6GB Ram for older iMac?

[emrebzdag]

Hi everyone this summer I add 128 gb SSD to my mid 2007 iMac and it's a best 36 dollar I ever spend! my machine work great with el Capitan. Photoshop, illustrator bit slow but work okay. I heard that my Mac can handle 6gb of ram, I already have 4. (2x2) and I think add more ram on it like 6. Is this necessary? Worth it? ( In my country these rams are pretty expensive..) If I add 6 gb ram adobe apps, safari can work better? Thanks…

 

[jerwin]

can you do multiple things at once with your imac? (my 2009 imac was unable to process video "in the background" when it had only 4 gb. After I installed 8 gb, video processing still took a long time, but at least I was able to do other stuff in the meantime. Of course, virtual memory did mean swapping to a hard drive. But macos can easily use use more than 4 gb.

Mactracker says that 6gb is the unofficial maximum for both mid 2007 imacs.

 

[MBAir2010]

remember illustrator was always run slow, and will always be slow.

 

[emrebzdag]

remember illustrator was always run slow, and will always be slow.

haha okay.
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can you do multiple things at once with your imac? (my 2009 imac was unable to process video "in the background" when it had only 4 gb. After I installed 8 gb, video processing still took a long time, but at least I was able to do other stuff in the meantime. Of course, virtual memory did mean swapping to a hard drive. But macos can easily use use more than 4 gb.

Mactracker says that 6gb is the unofficial maximum for both mid 2007 imacs.

reasonable, thanks. I think I am going to buy soon.

 

[Hrududu]

I dropped 6GB in my 2007 iMac and it was worth it. 4GB in one slot, 2GB in the other. Never have issues with RAM on it.

 

[MBAir2010]

so we could use more in one slot than the other?
some conglomerate recently advised against this, probably cash-deprived apple.
i might bet an 8gb stick and run 12GB on the mini in the future.

 

[NoBoMac]

Have you run Activity Monitor to check the memory pressure?

I'm running 6GB in a 2008 Mac: did not really notice much, if any, improvement. My SSD upgrade was a much more noticeable enhancement.

Running mismatched sticks (eg. a 2GB and a 4GB) will disable dual-channel, so, in theory, memory intensive processes might actually be a tad slower. But seem to recall a Tom's Hardware test where dual-channel only provided about 10% improvement. Basically, what Jerwin said in #2: some apps will/might not see any improvement, but might make other things a bit smoother.

 

[MBAir2010]

Have you run Activity Monitor to check the memory pressure?

I'm running 6GB in a 2008 Mac: did not really notice much, if any, improvement. My SSD upgrade was a much more noticeable enhancement.

Running mismatched sticks (eg. a 2GB and a 4GB) will disable dual-channel, so, in theory, memory intensive processes might actually be a tad slower. But seem to recall a Tom's Hardware test where dual-channel only provided about 10% improvement. Basically, what Jerwin said in #2: some apps will/might not see any improvement, but might make other things a bit smoother.

thanks,i will avoid a sticky situation and will stick with getting 2 sticks then!

 

[Guy Clark]

Max the RAM out to 6GB but if you are finding performance wanting with an SSD it is highly likely you have reached the limit of its capabilities. The 2007 iMacs aside from graphics issues were fine machines but long in the tooth these days. Move forward four years to mid 2011 and the iMacs are very capable with the excellent Quad Core i5 Sandy Bridge CPU, 512MB GPU and maxed out at 32GB RAM
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...inch-aluminum-mid-2011-thunderbolt-specs.html

One of the beauties can be picked up for as little as £350 plus £100 for the RAM upgrade (never buy RAM from Apple the cost is extortionate)

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

And even better a 2012 27"model with the big plus of USB3.

 

[mreg376]

And even better a 2012 27"model with the big plus of USB3.

The OP is asking about a 2007 iMac. I don't think telling him how much better a 5-year younger iMac is is going to help him.

 

[mj_]

It's funny how people quote prices for used Macs in their respective countries without even remotely considering the possibility that OP might be living in a country where computers either cost excessive amounts of money or are expensive compared to the population's average level of income. OP already stated that, and I quote, "In my country these rams are pretty expensive..". This makes me believe that he or she might not be living in an affluent rich Western country like the UK, the US, or any other first world country but somewhere else instead.

So tell me: how exactly is telling him to get a 5-year newer iMac from a completely different country going to help?

@emrebzdag It's hard to say whether or not your workflow is going to benefit from more RAM. If Photoshop is slow because you're running out of RAM (check the Activity Monitor to find out whether that's the case) then yes, increasing your RAM by 50% is certainly going to improve performance dramatically. There is, however, no point in getting 2x 4GB because your iMac is not going to be any faster with these than 1x 4GB and 1x 2GB: it is not going to run in dual channel mode anyway.

 

[pl1984]

So tell me: how exactly is telling him to get a 5-year newer iMac from a completely different country going to help?

It's all in the context from which said recommendation was suggested:

"Max the RAM out to 6GB but if you are finding performance wanting with an SSD it is highly likely you have reached the limit of its capabilities."

 

[emrebzdag]

Thank everyone for answering. After check activity monitor It's look like I don't need more ram. I think I need newer system
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It's funny how people quote prices for used Macs in their respective countries without even remotely considering the possibility that OP might be living in a country where computers either cost excessive amounts of money or are expensive compared to the population's average level of income. OP already stated that, and I quote, "In my country these rams are pretty expensive..". This makes me believe that he or she might not be living in an affluent rich Western country like the UK, the US, or any other first world country but somewhere else instead.

So tell me: how exactly is telling him to get a 5-year newer iMac from a completely different country going to help?

@emrebzdag It's hard to say whether or not your workflow is going to benefit from more RAM. If Photoshop is slow because you're running out of RAM (check the Activity Monitor to find out whether that's the case) then yes, increasing your RAM by 50% is certainly going to improve performance dramatically. There is, however, no point in getting 2x 4GB because your iMac is not going to be any faster with these than 1x 4GB and 1x 2GB: it is not going to run in dual channel mode anyway.

Totally! I am living in Turkey. even 2010's Macbook's-iMac's are cost of fortune here so "2012 27"model" just a dream for me