PCPhoto
Buyer's Guide 2024: Ultimate SystemsUpgrade the core of your digital darkroom for a faster, smoother photography workflow |
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Be RAM Smart For example, the Apple iMac has two available RAM slots, which can be filled with either 1 GB or 2 GB memory modules. If you fill those slots with two 1 GB modules for 2 GB of total RAM and later decide you want to upgrade to 4 GB, you’ll have to toss both the old 1 GB modules and replace them with two 2 GB modules. Some manufacturers give you the option of selecting fewer larger-capacity RAM modules and leaving some of the slots empty. Unless you’re ready to max out your RAM when you buy your machine, we recommend spending the extra cash up front for fewer, larger-capacity modules, leaving empty slots for future expansion. RAM prices tend to drop over time anyway, and you can usually get a better deal on RAM—even the exact same brand of RAM that the manufacturer uses—from third-party vendors. Core Concepts Most of today’s high-performance computers—both Windows and Mac platforms—use dual-core processors. This means that each chip is essentially two processors in one. The result is a huge gain in performance and a simultaneous reduction in power consumption. “Quad,” or four-processor systems are also available on higher-end desktops, and Apple’s Mac Pro even lets you pack two of these into its top-of-the-line model, for a total of eight processing cores. MacBook Pro 17-inch Notebook
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