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Upgrading Memory on my iMac
Onewing
Member #6,152
August 2005
avatar

I'm looking to upgrade the memory in my iMac. I've got 8 GB installed (two 4 GB sticks) with two empty slots. I'm using a 27-inch, late 2012 model. Based on what I see here, I need the following in the memory sticks I purchase:

Use Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Modules (SO-DIMM) that meet all of these criteria:

  • PC3-12800

  • Unbuffered

  • Nonparity

  • 204-pin

  • 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM

I have a gift card to Newegg, so I'm planning to get the memory from there. I haven't done this before, so I'm just double checking to see if there is something I'm overlooking. Hate to purchase something and it be wrong.

This Crucial 16GB DDR3L 1600 looks like it might be good, but it says "PC3L" instead of "PC3" and it doesn't have anything about "nonparity".

Would love some advice. 8-)

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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
avatar

I've had zero problem with any RAM I've ever bought. I tend to find the cheapest and go one level higher than that.

Keep in mind that you can buy the same RAM "speed" and yet have a higher or lower "timing" RAM--the number of cycles of latency to access memory.

But... the performance difference between the top and bottom is practically nothing... so again... buy whatever is cheapest.

I've got 32 GB in my AMD computer. I'll give a full 8 GB to a Windows 10 VM without thinking twice. RAM is great! Good luck!

edit WAIT. DDR3L should be a lower voltage DDR3. That's probably what your laptop needs. Just confirm it.

-----sig:
“Programs should be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.” - Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
"Political Correctness is fascism disguised as manners" --George Carlin

Onewing
Member #6,152
August 2005
avatar

So the "L" in DDR3L (and I assume in the "PC3L" as well) means "lower voltage?" I did a quick google search to see if that'd be a problem and didn't find anything conclusive. NOTE: this is for an iMac, not a laptop.

What does the "nonparity" requirement mean? Of all the products I've found, none mention anything about parity or the lack thereof. :D

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Solo-Games.org | My Tech Blog: The Digital Helm

Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
avatar

Nobody uses parity (except servers) AFAIK.

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/ram/errParity-c.html

-----sig:
“Programs should be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.” - Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
"Political Correctness is fascism disguised as manners" --George Carlin

Onewing
Member #6,152
August 2005
avatar

Thanks, Chris. Helpful information, got me thinking.

I ended up going to Crucial's website which had a form that I could verify the memory is compatible. I should be good to go!

[Edit]
Got the memory installed, easy peasy. Worked like a charm. Loving it!!! 8-)

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Solo-Games.org | My Tech Blog: The Digital Helm

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