What RAM to buy for iMac?

I am upgrading this year's Tier 2 model:
Configure - Apple Store (U.S.)

It currently has the 4gb of RAM. Apple store quoted me $870 to buy 16gb of RAM off them!! Ridiculous. However, I am curious if there is a special mac or imac RAM I do indeed need to purchase for this? And any suggestions where I can find this cheaper online? (I'm sure there are many places) Thanks!

p.s. looking for 4x4gb

edit: to clarify, bought this imac back in June, so I already own it, looking to install the RAM myself

Go to either OWC or Crucial for ram:

- OWC
- www.crucial.com

- Nick

Thanks so much.

Are you kidding me!? $50 for 2 sticks of 4gb?

How the heck is this possible when Apple wants to charge $200 for the same at their store lol

(edited: price)

Tennyson said:

Thanks so much.

Are you kidding me!? $50 for 2 sticks of 4gb?

How the heck is this possible when Apple wants to charge $200 for the same at their store lol

Click to expand...

Exactly...we tell folks this ALL THE TIME!!!

- Nick

Much, much appreciated

Tennyson said:

Much, much appreciated

Click to expand...

You're very welcome...visit often!

- Nick

The guy at the Apple store when I was shopping around for my new iMac even told me NOT to buy RAM from them!

^^ Gotta love the Apple sales reps. They tell it like it is lol.

Micro Center is even cheaper. They sell 4 gig sticks for $17.99. I even still have the box to prove it!



I asked the guy why it was so cheap (I didn't want to buy something that would break in a week) and he said that it was Micro Center brand and it's cheap because they manufacture and sell it. I've had the sticks for a while now and no issues. Everything runs silky smooth. If you have a local Micro Center store in your area, I recommend driving there and picking them up. It's cheaper than OWC and you get them immediately.


But yeah,

iMacs take (if its a new one) 1333 MHz DDR3 SO-DIMM memory. It's the same memory laptops use. Make sure it says PC3-10600 somewhere on the box just to be sure.

Also, don't fall for the gimmick "Mac certified memory". There is no Mac RAM and there is no PC RAM. There's just RAM. A lot of times brands will throw "Apple/Mac certified" on the box just to be able to charge a few bucks more.