Comparative MAC OS system Ram Usage

[Michael West]

Im still using System 10.11.3 on My IMAC.

this disallows me from ugdating a lot of applications including Lightroom and Photoshop

 My 2015 IMAC will not allow user added RAM and as this machine has but 8 gigabytes if RAM   Im concerned about how much additional ram any of the newer systems including Big Sur require,

Any ideas?

Thank you.

[BobShaw]

Well why are you still running 10.11?
I am running Catalina on a 2013 iMac (with 24GB ram) and it is running better than it was under Mojave.
I assume you must have a 21" iMac.

You can always upgrade and try  and if it doesn't work roll back using TimeMachine.

My MacBook Air only has 8GB Ram. Slow but works with Catalina.

The newer M1 systems are a new world and need less Ram.

[Michael West]

Well why are you still running 10.11?
I am running Catalina on a 2013 iMac (with 24GB ram) and it is running better than it was under Mojave.
I assume you must have a 21" iMac.

You can always upgrade and try  and if it doesn't work roll back using TimeMachine.

My MacBook Air only has 8GB Ram. Slow but works with Catalina.

The newer M1 systems are a new world and need less Ram.

 My late 2015 IMAC cant be user upgraded pst the original 8 GB of ram

Im not certain if i will want to hire a tech to drop another 8 GB ram into it or upgrade..

[Eric Brody]

I'm a long way from an expert but I easily added RAM to my wife's 2011 21" iMac by purchasing it from OWC, opening the little door on the back, pulling the old RAM and inserting the new. Are you certain yours can't be upgraded? I've purchased all my Mac's from my 2013 Mac Pro trashcan to my new 2020 iMac 27" with Apple's minimum RAM and added OWC RAM. With the new iMac, I added 64GB and saved about $1,000 over 64GB from Apple.

This begs the question of your choice of OS, I'm running Mojave on my Macbook Pro 2016 and Catalina on my iMac 2020. Both run smoothly and tolerate upgrades to Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. I've avoided Big Sur basically because I like to stay at least one OS behind-let someone else find the inevitable bugs.

[Joe Towner]

Apple did bad things to users of the 2015 21.5" iMac - the RAM is not upgradable.  Much like the laptops since, it's onboard & done. https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-i5-2.8-21-inch-aluminum-late-2015-specs.html

I would definitely go to 10.13 High Sierra, and that should get you close to current versions of Adobe stuff.  But you should look at upgrading the hardware soon - even to a few years newer model that can accept a RAM upgrade & a SSD/Flash drive.

[Michael West]

Apple did bad things to users of the 2015 21.5" iMac - the RAM is not upgradable.  Much like the laptops since, it's onboard & done. https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-i5-2.8-21-inch-aluminum-late-2015-specs.html

I would definitely go to 10.13 High Sierra, and that should get you close to current versions of Adobe stuff.  But you should look at upgrading the hardware soon - even to a few years newer model that can accept a RAM upgrade & a SSD/Flash drive.

The ram upgrade begins by pulling the machine apart..

i have dis assembled  a digital key board to clean actual bugs out of the keyboard contacts but  my computer?  nope.

[kers]

I am on Mojave 10.14 and that is the last system that handles 32 bit programs.
It is stable.
For doing photography 8 ram is limited, slows you down on larger photographs ; but it will work with everything.
If it is slow, use it with only photohop open and quit photoshop after a session for it does eat ram and releases it only afer quit.

[Joe Towner]

The ram upgrade begins by pulling the machine apart..

i have dis assembled  a digital key board to clean actual bugs out of the keyboard contacts but  my computer?  nope.

The upgrade is to a newer iMac model.  This Mac is best described 'as-is'.