How much RAM ?

robert blu

robert blu

quiet photographer
Local time
2:24 PM
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
7,800
Location
Italy
View My Gallery
Planning to update my computer system and thinking after many years of pc to go back to mac . I say go back because of my age I can say Ithat almost 30 years ago I was proud owner of the first mac (128 K !) . Anyway my question is : the i-mac is sold with 1 G ram, which can be upgraded to 2 G or max 3 . Will 2 be enough to work a 16 BIT scan from a 35mm slide with a software like elements ? or lightroom ? Or should I go for 3 (much more expensive !). Or should I think of a MacPro (even more expensive of course) but with almost no limit for future upgrading ? it seems me PS elements 4 for mac work 16 BIT images: is it correct ? CS seems me too expensive for the non professional use I'll do.
thank in advance if anyone can share his experience, ciao
robert
 
More RAM...to a point

More RAM...to a point

Robert,

2 G RAM should suffice for any editing application. Unless you have multiple applications running while you are editing your slides (mail, streaming music, weather applets and the like) 2 G of RAM should be plenty. As for software requirements, Aperture is the only one that "requires" a minimum of 1G RAM to install, much less run.

Also, don't forget that more RAM can also increase the need for more hard drive space (used for "swap file" space) unless you manage that manually. iBooks will typically have slower processors and RAM and smaller hard drives than the Pros...one reason they are more affordable.

I would also encourage you to look to Apples refurbished section...There you can find a MacBook Pro (Intel or not for the CPU) at a decent discount. I've purchased both iPods and a Pro notebook from them and have had zero issues. I added a gig of RAM from a vendor on eBay and everything runs smoothly.

If you stay with Windows, then XP should suffice as an operating system...Vista has a learning curve, high demands on the CPU and RAM (compared to previous operating systems) and is really not ready for prime time....perhaps after Service Pack 1 comes out, but then again, that will only patch what should have been fixed before MS shipped Vista.

Either way, 2 G of RAM should have you scanning and editing without issues...you can always add more when it is more affordable.

Cheers and Good Luck,
AJ
 
I can process 16 bit tiffs from a 6mp cam easily with 1gig of ram but the next mac book I buy will have 2gig, why because if I work on a large 35mm scan it slows down slightly, I will be startng to work on med format and large format scans (part of my degree). On the other hand had you thought of a mac book (pro?) with a good monitor? it gives you the advantage of portability and theres not much of a performance hit.
 
I use an Imac G4, the white dome flat screen type. 1.25 Ghz and added RAM to a total of 1.5 GB. It runs CS2 and Iview media pro perfectly. Never crashes which is more than can be said of my Win xp setup !!!
I also use my 1.33 G4 ibook with 1GB RAM to do exactly the same. Works perfectly.
All I would say is that IMHO it is difficult to get a laptop screen to calibrate for colour well. Desktop however is spot on. If I where buying another or when my Imac packs up I will buy a new IMac Desktop with intel and 20 inch built in flat screen and have 2GB ram in it.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...6024001/wo/3J4MSm4vrqeg2JFO4yM1fAh7S5X/2.?p=0

At the risk of offending windows users( and I use both systems) go with Mac. Much easier and unless you spend a lot of money on a screen the standard Mac screens win hands down.
PS dont buy mac memory(too expensive) get it from Kingston or Crucial and fit it yourself. Very easy and does not invalidate warranty.
All of the above just my opinion🙂
 
nobbylon said:
I use an Imac G4, the white dome flat screen type. 1.25 Ghz and added RAM to a total of 1.5 GB. It runs CS2 and Iview media pro perfectly. Never crashes which is more than can be said of my Win xp setup !!!
I also use my 1.33 G4 ibook with 1GB RAM to do exactly the same. Works perfectly.
All I would say is that IMHO it is difficult to get a laptop screen to calibrate for colour well. Desktop however is spot on. If I where buying another or when my Imac packs up I will buy a new IMac Desktop with intel and 20 inch built in flat screen and have 2GB ram in it.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...6024001/wo/3J4MSm4vrqeg2JFO4yM1fAh7S5X/2.?p=0

At the risk of offending windows users( and I use both systems) go with Mac. Much easier and unless you spend a lot of money on a screen the standard Mac screens win hands down.
PS dont buy mac memory(too expensive) get it from Kingston or Crucial and fit it yourself. Very easy and does not invalidate warranty.
All of the above just my opinion🙂
Click to expand...

Hes right Ive spent the last year and a half using a good windows laptop :bang: , Now im looking at buying a new macbook I kept my last power book for 4 years and hell do I miss it😡 . Go mac its the way forward
 
Ok, thanks to all of you. 'm interested in the Mac with Intel processor. What I noticed so far is that 1 GB has a cost, 2 GB a not too much higher cost, but 3GB has a much much higher cost ! This is the reason for which I'm asking if 2 GB could be enough. I do not run multiple session, if I edit I switch on my radio and listen to the music, or I chat with my wife who is looking at television ! I'll let you know where I'll go on.
I'll look also for Finston or Crucial memory.
ciao e grazie, robert
pS I'm using windows at work, but in my computer life, after the famous Sinclair (my real first computer) an apple 2 was my first computer ! Probably time to go back to the origin !
 
As others have said, the price of memory from Apple has most always been way over the market price. A US retailer has the 3gb kit for the intel iMac for about $180 (LINK).

I would also recomend that you get an external hard drive if you buy an iMac or laptop. You can use it for file storage, and as a scratch disc for Photoshop.

Take care,
Michael (a 512k Mac owner)
 
After a long thinking and many doubts I went for the i-mac with extended RAM and Lightroom, in the hope to be able to organize my scanning in a decent way ! May be I'll add PS Elements 4 for mac (not sure if it supports the 16 BIT files from my scanning) for some more specific adjudtement, but from preliminary view it seems lightroom has enough "development" possibilities for a general use.
thanks everybody for suggestions.
robert
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom