Memory upgrade for iMac (mid 2007 aluminum)

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi, I'm planning to get the newest iMac and put 4G of RAM into it. But I'm trying not to get it from Apple (price!). It is understood that Macs are very particular about memory spec (SPD). Is it safe to use name branded memory (e.g. Kingston) and ensure that the machine will boot up ok?



Thanks in advance.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    l33r0yl33r0y Posts: 94member
    Go on spec, not by brand.
  • Reply 2 of 63
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Most of them are offering Mac-compatible dimms,
  • Reply 3 of 63
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l33r0y View Post


    Go on spec, not by brand.



    Ture. Where can I a detailed spec? Tried apple.com and certainly they don't go any deeper than "Non ECC", etc.
  • Reply 4 of 63
    Download the users manual from the support area.



    It states DDR2 PC5300 SO-DIMM if I'm not mistaken. Same sticks as the Macbook Pro. CL5.
  • Reply 5 of 63
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by l33r0y View Post


    Download the users manual from the support area.



    It states DDR2 PC5300 SO-DIMM if I'm not mistaken. Same sticks as the Macbook Pro. CL5.



    Oh yup, that too. It's things like CL5, etc. that I was trying to get at. So something like this that i found from Kingston.com should work yeah:



    KVR667D2S5/2G

    Description: \t2GB 667MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 SODIMM

    Detailed Specifications: \tStandard 256M X 64 Non-ECC 667MHz 200-pin Unbuffered SODIMM (SDRAM-DDR2, 1.8V, CL5)
  • Reply 6 of 63
    Try this. It says it's compatible with intel iMacs, and you can get 4 GB for about $250 shipped. Not a bad deal at all.
  • Reply 7 of 63
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bobmarksdale View Post


    Try this. It says it's compatible with intel iMacs, and you can get 4 GB for about $250 shipped. Not a bad deal at all.



    Thanks!
  • Reply 8 of 63
    Thanks everyone!
  • Reply 9 of 63
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Danny Lin View Post


    Thanks everyone!



    Hi All.



    I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new 24" 2.8 iMac, and am going to order a memory upgrade to bring it to 4GB. One thing have me puzzled though, usually the memoryspeed and the systembus go together, but in this case Apple specifies the memory as 667 MHz even though the systembus is at 800 MHz. Can this introduce a bottleneck in the system or dosen't it matter?



    Cheers



    Roos
  • Reply 10 of 63
    l33r0yl33r0y Posts: 94member
    It's not unusual for them to be mismatched.
  • Reply 11 of 63
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Roos DK View Post


    Apple specifies the memory as 667 MHz even though the systembus is at 800 MHz. Can this introduce a bottleneck in the system or dosen't it matter?



    The "System Bus" is more commonly referred to as the FSB (Front-Side Bus). With the new Macs, the FSB runs @800 MHz and the Memory Bus run @667 MHz.



    The CPU (in this case a Core 2 Duo) does not connect directly to RAM. Instead, it connects to a chip on the motherboard called a "northbridge". It is the northbridge that connects to RAM. The Core 2 Duo to northbridge connection is the FSB, and the northbridge to RAM connection is the Memory Bus. As l33r0y said, it's not unusual for the clock-speeds to be mismatched.
  • Reply 12 of 63
    Thanks! Will go ahead and order the memory. iMac is still in the "prepared for shipment" state. Hopefully it wont be long :-)
  • Reply 13 of 63
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bobmarksdale View Post


    Try this. It says it's compatible with intel iMacs, and you can get 4 GB for about $250 shipped. Not a bad deal at all.



    Are all memory sticks with the same specs equally good? I checked out Crucial and Kingston. Their 2GB sticks were about the same - $150 - what Apple charges for 1GB. The PNY that you pointed out was about $125 for 2GB. Would the cheaper PNY be "cheaper" in quality?



    A couple of years back, I took my G4 tower to the Apple Store because it wouldn't sleep. It would start to and then ramp back up again. The 'Genius' said the problem was because the extra memory was not Apple memory. It problem turned out to be an inverter in the Apple display. Luckily, still under warranty; the repair was free except it had to be sent back to Apple. I got it back in about 2 weeks or so. What a horrible feeling. I had to use a PC while I was waiting. Fortunately, I had bought the extended warranty. Five years ago, the 22" Studio display was around $2500.



    I got off track. Sorry. Was the 'Genius' right? Does the manufacturer matter? What memory manufacturer does Apple use or does it make its own? Bob, I don't expect you to answer all these questions, but maybe other AI members can.
  • Reply 14 of 63
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Well, here's what I do, and been doing for many years. I don't try and match the specs. Any memory that is a well-known brand and whose site has a widget to let you choose the Mac model is almost guaranteed to be the best bet for getting the correct memory. Now among those you can pick the best deal. I usually go with Crucial, Ramjet or OWC.
  • Reply 15 of 63
    i belive apple uses samsung memory. at least it has on the macbook and powerbooks i have previous upgraded
  • Reply 16 of 63
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lundy View Post


    Well, here's what I do, and been doing for many years. I don't try and match the specs. Any memory that is a well-known brand and whose site has a widget to let you choose the Mac model is almost guaranteed to be the best bet for getting the correct memory. Now among those you can pick the best deal. I usually go with Crucial, Ramjet or OWC.



    Thanks Lundy,

    OWC is the least expensive. The following is from OWC site:



    Other World Computing (OWC) announced the immediate availability of 1, 2 and 4 GB memory options for the new iMacs on Wednesday. All models of the iMac are supported.



    The 1.0 GB upgrade module is priced at US$49.99, the 2.0 GB module at US$115.99, and the 4 GB module (2 x 2 GB modules) is priced at US$229.00. All configurations are immediately available.



    Additional savings are also available for customers who take advantage of OWC's trade-in program, which provides $25 cash back for the trade-in per each Apple 1 GB module.



    OWC memory modules are backed with a money back guarantee and OWC's Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty.



    Of note is that Apple quotes a price of US$850 to upgrade to 4 GB, and there is no rebate on the unused memory.
  • Reply 17 of 63
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jonnyboy View Post


    i belive apple uses samsung memory. at least it has on the macbook and powerbooks i have previous upgraded



    Every mac i've owned used samsung memory, every mac I've upped the ram with, I didn't use samsung memory. Specs not brand is import, get a decent cheap brand and good specs
  • Reply 18 of 63
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking View Post


    Every mac i've owned used samsung memory, every mac I've upped the ram with, I didn't use samsung memory. Specs not brand is import, get a decent cheap brand and good specs



    Welcome back. Thanks for the input. You and Lundy have convinced me. OWC is the best buy at $229 for

    4 GB. Or 2GB at $116.



    I'm not sure that 4GB is optimum. Bootcamp, with Vista, can only read 3GB. That may mean there are other

    areas where 4GB may not be optimum. Would it be better to go with 3, see if that's good enough, and then replace the 1 , that the iMac comes with , with a 2GB at a later date? Oh hell, It's only a few bucks more. I might as well go for broke.



    I had intended on getting the Mini, but now decided on the iMac 2.4 24". Twice as much $, so why quibble over additional RAM. As you can see, I've been talking to myself and have talked myself into it.
  • Reply 19 of 63
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sequitur View Post


    I'm not sure that 4GB is optimum. Bootcamp, with Vista, can only read 3GB. That may mean there are other

    areas where 4GB may not be optimum. Would it be better to go with 3, see if that's good enough, and then replace the 1 , that the iMac comes with , with a 2GB at a later date? Oh hell, It's only a few bucks more. I might as well go for broke.



    If you can, you may as well go with 4 GB, as having two equal modules installed allows the RAM to run dual-channel, which doubles the peak memory bandwidth.
  • Reply 20 of 63
    sequitursequitur Posts: 1,910member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    "System Bus" and "Memory Bus" are synonymous. What is different here is the FSB (Front-Side Bus), @800 MHz and the System Bus, @667 MHz.



    The CPU (in this case a Core 2 Duo) does not connect directly to RAM. Instead, it connects to a chip on the motherboard called a "northbridge". It is the northbridge that connects to RAM. The Core 2 Duo to northbridge connection is the FSB, and the northbridge to RAM connection is the system bus. .



    Thanks. For years, I've wondered which was which.
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