB that's what all the iMacs run in my local Apple Store.
 
Thanks correct me if I am wrong, but I thought there were benefits to having a matched pair rather than 1 + 2?
 
ram

you will get better preformance if the ram chips are the same size. I have 4 gigs in my macbook 2.4 and i saw a big difference on everything i do over the factory 2 gigs. just be sure to kep the old ram in case you have to send the computer in to apple. try newegg.com i got my 4 gigs from there in march and i believe it was even cheaper than that.
 
Thanks, I decided to buy the 2x2 from Crucial. My sister has an iMac and Macbook that I suspect came with 1GB each, so maybe she can use my leftover memory to upgrade. I just need to confirm they take the same RAM since they're slightly older models.

By the way if I need to have the computer repaired why would I have to put the old memory back in? I have Apple Care but I didn't think they prohibited third party RAM.
 
You don't have to put the original memory back in. Just write a little note about the RAM upgrade, though. And note the scratches. :)
 
I'm running a 2.16 GHz processor with 3g RAM and I find it handles everything I want do with ease. I do alot of music editing, recording. I quite often have Sound Studio 3, Audacity, Garageband, Toneport Gearbox, a Browser and iTunes all going and I have no problems.

I think you would only need 4g RAM if you were doing some serious video editing
 
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