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iMac RAM upgrading

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Chanon Pongpanich

Chanon Pongpanich

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Hi, now I have the new 21.5" iMac [2012] with 4GB of ram [2*2GB]. I'm thinking of upgrading to 8GB right now. My question is that if I buy just 1 4GB ram and put it in will it work? Or will I need 2*2GB? And, what brand you do recommend and does it has to be special one for Mac?

Thanks
 
Chanon Pongpanich said:
Hi, now I have the new 21.5" iMac [2012] with 4GB of ram [2*2GB]. I'm thinking of upgrading to 8GB right now. My question is that if I buy just 1 4GB ram and put it in will it work?
Click to expand...
Yes, that will work fine. Having matched RAM gets you a few percent extra in memory speed. Not really worth worrying about.
Chanon Pongpanich said:
And, what brand you do recommend and does it has to be special one for Mac?
Click to expand...
Only get RAM that the vendor has cleared for use in Macs. One often recommended source is OWC (aka macsales.com) but there are other reputable vendors whose names escape me for the moment. The brand is less important than the vendor because the vendor is the one that makes sure a specific RAM module really fits the specifications needed for your Mac.
 
Go into System Profiler tool and see what you currently have for RAM. 99% sure you have 2x 2GB so if you want 8G, you will need to remove the existing 2 sticks and replace w/ 2x 4GB.

edit: didn't notice the 2012 iMac. That probably has > 2 slots (like most of the old ones). If so, you can just add 1x 4GB stick.

Get your memory from macsales.com or crucial.com
 
Howard Moftich said:
Go into System Profiler tool and see what you currently have for RAM. 99% sure you have 2x 2GB so if you want 8G, you will need to remove the existing 2 sticks and replace w/ 2x 4GB.

edit: didn't notice the 2012 iMac. That probably has > 2 slots (like most of the old ones). If so, you can just add 1x 4GB stick.
Click to expand...
Just checked with Mactracker, only the 27" iMacs have four slots, thus you really need two 4 GB RAM sticks to get to 8 GB.
 
noirdesir said:
Howard Moftich said:
Go into System Profiler tool and see what you currently have for RAM. 99% sure you have 2x 2GB so if you want 8G, you will need to remove the existing 2 sticks and replace w/ 2x 4GB.

edit: didn't notice the 2012 iMac. That probably has > 2 slots (like most of the old ones). If so, you can just add 1x 4GB stick.
Click to expand...
Just checked with Mactracker, only the 27" iMacs have four slots, thus you really need two 4 GB RAM sticks to get to 8 GB.
Click to expand...
Not correct. All iMacs since late 2009 have 4 slots. From mid 2010 and on they can use 8GB modules and on have max of 32GB memory.

There may be one exception. The late 2011 21.5" iMac with a 3.1Ghz core i3 CPU which only is available for sale to educational institutions. MacTracker says is has 2 slots but everymac.com says its got 4. I don't know what is right.

None of them has a 2012 iMac listed.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/index-imac.html

Peter
 
My iMac has 4 slots and 2 are fitted with 2GB RAM.
noirdesir said:
Chanon Pongpanich said:
Hi, now I have the new 21.5" iMac [2012] with 4GB of ram [2*2GB]. I'm thinking of upgrading to 8GB right now. My question is that if I buy just 1 4GB ram and put it in will it work?
Click to expand...
Yes, that will work fine. Having matched RAM gets you a few percent extra in memory speed. Not really worth worrying about.
noirdesir said:
And, what brand you do recommend and does it has to be special one for Mac?
Click to expand...
Only get RAM that the vendor has cleared for use in Macs. One often recommended source is OWC (aka macsales.com) but there are other reputable vendors whose names escape me for the moment. The brand is less important than the vendor because the vendor is the one that makes sure a specific RAM module really fits the specifications needed for your Mac.
Click to expand...
What you are saying, noirdesir, is that it is more important to go to the trusted vendor as they can help to find the one that is most suitable for my Mac in term of BUS speed number of pin and etc. right?
 
Chanon Pongpanich said:
noirdesir said:
Chanon Pongpanich said:
Hi, now I have the new 21.5" iMac [2012] with 4GB of ram [2*2GB]. I'm thinking of upgrading to 8GB right now. My question is that if I buy just 1 4GB ram and put it in will it work?
Click to expand...
Yes, that will work fine. Having matched RAM gets you a few percent extra in memory speed. Not really worth worrying about.
Chanon Pongpanich said:
And, what brand you do recommend and does it has to be special one for Mac?
Click to expand...
Only get RAM that the vendor has cleared for use in Macs. One often recommended source is OWC (aka macsales.com) but there are other reputable vendors whose names escape me for the moment. The brand is less important than the vendor because the vendor is the one that makes sure a specific RAM module really fits the specifications needed for your Mac.
Click to expand...
What you are saying, noirdesir, is that it is more important to go to the trusted vendor as they can help to find the one that is most suitable for my Mac in term of BUS speed number of pin and etc. right?
Click to expand...
Exactly.
(And Crucial was the other vendor whose name had escaped me.)
 
I consider you to check what ram brand you have at the moment, some folks says that having the same brand of ram helps for better communication. Myself upgraded from 4 to 12 ram adding 8gb crucial ram and to be honest I don't see to much difference.
Best
 
nonsense. the maker of the DIMM != maker of the RAM chip (other than maybe Crucial).

And the same DIMM maker contracts for multiple chip vendors.
 
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