512MB enough RAM for iMac 20" - DJ use?

[Angelus520]

I'm getting the 20" iMac and will break it in this weekend for a DJ gig running MegaSeg software controlling access to 12,000 songs (100 GB) stored on the iMac hard drive.

Is 512MB of RAM enough to run that and iTunes just for this gig? I'd like to run it as is this weekend and then upgrade when I have more time.

I DJ'd a gig a couple of months ago with my PowerBook with 512MB of RAM. I'd just upgraded to 10.3.9 and got a bunch of spinning beachballs which caused audio glitches. Not good through a loud PA. It ran fine before the OS upgrade.

 

[JupiterTwo]

Yeah I'd think that'd be fine aslong as you're not taxing it with anything else at the time. Things like Safari and Mail can be a bit of a memory hog, so quitting the before you begin would help.

I ran my iMac with 512 for a week before I upgraded, it was ok, but the extra gigabyte I put in certainly helped for running lots of apps at once.

 

[Angelus520]

Thanks. I'll just be using those two apps for this so I'm glad to hear it should be fine. Next week I'll stick an extra gig in it from OWC when I have more time to open it up and play around with it.

 

[7254278]

If its a live gig I wouldnt like to mess up so I wouldnt do it withou atleast 768mb.

 

[vouder17]

IMO i wouldnt risk using less than 1GB RAM. The iMac can handle everything really well. The iMac is a workhorse, but an essential upgrade is that of RAM.
PS: if i was you i would consider looking into other DJ software like Traktor DJ Studio 2.6.2. They are releasing a new version in November. It works alright with Macs and it has some nice features.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

id go with at least a gig of ram, maybe more if you can afford it

 

[Abstract]

What's wrong with just sticking with the Powerbook? Surely it's easier than using an iMac. Just get more RAM. You're a "professional," no?

 

[mad jew]

I have a very similar G5 iMac that I use for a bit of music stuff. You may as well get the full 1GB, it's a pretty good compromise between cost and performance IMO. 512MB would not really suffice.

 

[tremewan]

Extra RAM for an iMac

Yeah I'd think that'd be fine aslong as you're not taxing it with anything else at the time. Things like Safari and Mail can be a bit of a memory hog, so quitting the before you begin would help.

I ran my iMac with 512 for a week before I upgraded, it was ok, but the extra gigabyte I put in certainly helped for running lots of apps at once.

I'm considering purchasing my first-ever Mac and am interested in one of the 2.1 GHz 20" iMacs. My main concern, however, is the fact that this latest generation comes with only one memory expansion slot (whereas I believe the previous version had two). If I order from the Applestore UK (online) with an upgrade to 1.5 Gb RAM, will they a) put a bigger unit in the fixed slot, leaving the expansion slot free OR b) simply put an extra 1Gb module in the extra slot, leaving me no room for further expansion? If the latter, I might as well just order a 1Gb unit from Crucial, put it in myself, and save nearly sixty quid!

 

[mad jew]

tremewan, there is a 512MB chip which is not removable meaning that if you get more RAM, you only have the one slot to play with. As such, if you get 1.5GB only the 1GB chip can be removed and replaced, the 512MB will have to stay put.