IMac 24" Performance/Ram

Question

Hi. I'm running a G5 2.0 w/2 gigs of Ram, ALS version about 11/2 yrs old and still runs great. Though totally solid and smooth in its operation, Its starting to feel a little slow now, especially since I like to use both Aperture and CS2. I also use FCE and FCP here and there for some video editing on work projects. I believe this 24" model would be a great upgrade and I would expect much snappier performance. I'm quite cognizant about the performance hit CS2 takes. But if it is an issue, I will just boot XP and use that version.
The question is, because of the cost of the 2 gig stick of ram, I was thinking of just going w/2 gigs to start. As 2 gigs has been quite adaquate for the G5, can I expect about the same on the Intel Mac? I looked at Crucial (for instance) and their 2 gig chip is significantly more than Apples which is quite rare. I suppose if I swap later to fill up the ram I can sell a gig of ram. So will 2 gigs of ram serve as well on the new iMacs as it has on the G5 with the thought that when prices drop, I will look at getting the "big" stick of ram to hit the 3 gig max. Also, my understanding is that the 3 gigs would come in handier when the OS switches to Leopard. Though then of course, we are going to want 4 gig:) In fact, the only thing I would hold out from upgrading now is that Apple will go with a different board that allows more than 3 gig in the near future. I believe the current iMac is artifically limited by choice. But then, that would be speculation as to what the future brngs and we can't have that. But, would the 2 gig work?
Thanx in advance for your answers.

Answer 1

You don't want any less than 2 GB right now. But don't buy third party memory, if you plan to get a new iMac. Apple charges such a competitive price that you will end up paying more by purchasing memory from a third party. It is no longer like the old days when Apple had ridiculously high prices for the extra memory that everyone knew was required.
As for 3 GB, it would be helpful for some users, not all of them. At the current time a 2 GB module is just not worth its cost, however. Even getting it directly from Apple costs several hundred dollars. If you buy it from a third party, you will end up paying nearly as much as the iMac itself. Crucial charges about $1,500 with tax and shipping for a 2 GB module. The bottom line is that everyone will have to wait a year or two for the price of 2 GB modules to come down to a reasonable price, such as $150.
If you are planning to wait for an affordable iMac that can handle 4 GB or more, then you will have a very long wait indeed. The new Core 2 Duo is much faster than your old G5. This is the perfect time to upgrade.