How much RAM?

[Bill Gates Jr.]

I have a total of 4GB (2x2GB) Ram on my EMC 2429 iMac. Two of the four memory slots are empty. OWC says I can put a max of 32GB (4x8GB). The little handbook says 16GB max, What is the max. amount of RAM I can install? Also, can I add 2x4GB of RAM to the empty slots and keep the other lots at 2GB? Should I go for the maximum memory? Cost is not an issue.

 

[Slydude]

If OWC says the Mac is 32 GB they are probably right. Apple's information is based upon the highest density chips that were available at the time the machine was developed. If higher density chips that fit the machine have been developed since then that would explain the difference.

The Mactracker application agrees with OWC, I'll let others chime in on whether add 2 x 4 GB to those two slots will work. I think it will but I'm not sure.

Increasing the memory above 4 GB is probably a good idea.Just how much going all the way to 32 GB will make much of a difference will depend upon what you do with your computer, which applications you run regularly, and how many applications you have open at one time.

 

[Bill Gates Jr.]

I'm not a gamer. Manage my stocks and IRAs, some email, read news, Have Hoyle Card games I play occasionally, Planning to burn DVDs from my Canon VIXIA HFR400 and pictures from my older Canon A620 digital camera. Got a lot of slides I need to scan into the computer to put on DVDs. Probably burn some songs to CDs once I get to downloading them from iTunes or transferring them from my CDs or computer files. Not into copying movies. I just wait till they get on TV or HBO.
I probably don't need 32 GB. Maybe another two 2GB might be enough. Haven't had any problems with running programs, not that I have a lot of them to run.

 

[pigoo3]

I probably don't need 32 GB. Maybe another two 2GB might be enough. Haven't had any problems with running programs, not that I have a lot of them to run.

If you're going to go to the trouble of upgrading the ram…upgrade to at least 8 gig total (add 2 x 2gig sticks).

- Nick