There may be people who want to sell their original 8GB. There is no reason for incompatibility.
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Memory upgrade compatibility list for iMac 2019-2020
- Thread starter pldelisle
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I’m torn. On the one hand, I’ll be upgrading RAM once mine arrives so I wouldn’t mind selling the stock RAM, but I also like to hold onto it in case I need service (wouldn’t want Apple blaming my problems on 3rd party RAM). Ugh, decisions, decisions.
I know, but if I had an issue and had to send it to Apple, they could say, “3rd party RAM is causing your problems”. Sending the iMac back to Apple with stock RAM eliminates this possibility. I had a very bad service experience with the Apple store when my iMac G5 had capacitor for issues. They told me it was the quality of power to my house that was causing issues (while never having been to my house to analyze said quality). After convincing Apple to do an in-house repair (for the low cost of $169 to buy AppleCare even though my iMac was only 9 months old), it turned out to be a bad power supply due to the crappy Nichicon capacitors that affected many different devices in the 2004-2005 time period. Here’s a fun primer on the capacitor drama: https://www.badcaps.net/index.php?pageid=causes
So, to make a long story short, I wouldn’t send a problematic device back to Apple for repair with non-Apple parts, because that could easily become and out for them (even though this violates the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act).
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If not mixing DRAM chip origins, this is very unlikely. If you mix original with aftermarket RAM then some problems might come up.
Regarding the Crucial CT2K16G4SFD8266 modules, these modules are still being recommended for the Mac mini 2018.
They can still be found on Amazon and usually come around a bit cheaper.
The new revision is now CT2K16G4S266M. These have the exact same specifications as the older model except they are lead free, halogen free and Mac rated.
Both models should work as intended as @imac2020 has been able to attest.
They can still be found on Amazon and usually come around a bit cheaper.
The new revision is now CT2K16G4S266M. These have the exact same specifications as the older model except they are lead free, halogen free and Mac rated.
Both models should work as intended as @imac2020 has been able to attest.
Yeah exactly. That’s why it still work. I would have been very surprised if this kit didn’t work.
I took a chance and bought the 2x32GB 2666 Kit before my iMac even shipped. The iMac arrived yesterday and the HyperX kit is working fine as a replacement for the original 2x4GB. I did not test the original RAM + HyperX together. I found that both the OEM 8GB and my Kingston HyperX have Micron chips.
Apple has/had multiple RAM suppliers.
Micron
SK Hynix
Elpida (They were bought by Micron)
Samsung (Rarely used anymore)
Apple seems to strictly use Toshiba for their NAND in their SSDs and mobile devices.
They were using Samsung in the iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) and in the iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019).
The 21.5-inch is still using the same parts, so you can assume they are using the Samsung SSPOLARIS PCIe SSD Blades.
If anyone wants to sell me their 2 original sticks of RAM, I'm interested. I think for what I do, I could add it to mine and be fine. But, I guess it would have to be the exact same supplier that is in my new 27" iMac or it wouldn't work?
Yeah. Post the part number of the RAM your iMac got so someone who is interested could sell the same modules.
This is what I have of anyone is selling theirs. Thank you.
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Crucial 2x32gb CT2K32G4S266M, was hard to find in Norway. Any norwegian having any tips? I contacted a norwegian shop, $460, and that without vat.... $309 at Crucial, but I guess I need to pay more at the customs anyhow.
Have any order to Norway from crucial? The country is not listed, they said it may be because the page is under update. But i fear its because of our new vat law. Try again in a couple of days, they said...
Have any order to Norway from crucial? The country is not listed, they said it may be because the page is under update. But i fear its because of our new vat law. Try again in a couple of days, they said...
I bought these, worked fine in my iMac:
Whoever said those memory sticks were for Windows only are wrong.
This part is 100% compatible with
Mac mini (2018)
www.crucial.com
Crucial just have another one they would like to sell you instead, that they have tested specifically with the new iMacs.
If you can choose, sure, buy the official ones when they are available here in Norway. If you don't want to wait though, the ones available at the moment works fine in my new iMac and probably will in yours as well.
This part is 100% compatible with
Mac mini (2018)
Crucial 32GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM | CT32G4SFD8266 | Crucial.com
Buy Crucial 32GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM CT32G4SFD8266. FREE US Delivery, guaranteed 100% compatibility when ordering using our online tools.
Crucial just have another one they would like to sell you instead, that they have tested specifically with the new iMacs.
If you can choose, sure, buy the official ones when they are available here in Norway. If you don't want to wait though, the ones available at the moment works fine in my new iMac and probably will in yours as well.
So I made a stupid decision and bought 32GB (2 16GB sticks) from Apple when I bought the machine. Now after a couple weeks use I am noticed I really could use 64GB (I'm noticing I'm tipping into 'swap' memory in my work flow). I'd like to take advantage of the stock apple ram I purchased, and upgrade it, but the lack of compatibility I'm reading about has me concerned about buying aftermarket ram when mixing it with stock (dual channel and speed).
Any thoughts from anyone on this conundrum. I really assumed I'd be able to add ram later. Any chance new ram further down the line might be compatible? was this an issue with the 2019 machine?
I think you are out of luck :/
You best luck if you want to keep your RAM is to buy another 32 GB kit directly from Apple, and ensure that it’s the very same DRAM maker that you currently have. If it’s Micron chip, ensure the Apple RAM comes with Micron chip.
Question is, can you even buy stock ram from apple for the iMac? I see it listed for the Mac Pro under Mac accessories, but nothing for iMac.
Buy 4x16GB sticks from Amazon, and make sure it says "Free Returns for any reason," and try them out and see if it really does improve your workflow speed.
If it does, keep them and sell the Apple sticks (which may have significant value to someone else in the same situation).
It it doesn't, return them and live with the 32GB Apple sticks.
MacOS is remarkably efficient with managing memory, especially with a fast SSD for swaps, and compressing memory.
I would not be surprised if 32GB is good enough.
The worst would be to spend a lot more to get 64GB Apple RAM and discover it makes little real difference.
If it does, keep them and sell the Apple sticks (which may have significant value to someone else in the same situation).
It it doesn't, return them and live with the 32GB Apple sticks.
MacOS is remarkably efficient with managing memory, especially with a fast SSD for swaps, and compressing memory.
I would not be surprised if 32GB is good enough.
The worst would be to spend a lot more to get 64GB Apple RAM and discover it makes little real difference.
I plan not to use the included 8gb RAM, and plan to purhcase 2x32GB 3200mhz RAM. Are there any 3200mhz RAM that is confirmed to work? Do you get the increased performance benefit, or will the system downscale it to 2666mhz? If so, I rather just purchase the 2666mhz 2x32GB. @pldelisle
According to this source you'll benefit from 3200mhz, but I don't know if it's in MacOS or Windows/Bootcamp?
According to this source you'll benefit from 3200mhz, but I don't know if it's in MacOS or Windows/Bootcamp?
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Bad idea. Nothing confirmed to work at that speed.
No. The iMac, if it successfully boot from this, will likely downclock the RAM anyway.
Way better and safer idea.
Weird that video... Maybe it works, but nobody tried it yet on this forum.