How to Determine if iMac (previous gen.) can take 6 GB RAM

[The UnDoug]

Hello,

I have a previous generation (Penryn processor) 24" iMac which shipped with 2 GB of RAM. Apple indicates that the max RAM is 4 GB, but I've read here and elsewhere that it can, in fact, take 6 GB (a 2 GB stick, and a 4 GB stick).

In doing some Googling, though, to confirm this, I couldn't get a clear answer as to whether or not every model can take the 6 GB, or if it's only certain ones.

Can anyone tell me if there's some way to know for sure before I spend the money?

OWC folks, do you know?


Thanks!

[mattkime]

even if it can it wouldn't be cost effective.

sorry, otherwise my MBP would have 6GB

[STL]

says 4GB at this link
http://www.everymac.com/

[The UnDoug]

What do you mean, mattkime? Why wouldn't it be cost effective? It'd cost less than $100 to go to 6 GB. Are you saying the machine wouldn't actually benefit from 6 GB any more than it would from 4 GB?

[mattkime]

where is this sub $100 4GB chip?

[pinkoos]

My 24" 2.8GHz core duo extreme iMac can take 6GB unofficially, but the last time I checked with our sponsors, the price of a 4GB chip and a 2GB chip is around $170 or so.

[jdc]

if you check the OWC site, it will tell you what you can take or not... i think you are limited to 4 -- it was the previous models that do 6 -- but still $180 like pinkoos said (which is actually cheaper than i paid for my 4 gigs when i first bought my imac...)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac

[Blankity Blank]

jdc wrote:
if you check the OWC site, it will tell you what you can take or not... i think you are limited to 4 -- it was the previous models that do 6 -- but still $180 like pinkoos said (which is actually cheaper than i paid for my 4 gigs when i first bought my imac...)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac

I'm confused on this too. Unless I'm missing something, the link above lists only the recent 2009 models as being able to support more than 4GB. Does anybody have a link to a vendor site listing a previous generation iMac as accepting, even unofficially, 6GB of RAM?

Thanks.

[pinkoos]

Blankity Blank wrote:
[quote=jdc]
if you check the OWC site, it will tell you what you can take or not... i think you are limited to 4 -- it was the previous models that do 6 -- but still $180 like pinkoos said (which is actually cheaper than i paid for my 4 gigs when i first bought my imac...)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac

I'm confused on this too. Unless I'm missing something, the link above lists only the recent 2009 models as being able to support more than 4GB. Does anybody have a link to a vendor site listing a previous generation iMac as accepting, even unofficially, 6GB of RAM?

Thanks.
I think what OWC is saying on that link is the "officially supported" max RAM. However, if you then click through to a particular model, it clears it up a bit by having certain "kits" available for certain models. The kits are for a higher capacity than what is "officially supported."

That's my take on it anyway.

[Monster]

3 gigs for merom 24'
4 gigs for penryn 24"