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Intel iMac: Easiest RAM install ever

So you purchased a new Intel-based iMac and now you want to upgrade its RAM? Well don't worry about it. According to Gear Live, it's easier than it has ever been on a Mac. The process amounts to no more than flipping the iMac over, opening a very small panel and inserting the chip. Now installing RAM on an eMac is pretty easy, but this looks even simpler. And to think of all the time I actually drew my own blood on a 7100.

Thanks, Andru!

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Hardware How-tos iMac

So you purchased a new Intel-based iMac and now you want to upgrade its RAM? Well don't worry about it. According to Gear Live, it's easier...
 

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YuKagi

I've picked up my 20" iMac, and I'm loving it, but of course, it needs more RAM. I ordered some from Newegg (Crucial), and I'm wondering if there is going to be a problem with it not being from apple? Will I run into problems in reliability? Warranty?

Thanks guys

February 07 2006 at 11:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tom

Jay and Chris,

Thank you both for the info, I'm def. a lot less worried about it now.

I can't wait till we have a whole lab of these speed demons ;-)

January 29 2006 at 12:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris K

Tom: If you ordered them with one DIMM installed, it will be installed in the OTHER DIMM slot, which is COMPLETELY buried inside the PC. i saw the instructions for upgrading THAT DIMM, and it's extremely involved. You have to take the entire chassis apart.

So, if you ordered it with, say 1GB on one DIMM (as I did), your easy-to-use second slot will be empty, waiting for a second DIMM.

January 28 2006 at 3:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jay

Tom:

There are companies who make various locks for iMac workstations etc (including securing the ram). By next year there will be the same for the intel iMac so you need not regret the purchase.

January 28 2006 at 2:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tom

Uh, this is really nice and all, it sure does make upgrading memory convenient, but...

1. Why in the world does it use SO-DIMM memory? Isn't it more expensive due to it's smaller size? I mean, I know the iMac crams a lot of computer into a little space, but I can't imagine that they couldn't fit normal RAM into it...

2. I work for the ResNet (residential networking) at my university, and we have decided to order about 40 of these computers for the computer labs next year. I am starting to get a bad feeling about the number of people who are going to try and steal the memory out of the bottom of the computers when no one is looking... maybe it's a bit TOO easy...

January 28 2006 at 1:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris Coleman

A bit on the eMac... yeah, it's easy... until you put the tilt and swivel stand on it. Luckily I bought the ram to put in mine before I even got the computer. To get the stand on, you have to use a tiny little allen wrench that they give you and stick the end into a hole, and hopefully you'll be able to hit the screw. Then, the wrench can only turn about a half turn before you have to take it out, reposition it, and start over. Needless to say, I'll be with 768 megs as long as the G5 in the next room doesn't spontaneously explode or anything.

January 28 2006 at 10:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marco

@jeff: the intel Mac uses 200pin SO-DIMM memory. So not the standard PC DIMMs, but laptop RAM. Actually it's identical to the macbook RAM.

I have to agree, swapping the standard 512 with the 2 Gig was a piece of cake.
I'm just wondering if there'll be any 2 Gig PC5300 SO-DIMM DDR2 Slices in the near future? That would max out the RAM in the iMac at 4Gigs!

January 28 2006 at 9:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Felix Ekman

This is just great, good work Apple!

http://www.technologysweden.com

January 28 2006 at 7:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Christopher

Wow, very impressive! I don't mind installing RAM in my desktop PC, but when I put some in my iBook I felt like a bumbling neurosurgeon, luckily I didn't break anything.

January 28 2006 at 1:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Graham

My iMac G5 is exactly the same process, except it uses 240-Pin DDR2 (PC2-4200) memory. It took me longer to figure out what the little circle things inside the memory cover were than it did to install the memory.

January 28 2006 at 12:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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