Memory upgrade suggestions/comparisons. Help please.

I need memory upgrade according to my CPU history.

I have a 27" 2019 PowerMac with 8GB memory: 4GB, Empty,4GB. Has been frequently locking up since upgrading IOS to Sequoia. Original 4GB are 2666 MHz, DDRY, PC4-213000, Would like to replace 4GBs with 2X16GB. I ordered 2 from "Global Memory" off ebay that (I think) meets specs, but AFTER ordering, found that delivery would take a MONTH! They are labeled like this: 32GB 2x16GB DDR4 2666MHz PC4-21300 260-PIN SODIMM MEMORY KIT 27" IMAC 2019/2020

I see others on amazon I could have in a week. I could possibly cancel my other order if there are some better or faster delivery for about the same price. Any suggestions? --

iMac 27″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Dec 12, 2025 8:25 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 12, 2025 9:46 AM

Before you spend money on additional RAM you should determine why your Mac (is it a MacBook or iMac?) is freezing.


To aid in doing so please download and run Etrecheck.  The free version is sufficient. It is strictly a diagnostic app and does not involve any personal data.


Copy and paste the results into your reply. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.


Copy the report



and after clicking on the Reply button use the Additional Text button to paste the report in your reply.



Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine the cause of the problem.


7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 12, 2025 9:46 AM in response to BioChi7

Before you spend money on additional RAM you should determine why your Mac (is it a MacBook or iMac?) is freezing.


To aid in doing so please download and run Etrecheck.  The free version is sufficient. It is strictly a diagnostic app and does not involve any personal data.


Copy and paste the results into your reply. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.


Copy the report



and after clicking on the Reply button use the Additional Text button to paste the report in your reply.



Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine the cause of the problem.


Dec 12, 2025 9:35 AM in response to -g

if the RAM is original to the machine (even the minimal available) -- it should not cause the machine to lock up, freeze, crash -- slow and spinning color wheel pauses, yes, but not kill the mac


i would be looking more at drive health as the machine accesses an overworked failing HDD or SSD as it reads/writes stuff it could using RAM for


i am skeptical simply adding more RAM will solve the lock up -- it could take a load off a failing drive tho -- i do recommend adding as much ram as you can afford (and not obsess too much about it)


check out DriveDX macOS app tryout to get your drive health ruled out and in order...


PS: you can buy OWC ram off AMAZON (i do for a couple reasons) tho it may still ship by OWC -- it comes faster with free shipping and no-hassle return off amz

Dec 12, 2025 4:56 PM in response to BioChi7

BioChi7 wrote:

I figured it out and took action. No need to respond here.

FYI, It is polite & proper etiquette to follow up with what solved your problem. You ask for assistance from the community so you should provide back to the community with the solution which worked for you. This will help others who read your thread as well as helping the contributors who assisted you to improve their responses to others on this forum.

Memory upgrade suggestions/comparisons. Help please.

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