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I'm thinking to upgrade memory on my iMac 27 3.2 GHz core i5 [late 2013]. It has currently built-in 8GB [4GB x 2] RAM. My questions are:

1] Can I upgrade RAM by simply adding 16GB [8GB x 2] in two empty ram slots? Or is it necessary to have 4GB x 2? Does it have to be 4GB... won't work with 8GB module? Is it that all modules have be with same capacity? Can I make it [4GB x 2 - built-in] + 8GB x 2 - to be added] 24 GB?

2] Does memory module designed for i7 work in i5?

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You can upgrade your iMac with 2 x 2 GB, 2x 4 GB or 2 x 8 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 1600 MHz modules. If you buy a pair of identical modules and install them in one bank you will benefit from memory interleaving. The first bank are slot 1 and 3 which already are occupied by the Apple OEM modules. The second bank are slot 2 and 4.

Memory modules aren't designed for the marketing name of a processor but for a system architecture. The six generations of ix-processors (i3, i5, i7) support at least seven different types of modules (but every generation only a subset of the listed):

  • DDR3-800
  • DDR3-1066
  • DDR3-1333
  • DDR3-1600
  • DDR3-1866
  • DDR4-1866
  • DDR4-2133

Some ix-processors even support ECC-modules.

In Mac models the memory modules are usually interchangeable between the i5 and the i7 variety of a particular machine (e.g. iMac14,2 i5 and iMac14,2 i7).

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  • Thanx klanomath for detail answer. Now I got it. I really helped.
    – user3032
    Oct 18, 2015 at 11:37
  • And klanomath, I can see made year in product name [e.g. late 2012]. Will there be any issue if I buy and install that RAM in my iMac [late 2013]?
    – user3032
    Oct 19, 2015 at 16:00
  • @user3032 Check the modules themselves! Usually they have a paper sticker with the specs on the front or back . Or visit www.everymac.com and lookup the specs of the machine there.
    – klanomath
    Oct 19, 2015 at 16:09
  • Hi klanomath. I haven't bought it yet... so no question of seeing paper sticker. I saw that make year of iMac [late 2012] in product name like this: 6GB kit ram for Apple iMac 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 (27-inch, Late 2012). So I wonder if it works well for my iMac [late 2013]. Does that specified year make difference?
    – user3032
    Oct 20, 2015 at 10:37
  • @user3032 The type of RAM is the correct one: 1600 MHz PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM SO-DIMM. Both iMacs i5 (late 2012) and i5 (late 2013) use the same type. But I would stick with a 2x4GB or a 2x8 GB kit. A 6 GB kit doesn't make much sense: it's probably one 2 GB and one 4 GB or 3x2 GB module(s) which prevents memory interleaving.
    – klanomath
    Oct 20, 2015 at 10:47
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  • Yes, you can mix and match memory modules with different capacities with no problems. My own late 2009 iMac is currently running with two of the 2GB modules it came with and two 8GB modules, for a total of 20GB. However, for the best performance you should "pair" the modules, and make sure you have two identical modules in adjacent slots.

  • There's no such thing as memory designed for an i7 or i5. What you need are 204-pin PC3-12800 (1600 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM modules, which can be used with either an i5 or i7 CPU.

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  • Thanx Patrix for detail answer. Now I got it. I really helped.
    – user3032
    Oct 18, 2015 at 11:35
  • And patrix, I can see made year in product name [e.g. late 2012]. Will there be any issue if I buy and install that RAM in my iMac [late 2013]?
    – user3032
    Oct 19, 2015 at 16:00

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