More Memory or faster processor?

Hi, Im interested in buying a Macbook soon and have a question. Which setup would give me better performance?
1)
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB Memory
2)
2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB Memory
Everything else is exactly the same. Thanks in advance

Hi jtp861,
I prefer faster processor over more ram, because the processor is fixed, while ram you can upgrade anytime.
Also with 2.16 model you also get dual layer dvd burner that will come handy if you need to back up your iTunes library and your other data.
And if you purchase 2.0 with 2 gb of ram directly from apple, it considered as built to order item, and apple will not accept return on BTO order.
Better upgrade memory yourself.
Good Luck.

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Can my old iMac be upgraded for more memory and higher processor speed?

I admit it - I'm not a computer geek. I don't know much about how they work but am proficient in using them. I have an older model iMac. The specs are:
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.16 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM61.0093.B07
SMC Version (system): 1.10f2
System Version: Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549)
I get the SBBOD all of the time no matter what. I've tried all of the suggestions to resolve that issue but they don't work. Even when only one program is open at a time it does it. The speed of getting anything accomplished has been dramatically reduced over time. All of my software is up to date. All I need to know is, if I take my iMac to an Apple store, can they upgrade the RAM or whatever is needed to make the SBBOD go away and make things work faster? Sorry for sounding like a dummy here but I'm really not interested in how it works, just that it does work.
Thanks for any help you can give!

I did the etrecheck as suggested and here is what it came up with. Does anything look suspect?
EtreCheck version: 1.9.15 (52)
Report generated August 22, 2014 10:07:43 PM CDT
Hardware Information: ?
iMac (24-inch, Late 2006) (Verified)
iMac - model: iMac6,1
1 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
1 GB RAM
Video Information: ?
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT - VRAM: 128 MB
iMac 1920 x 1200
spdisplays_display_connector
System Software: ?
Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Uptime: 0 days 12:43:21
Disk Information: ?
Hitachi HDT721032SLA380 disk0 : (298.09 GB)
S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified
- (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 200 MB
v (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 297.77 GB (48.61 GB free)
USB Information: ?
Micron Built-in iSight
Microsoft Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop® 2.10
Brother HL-2270DW series
EPSON EPSON Scanner
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Kernel Extensions: ?
[not loaded] com.olympus.CamBlockCommandsDeviceUP (3.1.0 - SDK 10.6) Support
Launch Daemons: ?
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
[not loaded] com.deploystudio.lkdc_fix.plist Support
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
User Launch Agents: ?
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support
[failed] [email protected]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist Support
User Login Items: ?
Garmin Express Service
iTunesHelper
EEventManager
Music Manager
Internet Plug-ins: ?
DirectorShockwave: Version: 11.5.7r609 Support
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 Support
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.6 Support
AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin1017265: Version: AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin 1.0.17 Support
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
Silverlight: Version: 4.0.51204.0 Support
Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6
NP_2020Player_IKEA: Version: 5.0.94.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.07 - SDK 10.6 Support
CouponPrinter-FireFox_v2: Version: Version 1.1.6 Support
GarminGpsControl: Version: 4.1.0.0 Release - SDK 10.7 Support
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.2 - SDK 10.6 Support
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version
Safari Extensions: ?
AdBlock
Pin It Button
Add To Amazon Wish List
iTunes Plug-ins: ?
Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.2
User Internet Plug-ins ?
fbplugin_1_0_3: Version: (null) Support
npBcsMcTcIO: Version: (null) Support
BrowserPlus_2.9.8: Version: 2.9.8 Support
CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.26 Support
3rd Party Preference Panes: ?
BrowserPlus Support
Flash Player Support
MusicManager Support
Time Machine: ?
Time Machine information requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or later.
Top Processes by CPU: ?
      1% WindowServer
      0% WebProcess
      0% LaunchCFMApp
      0% fontd
      0% ps
Top Processes by Memory: ?
244 MB WebProcess
134 MB Safari
35 MB WindowServer
28 MB Garmin Express Service
22 MB DashboardClient
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32 MB Free RAM
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276 MB Inactive RAM
154 MB Wired RAM
560 MB Page-ins
346 MB Page-outs

IMac 2012 (December) more RAM or faster processor?

I will buy a 21.5 iMac. Basic user: web, MS Office documents, some photo editing, burn DVDs. Maybe light video. I tend to keep my computers a long time (current Mac is the half dome from about 8 years ago).
Question: for the most bang for the buck, and long term use, is it worth adding more RAM (8 to 16) or upgrading the processor (2.7 to 2.9)?
Or just keep the basic model?
Unlike previous questions like this, the 21.5 Macs don't let you add RAM later. I get conflicting opinions from Mac store.

IMHO if you intend to keep the machine a long time in order to get the best performance and most futureability I'd recommend getting the i7 21.5" with 16GB and get the 1TB Fusion drive. The 2012 21.5" iMacs are not designed to be user upgradeable for anything however OWC (www.macsales.com) sells a RAM upgrade kit. It takes skill to do the upgrade and will probably invalidate the warranty but it's possible.
IMHO I'd buy the upgrades from Apple at the point of order. You can purchase the above (i7, 16GB, Fusion drive) configuration from Apple's online store, I doubt the brick and mortar store would carry it.

Two External Displays & More Memory & Faster HDD

Hello fellow HP Laptop users I own an EliteBook 8540w and am wondering a few things about how to best upgrade this box. Detailed specs of the box are as follows. CPU Type: Mobile QuadCore Intel Core i7-740QM, 2100 MHz (16 x 131)
Motherboard Name: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 8540w
Motherboard Chipset: Intel Ibex Peak-M QM57, Intel Clarksfield
System Memory: 8119 MB (DDR3-1333 DDR3 SDRAM) DIMM1: Samsung M471B5273CH0-CH9 4 GB DDR3-1333 DDR3 SDRAM (9-9-9-24 @ 666 MHz) (8-8-8-22 @ 609 MHz) (7-7-7-20 @ 533 MHz) (6-6-6-17 @ 457 MHz) (5-5-5-14 @ 380 MHz) DIMM2: Samsung M471B5273CH0-CH9 4 GB DDR3-1333 DDR3 SDRAM (9-9-9-24 @ 666 MHz) (8-8-8-22 @ 609 MHz) (7-7-7-20 @ 533 MHz) (6-6-6-17 @ 457 MHz) (5-5-5-14 @ 380 MHz) Video Adapter: NVIDIA Quadro FX 1800M (1 GB) Monitors:Ideally I would like to hook up two Dell 2412M. Is this possible or do I need to look out for something specific when connecting the monitors?I assume I can connect one monitor over the VGA connector and the other monitor over the DisplayPort connection, right? Memory:Ideally, with the monitors I would also love to upgrade the System Memory to at least 16GB or if possible 32GB. Can this be done? What memory would I need for that please? Could someone please be so kind to clarify in a detailed manner what memory I could use to upgrade and what memory I should avoid since it won't fit from the technical specifications point of view? It would be great to have this info so that when I browse the many types of memory I have a few pointers to what I can actually buy and what will actually fit inside the box. HDD:I know that more memory is only good with a HDD that has solid transfers rates, so I am thinking of upgrading that as well, but at this stage that is not a must.The HDD I have now is this one.I assume the height of the HDD is the key factor here, so not so many restrictions on the HDD, is this correct? I could get a SSD as well as long as the height is fine, right? Sorry for the three in one question. I figured better ask this all in one question rather than spread it out over three questions. If this is not OK I am happy to spread this out over three questions. So basically you see I am trying to upgrade this box that I use purely for work.No gaming, no video editing!Some simple graphics editing (Illustrator, Sketch, etc), office work (MS Office) and coding for web development (WAMP, Ruby, etc).Using VirtualBox for various OSs and that works well, however it could all work just a bit smoother and faster. If you have any tips or tricks or anything related to how I can get the max out of this box I am all ears. Thank you for your help and time. Best RegardsW9Y

Start here.

Which is better, faster processor or more ram?

Hello all!
I'm planning on upgrading from my 1.33Ghz g4 ibook with 512mb of ram to a new macbook, because Logic Express 7 and Final Cut Express 3.5 don't run very well on my current system. Because of money constraints, I'm limited in what features I can afford, so I'd like some advice from other mac users. In having to choose between getting an entry level macbook with 2gb of ram, or the mid-level macbook with only 1gb of ram, which would you think might handle these two applications best?

Hi skipgo,
welcome to macbook forum.
I would go with the faster processor, not only the processor is fixed and not upgradeable, you also got bigger hard drive and superdrive that will be crucial for backing up big files on dvd (4 gb) or dual layer dvd (8 gb) and or burn your project into dvd from your FCE using iDVD.
And memory is tend to go cheaper each day and relatively easy to upgrade it yourself compare to built to order 2 gb memory in entry model at apple store.
And remember that apple will not accept return on BTO model just in case you decided to return it within their 14 days grace period.
Good Luck.
ps: beat by Mike with the same advise.....

Why these features aren't avaiable on iphone?Internal radio,Bluetooth(work with any mobile),Memory slot,Better internal memory( 512 MB),Fast processor,21Mbps HSDPA,Big display(feel da real experience of IOS)Will the next iphone resolve these issues ?

Why these features aren't avaiable on iphone yet ?Internal radio, Bluetooth(work with any mobile), Memory slot, Better internal memory(>512 MB), Fast processor, 21Mbps HSDPA, Big display (feel the real experience of IOS) Will the next iphone resolve these issues ?

For the same reason my car hasn't got in-dash satnav, leather upholstery or a six litre engine. Because that's how the manufacturer chose to make it. If you are unhappy with the specs, don't buy one.
There is no information regarding any new iPhone.

What are the best UK sites for buying more memory for iMac?

Here is the info on my current imac:
Mac OS X version 10.5.8
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 1 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
I want to get myself more memory for my type of imac, like 6GB worth. I want to buy from a UK website so I only have to pay minimal postage fees. What are the best sites for this?

Crucial:
http://www.crucial.com/uk/
Lifetime warranty, very reliable, fast service and very helpful.
(No, I don't work for them!)

SSD vs more memory ?

Hi,
I am juggling with the idea of buying a laptop: MB Air vs Pro ? The only caracteristic that I feel limiting is the fixed memory on the MBA. But after second thought, I am wondering if the SSD drive does not compensate the fact that the memory's limit ?
What I mean is that if memory is limited, the computer will access more frequently the SSD drive used as virtual memory. Because the SSD is faster does that fully compensates the memory's limit ? Is SSD speed access as fast as RAM memory access ?
Regards.

Going back to your original comment, the Air is faster in common tasks than a standard MBPro with tons of ram, simply due to the SSD.
So you're right in thinking a MBP with an SSD is the best of both worlds.
As for the difference in processors between the i5 and the C2Duo, it's not that drastic unless you're doing some sort of processor intensive task such as encoding video, etc.
The other thing to consider is the newer models also have faster sata buses, so that might impact the maximum throughput of your SSDs.
In the real world, you probably won't notice a huge diff on the i5 vs the C2duo though.. so it comes down to how much you'd save by going for the C2duo.
Also realize that you're getting more than just a processor upgrade with the different models.
If you're spending $150-500 on a nice SSD, another $100-300 on the faster i5 might be a worthwhile investment.
Your call though.
As a side note: I switched from a standard C2duo 15" MBPro 2.5ghz to a 11" MBair and loved it. I'm now on a 13" i7 macbook air and am extremely happy with the performance.

How do I get more memory on my IMAC .I have 1 GIG and to run LION you need 2 GIGS?

How do I get more memory on my IMAC .I have 1 GIG and to run LION you need 2 GIGS?

Depends on the Mac; what model and processor is it?
 > 'about this Mac' > 'more info'
In the first section (hardware overview) post this info;
Nothing below that is reqd, especially not the serial number.

Do I need more memory on my iMac (Mid 2011)?

First and for most I want to make sure that I'm addressing the correct problem that's why I am asking a question that appears to be asked by many people on here. I mainly use my imac 27" to produce music (I use Logic and a LOT of plugins and instruments) and well I always get the following message:
I hate it because I get it everytime Logic reaches a point where a lot of instruments and sounds come in (It's annoying and ruins my work flow). I usually just have logic and chrome open, bc I close everything else to help my situation.
I bought my iMac thinking it would be faster than any laptop and I now realize that it doesn't matter if it's a laptop or a desktop but rather the memory it has and other things included. Anyways what would all of you recommend? What would be most useful to change? Would it just be adding memory (increasing the 4GB)? Thanks for your time!!
<Image Edited By Host>

I would just like to add to what everyone else said about 4GB really not being enough for doing much of anything. Even Safari and Mail can easily run up to the limit.
If you are running up against the memory limit, your computer will start doing what is known as "thrashing". On an OS like iOS, too much memory simply causes running apps to be killed. On Windows and OSX, if you try to use more memory than what is available, the computer will start to use a disk cache as if it was memory. It will try to put the "older" items in memory to the disk. If you need to access that memory, the OS needs to load it back from disk. The problem is that the disk is about 20x or more slower than memory. When your computer is thrashing, it will seem like it is not working at all.
If you are not running against the memory limit, then adding more memory will do absolutely nothing to improve performance. If you are running against the limit, you will be amazed at how much faster your computer will run with the extra memory.
As far as adding memory goes, as others have said, you need to add them in matched pairs. Also as other have said, the 2011 iMac secretly supports 8GB ram cards. (check OWC at macsales.com and they will confirm).
My advice would be to buy two 8GB cards ($109 at OWC) and add them in addition to your two 4GB cards. That will give you a total of 20GB. 20GB is TONS of memory and I am 100% sure that should be plenty for you. More is almost definitely overkill. You could almost definitely get away with adding 2 4GB cards for $50 as well (this would triple the memory you currently have), but memory is getting really cheap, and is a great way to "future proof" your computer.
If you want to see what your computer is doing, try looking at "Activity Monitor". If you start it up, sort the processes by "Real Mem" and you can see which processes are using the most memory (some of the processes will have cryptic names, but you should be able to tell most of them).
Also, click on "System Memory" at the bottom. Look at the "Page Ins" number ... if it is large, that means that you have been running into memory issues and having to "page in and out" memory to / from disk. You can also see what your processes are using currently. I forget exactly how OSX classifies the memory in each category, but Free is memory that is totally free, and "Wired" is memory that is in use. Active is basically memory in use, and Inactive is memory that is not really being used and can be made available for other processes, but I believe its being kept around in case the process that last used it decides it wants it back.

How do I add more memory to my Imac, I only have 1GB of memory and need 2GB to download Yosemite!

How do I add more memory to my Imac, I only have 1GB of memory and need 2GB to download Yosemite?

Janet,
This is why the question rkaufmann87 asked about your model is so important:
[click chart to enlarge if needed]
The list covers the early iMacs with Intel processors that shipped with either OS 10.4 or 10.5 and have only two RAM slots. As you can see, some have limits to what version of OSX you can install. If the step rkaufmann requests does not narrow down your model, you can do one more thing.
While the "About this Mac" window is open, click the "More Info..." button at the bottom of that window to get this (assuming you are really running OS 10.5.8 as shown in your profile):
The code I've indicated with the red arrow corresponds to the codes in the second column on the chart. Post the code your computer reports--again don't post a serial number.
If your iMac shipped with only 1GB RAM, I fear it is one of the earliest models that cannot be upgraded all the way to Yosemite.

Is my system DV7t-3300, or DV7t Quad Edition? And how to add more memory to it?

Dear forum,
I have an old notebook computer bought back in March 2010. It's a DV7t series. As it's getting slowly, I'm thinking of adding more memory. However, I'm not sure how much memory the motherboard can support for the upgrade.
I'm stuck with the first step, which is to decide the model number (and then motherboard) of it.
My original order email states the following:
YOUR CUSTOMIZED HP PC
dv7t quad edition
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Quad Core processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.8 GHz
• FREE Upgrade to 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) from 3GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 320M - For i7-720QM and i7-820QM Processors
• 17.3" diagonal HD+ High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1600 x 900)
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
• Webcam Only
• Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
• HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner
• HP Color Matching Keyboard
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• No Modem
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
However, the bottom of the notebook computer has a label that specifies the following:
Pavillion dv7
Serial: omitted
Product: WH764AV
Model: Q dv7t-3300.
I visited some memory buying website like 'crucial.com'. However, I was prompted to select the model and there were both dv7t-3300 CTO and dv7t Quad Edition. Unfortunately, they resulted in different kinds of memory (although the specs of the sugested memory modules seem to be the same, these two memory modules have different model numbers).
So, what model number my system has? 3300 CTO or Quad Edition?
Perhaps a suitable model number would tell me which motherboard this notebook has. Additionally, can anyone advice me about on how much memory my notebook can support (8GB or 16GB) maximum?
Thanks a lot!
Cruiser

Hi,
Max is 8Gb using the following manual:
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01859666.pdf
And from the following site:
https://www.ramcity.com.au/upgrade/hp-compaq/pavilion-dv7-series-notebook/dv7t-3300-cto/73893
The above manual shows you how to add/replace RAM. Looks like you have to buy 2 x 4Gb sticks.
Regards.
BH
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Can I add a faster processor to my mac book pro early 2011

I am looking to either increase ram or better still if I can afford it, put in a faster processor, my laptop is quite slow....and with more than two programs open, it can sometimes grind to a halt....
thanks

Have a look at OWC and Crucial for your RAM and SSD upgrade if you wish.
Going through Apple for the RAM will cost you more than what OWC and Crucial are selling it for.
SSD is like a hard drive with no moving parts. ( basic explaination ) Performs faster than your average hard drive.
SSD can come in either internal or external (via enclosure), in your case however, it's best to get an internal one for you MB.

What is the best External Hard Drive for a Macbook Leopard 10.5.8? I need more memory for documents, pictures, videos, and music. Thanks!

What is the best External Hard Drive for a Macbook Leopard 10.5.8? I need more memory for documents, pictures, videos, and music. Thanks!

Hi, does your MacBook have Firewire, or just USB?
FW is far faster if you have that.
Avoid Bus powered ones.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB
USB only...
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/usb/eliteclassic

Should i put more memory in my powerbok?

Hi all
My Powerbook (which I really enjoy using) has little memory something like 4GB left should I install more memory from an apple authorised dealer or use an external hard drive?
Thanks
Appleboy10

For clarity of discussion, memory is the 256MB SDRAM that you have. Hard disk space is the 20GB hard drive you have (a formatted hard drive always has less available capacity than the advertised space).
First off, you need more memory. While 256MB is the minimum to run OS X Tiger, you really need at least 512MB at a minimum, and 1GB, which is the max your machine can have, would be great. Consider Crucial, Kingston (not their valueram line), or Samsung as memory suppliers. Two 256MB memory strips, for example, run $41 each at Crucial (or £25 each, with VAT, in UK). You could also put in one or two 512MB memory strips too.
If you want more hard disk space, you can upgrade your hard drive to more capacity and a faster drive, which will speed up disk operations. You can buy a drive yourself and take it to someone like an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or just take your sytsem in and have them install whatever hard drive brand they use.
Another option would be to not upgrade your internal drive, rather, buy a fast external drive, and use that as your primary drive. It would have to have a firewire 400 connection, so you could boot your system from it. An example of what you could use can be seen at http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/on-the-go where a 60GB to 80GB 7200rpm drive costs around $135-$140 (about £70). Doesn't have to be physically larger, and some external drives are larger (especially if they use a 3.5" drive inside). If you go this route, your existing internal drive could then become your backup drive.

More Memory or faster processor?

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