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Can we install 6 gig into the 2009 IMACs?

J

jetpack1976

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 17, 2009
10
0
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anybody have concrete info about the ram upgrade for the 2009 imac. I bought the 24" model which the 4 gig ram config. The cost for the 8 gig ram option was way way too ridiculous. I scouted around and found that OWC and other manufacturers are now beginning to offer the 2 x 4gig ram option at around $700.00 which I still find to be too expensive.

I was just curious if I can buy just one piece 4 gig and mix with the existing 2 gig ram? If not, can i buy just one piece 6 gig ram and slot into the first slot. Will the mac boot up with only one slot of ram and will OSx recognise the 6 gig ram?

I have been checking around in the internet but apparently nobody knows for sure. Any comments in this would really be helpful.

Of course i know if i wait patiently for another 6 months or so, the ram price would fall dramatically. I am a heavy user of photoshop thus I am getting desperate for additional ram. 8 gig would be wonderful but I believe that 6 gig would be sufficient.

Thanks for all your help;)
 
I have a question about the allowed RAM also. I know that the iMacs use 200 pin SODIMM RAM. Would I be able to install a single 4 GB DDR2 SO-DIMM chip into one slot, and use the default 2 GB in the other? For instance, would this:
http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT51264AC667

Work? Crucial.com's "Memory Advisor Tool" acts as if the new iMacs don't allow for up to 8 GB. I'm unsure of where I could get a single 4GB stick that would work in the new iMac 3.06ghz system.

Thank you :)

BTW, I tried searching the forums for something along this, but I was getting so many results, I didn't want to go through pages of threads, so I'm sorry if this has been asked hundreds of times before. A link to another thread would be helpful.
 
brop52 said:
200pin is DDR2. The new iMacs use DDR3-1066 PC3-8500 with 204 pins. Yes they can use 8GB just fine. Unless you really need 8GB right now I'd recommend against it due to the cost. Here is a single 4GB chip for $369.99 at OWC. If you want 8GB it is $729.99 at OWC. Or you can find 8GB for $699.99 at Newegg but no guarantees it will work.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the information! It was really helpful. I will probably wait a while until the price goes down before I decide to upgrade the RAM.
 
OldMike said:
I don't believe anyone makes a 6GB chip.

I do believe that 4GB + 2GB will work fine in the 2009 iMac.
Click to expand...


Hi OldMike, my bad, saw the 6gig configuration offer at OWC website, didn't read properly that it consist of a 2 gig and 4 gig ram config.

Anybody have any comments about losing the dual channel ability. I understand that if two ram sticks of ram configuration are different, you will lose the dual channel ability of the DDR rams. Any thoughts on this.

I am still pondering very hard on this ram upgrade, the 2 gig ram stick and the 4 gig ram stick price difference is horrendous. Anybody have any website to recommend if they had run any test to see the cost improvement with the additional ram above 4 gig? I really hope to get some facts before plunging in and pay $369 for what is effectively a 2 gig ram upgrade (i.e. existing 2 gig ram with a 4 gig ram stick).

Thanks guys for hearing my moaning about this issue.:confused:
 
Don't waste your money. It is all dependent on what you are doing with the machine and Photoshop won't let you use more RAM because it is 32 bit in Mac OS X. The general advice is that you won't notice much of a difference unless you at least double the amount of RAM with three times the amount being better. If you can wait, just hold off on upgrading right now. The 2GB chips dropped tremendously in price since October (140 to 65). Plus by the time Photoshop is updated again perhaps you'll be able to use all of that RAM.
 
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