Fixed memory on these iMac pro units.

[hugodrax]

Wow, that is insane. Once you buy it, even RAM cannot be expanded in the future as your needs grow unlike the cheaper iMacs. This sounds hard to believe for a computer starting at 5K

This is from Ars Technica.

At the same time, it comes in the form of an all-in-one PC, and one that doesn't appear to have any user-accessible parts to boot (the RAM hatch present on regular 27-inch iMacs isn't apparent here, and Apple's spec sheet doesn't mention user-accessible memory).

 

[Zwhaler]

Not surprising. At least they offer up to 128GB. If you need expandable, wait for the Mac Pro next year.

 

[ActionableMango]

We are still in speculation mode. I'll point out that internal pictures show the RAM is socketed, not soldered. There must be some way to open an iMac Pro for repair. It might be difficult to open (suction cups and all that), but if the RAM is socketed it could be upgradeable once you use an iFixit-like toolkit to open it first.

 

[applepuree]

Still for a "pro" system, the ram, at least, should be user upgradeable. Shame its not by default.

 

[DearthnVader]

I wouldn't read too much into a rendering of a product that won't ship until Dec. I bet the iMac Pro comes with user upgradable ram.

 

[AidenShaw]

Not surprising. At least they offer up to 128GB. If you need expandable, wait for the Mac Pro next year.

I can get 128 GiB DDR4 DIMMs for Xeons, Apple should be able to match that.

Why not 512 GiB ??

 

[Zwhaler]

I can get 128 GiB DDR4 DIMMs for Xeons, Apple should be able to match that.

Why not 512 GiB ??

Because it's an iMac

If you need more than 128GB you probably shouldn't be getting an iMac anyway. It appears that Apple is finally opening up the top end of their computing line. The Mac Pro will be positioned above this one and hopefully the sky is the limit.

 

[flat five]

i'm about 100% positive you should be able to foresee your RAM needs 5yrs into the future.
maybe even 110% positive.
this ain't rocket science.. or any kind of science for that matter.
[doublepost=1496797509][/doublepost]

We are still in speculation mode. I'll point out that internal pictures show the RAM is socketed, not soldered. There must be some way to open an iMac Pro for repair. It might be difficult to open (suction cups and all that), but if the RAM is socketed it could be upgradeable once you use an iFixit-like toolkit to open it first.

yeah, it's probably swappable and will probably be swapped once these hit the used market in 3-4 years.
that said, it might be pretty tricky because it appears to be at the back of the computer.
when opening up the imac, you have to do it from the front.. so, glass first then (i think) you'll have to work your way through some other components prior to accessing the ram modules.

(but only basing this off of one picture so far.. i'm not even convinced myself on the matter so certainly not trying to convince anybody else.. just gabbing )

 

[AidenShaw]

i'm about 100% positive you should be able to foresee your RAM needs 5yrs into the future.
maybe even 110% positive.
this ain't rocket science.. or any kind of science for that matter.

And I'm 120% positive, to use Colonel Potter's line, you are full of "Horse hockey". (http://mash.wikia.com/wiki/Potterisms)

Only with the most banal workloads could you foresee your RAM needs a year into the future. Five years is nonsense.

I frequently get requests to double the RAM for servers or VMs. "I thought that 128 GiB would be enough, but I found this new app that builds an in-memory database and is ten times faster - so I need 512 GiB." I keep some servers with 768 GiB on the "spare pool" for the random "in memory" jobs that nobody planned for. I allocate them for a week or two for people who want to do quick-and-dirty in-memory crap.

We have several 72 core systems with 1 TiB of RAM. Just upgraded one of them to 2 TiB - it was getting "out of memory" errors. Looking at upgrading all three to 6 TiB of RAM....

I find it incredible that you'll claim the ability to project RAM needs five years into the future - when upgrading your software next week could increase your RAM usage by eight times.

Last year we had some spare budget at the end of a quarter - so I bought a TiB of DIMMs for our servers for random upgrades.

I'm down to 64 GiB of spare RAM.

 

[flat five]

i'm not talking about you (or people like you).. sorry but the vast majority of people who these computers at these forums are being built for could give a flying duck about some 80core server with 2givaflucks of ram.
you really don't recognize that, do you?


just talking to the banal creatives
[doublepost=1496801185][/doublepost]

I find it incredible that you'll claim the ability to project RAM needs five years into the future - when upgrading your software next week could increase your RAM usage by eight times.

that's baloney.
what software, exactly, are you talking about? and who, exactly, at this forum is using it?

 

[mattspace]

I have a computational photography app that uses 30 of my 48gb on its own, and I only use a fraction of its capability, and ability to consume resources.

 

[Marhowl]

The Ram looks socketed, but It looks like it would need a pretty large access door in the rear, and I don't see any. However, as it is written in very small letters at the bottom of the product page, every single thing shown and announced may or may not be subject to change until the product is released.

In any case, for anyone with enough skill and experience taking apart regular iMacs since 2012, the Ram upgrade would be a reasonably easy job. I imagine we would do it with "Bring your own ram sticks" + EUR 150-250 or sell a whole solution including labor + ram sticks for a price considerably lower than what Apple would charge at the time of purchase

 

[orph]

cant see why the imac cant split in half, have the entire front come off with the internals and just have the back as a back plate and stand part.
if they did that then user upgrades and dusting is possible.

>.< but for now it's just day dreaming, and im not getting one >.> id gess illl go hack when my 4.1 dies unless i make real bucks and need a write off