256GB ssd is bull

[hans1972]

Because their price anchoring strategy begins at the entry point and the machines are not upgradeable at all after purchase.

I wouldn't care a lick if they offered socketed NVMe inside.

But as it is, we are forced to buy totally overrpriced upgrades only from Apple, right at the time of purchase (hard to know how your plans might change a year + into ownership). The "appliances" they sell now require completely changing machines to change any specs at all.

Your complain seems to be with the prices and not with the base model.

Who cares what the price of the base model is if you can't use it. It might as well not exist. Just configure the machine you need for the next 5 years and if it's too expensive you don't buy it.

 

[hans1972]

If you don’t have any data history, don’t use mobile devices to shoot anything, don’t play games, don’t … 256GB might be enough. Although you might kill it fast because if you run an 8GB system, as you might have to page excessively to the small area you have free even by simply browsing the web.

Who plays big games on a Mac?

Most people only has one source of large amount of data: photos and videos taken with their smartphone which is solved very nicely with iCloud Photo Library or something similar.

Everything else is either cloud bases like streaming services or just don't take up much space like documents.

In practise, and from this thread, it seems those that use small on-device storage do so because they solve the problem elsewhere - on other computers, cloud or web storage, external drives, NASes.

Using cloud services is in my opinion a better solution than storing everything locally and not use cloud services.

 

[hans1972]

regardless of the cost of the 512gb nearly everyone is in agreement that 256gb sucks. topic is still on point.

No, I like 256Gb and have never had any SSD larger than this. I have had 256 Gb SSD in all my MacBooks since 2012 and my storage needs have in fact gone down during this period due to streaming and cloud services.

I even use VMware Fusion for running Windows. Without this need I would be fine even with 128Gb.

 

[hans1972]

I agree - even 128gb seems like too much.
64gb would be better so people would have options

Microsoft offers a Surface business laptop with 4Gb of RAM and a 64Gb eMMC drive which is slower than SSDs.

So even more options in the Windows world.

 

[nquinn]

Most people need less space locally than in a long time:

- Streaming services for movies
- Streaming services for music
- iCloud Photo Library / Google Photo for photos and videos
- iCloud Drive / OneDrive / Dropbox / Google Drive for files

Almost everyone I know who uses a Mac would do fine with 128Gb SSD since they all use the above services.

Agree, but only if you are comfortable with only a single cloud backup which isn't even really a backup and just a sync.

For me to be comfy with this icloud would need to be replicated elsewhere. Otherwise, local storage as an immediate restore point and 2nd backup is needed.

Repeat after me: a sync service is NOT a backup.

 

[smirking]

macOS might not suggest it but there is a tool to manage your storage:

-menu
About this Mac
Storage
Manage

I pair that with OmniDiskSweeper to locate directories filled with cruft that I can purge. The manage storage feature built into OS X is great for finding documents and media files that are huge, but not so good at helping you find hidden sources of bloat in your Library directories or other system directories where cached, back-ups, and obsolete files pile up.

 

[Admiral]

I didn't start using it until after I got the M1.. Im a Logic Pro noob

For future reference, if you're going to be using Logic Pro, just splurge and get the 1TB storage option.

 

[andrewstirling]

If you’re heavy into music production you’d be better off with a much larger external drive.

 

[Abazigal]

I feel that the base model is going to suffice for most users, and Apple knows it, so no point adding extra specs that they are not going to need.

 

[ManicMarc]

I didn't start using it until after I got the M1.. Im a Logic Pro noob

Move Logic Pro for Mac and MainStage content – Apple Support (UK)

To save space on your Mac, relocate the Logic Pro and MainStage Sound Library to an external drive.

support.apple.com

Does this help?

Move the Sound Library to an external drive​

You can move the Sound Library to an external drive from Logic Pro or MainStage. You can store libraries on an external storage device, such as a Thunderbolt drive, a USB drive or a FireWire drive formatted as APFS or macOS Extended (Journaled). You can’t store your library on an external drive or another disk used for Time Machine backups.

 

[UBS28]

Apple should lower the extreme prices associated with the upgrades, those are just absurd. 256 gb is fine for casual users, though in my opinion most such users may be better off with a good tablet anyway.

There is a reason why Apple made the MacBook Pro's unrepairable. It is an easy way to make a lot of money.

My 2010 15" MBP for less than $2000 had the exact same specs as Apple their own $4000 fully decked out 2010 15" MBP at the time, simply because you can upgrade the components yourself.

The exact same Samsung SSD and memory is super cheap if you buy it directly and it comes with 5+ years of warranty instead of the 1-year warranty Apple offers.

There is a reason why Apple is the richest company in the world.

 

[thenewperson]

I feel that the base model is going to suffice for most users, and Apple knows it, so no point adding extra specs that they are not going to need.

Yeah I'm inclined to believe because within my family/friends 128GB was tight, but 256GB is quite spacious. Everyone seemed to be hovering around 100GB usage. The proliferation of streaming services has really brought storage needs down.

 

[adib]

My fault because I wanted my M1 Macbook Air to be an even swap with my POS 2017 Macbook Pro trade-in and I did not want to wait for extended build time. Damn it feels so cramped and I have to tote an external samsung t7 with me. In 2021, Apple should make the default ssd 512gb. I would trade it in but Apple is not accepting M1 trade-ins yet.

I went through two 256GB MacBooks as office laptops from 2013..2020 and they were adequate. The job was software engineering, in case you’re wondering.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Almost everyone I know who uses a Mac would do fine with 128Gb SSD since they all use the above services.

Just did a cleanup and here is what I got:
-367.86GB out of 499.9 free (this is a 2.5" SATA SSD in a 2010 MPro)
-18.38GB of iOS data, I guess I could move that elsewhere
-34.75GB of music (I don't use streaming services) could also live on a NAS or such
-16.62GB for XCode and related stuff, don't use it much but once in a while I dabble a bit

So yeah, I could make due with 128GB with 256 already being plenty.

 

[4743913]

For future reference, if you're going to be using Logic Pro, just splurge and get the 1TB storage option.

oh hello captain obvious.

 

[nquinn]

Yeah I'm inclined to believe because within my family/friends 128GB was tight, but 256GB is quite spacious. Everyone seemed to be hovering around 100GB usage. The proliferation of streaming services has really brought storage needs down.

What about photos though? My nearly 70 year old mother is racking up photos like crazy with travel and grandchildren, and Apple's tiers jump from $3/mo 200gb to $10/mo 2tb which gets quite expensive fast.

Let's look at a 5 year period for both phone and macbook (though macbook would prob run 7yrs)

Cheapest cloud based option: 64gb ($729) iPhone + 256gb SSD macbook ($900) + $120/yr ($600) = $2229 total. Biggest problem here is that once you exceed 200gb or so, your ONLY copy of the photo is in icloud.

More storage only on macbook: 64gb ($729) iPhone + 512gb SSD macbook ($1079) = $1808. You can backup the 500gb macbook to B2 for around $2.50 per month, or $150 over 5 years, making your total $2308.

Biggest downside to avoiding iCloud though is that you still need a way for your phone to keep syncing to the macbook so it can be backed up. I'm not sure how well 'manage storage' would handle this offloading from iPhone -> macbook if you had only something like the 50gb or 200gb plan. Is it smart enough to always get new files over the macbook once full?

 

[turbineseaplane]

What about photos though? My nearly 70 year old mother is racking up photos like crazy with travel and grandchildren, and Apple's tiers jump from $3/mo 200gb to $10/mo 2tb which gets quite expensive fast.

Bingo!
I made a similar point earlier in the thread.

iCloud or not - Backblaze or not (both of which should be used actually)..
Having a *full* local copy of all your photos (and other data) is the only safe and smart way to roll and the bare minimum. One should really have multiple local backups as well as an online method or two (like iCloud & Backblaze)

I find this even more true for the less and less tech dork literate in my family.

Getting a tiny SSD that doesn't hold all the photos and "counting on the cloud" is just asking for disaster.

 

[thenewperson]

What about photos though? My nearly 70 year old mother is racking up photos like crazy with travel and grandchildren, and Apple's tiers jump from $3/mo 200gb to $10/mo 2tb which gets quite expensive fast.

Photos is definitely valid, and is the main reason they're all even at 100GB. But I was just giving an anecdote from my circle, it's not like I'll argue against the minimum being 512GB.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

So basically when you lose your internet connection, you stare at a blank screen. got it.

Between my home and work internet connections, my backup 4G hotspot, the ability to tether to my phone and the countless free wifi I encounter, this has never been an issue. Not once. ?

I also never claimed I do not keep any local data, I just offload everything I can and given my use case, I couldn't even get close to using a 256Gb SSD.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

One example:

• 162 GB photo library. I used to travel a lot before Covid, and the WiFi at the average hotel / airport / plane / train was not good enough for cloud storage.
• 35 GB Ubuntu virtual machine for software development and testing.
• 14 GB of research papers, git repositories, and test suites on the macOS side.
• 26 GB Steam library, as I used to play Civ 6 and Kerbal Space Program on long-haul flights.

At one point, I tried storing data on an external drive, but it was too inconvenient without a desk. External drives are still large enough to require support. You can't simply leave them hanging from the port.

You've got a perfectly valid reason for needing more local space. I'm just talking about my use case. I don't game, don't have copious amounts of PDFs for a thesis (or whatever you are doing) and run my VMs on a purpose-built server.

 

[DeepIn2U]

And you not forced to buy upgrades directly from Dell/Lenovo/etc.
You can upgrade SSD later by yourself and use standard one in external case or in other laptop/pc.
It makes it not only much cheaper, but also environment friendly, because user will generate less e-waste by reusing SSD and replacing just one component in case of failure instead of throwing away whole mainboard.

Actually on the current series XPS the storage is soldered to the motherboard

 

[bgsd_4332]

I don't know if they should, because 256 GB is a good fit for most people, but the 512 GB upgrade should cost at least 50% less.
Same for the 16GB of RAM. I wouldn't hesitate to buy both upgrades, but at 250 CAD each, it really takes a hit on your budget, especially because you know it's not worth so much.

It forces us to buy a base spec we don't really want, and we'll be stuck to upgrade sooner than later, or to pay a whole lot more than what it's worth.

After multiple reboots on my M1 iMac, Activity Monitor shows I’m using over 6.5GB. This is before loading any major apps: Just Safari (1 page/No extensions), VPN. After loading Photos app, it jumps to 8.24GB used. IMO 8GB makes no sense anymore. I’m on macOS X 11.5.2.

 

[jerryk]

After multiple reboots on my M1 iMac, Activity Monitor shows I’m using over 6.5GB. This is before loading any major apps: Just Safari (1 page/No extensions), VPN. After loading Photos app, it jumps to 8.24GB used. IMO 8GB makes no sense anymore. I’m on macOS X 11.5.2.

When you are on the activity tab look at a Memory tab and at the bottom, the Memory Pressure graph. If it is not yellow (or red) then you have enough memory. See https://support.apple.com/guide/act...ac-needs-more-ram-actmntr34865/10.14/mac/11.0

A little background.

MacOS and most modern operating systems use a demand-based memory allocation scheme. When there is only demand from a few applications it gives them all the memory they need and never asks them to give any back. So that is why you are using a lot of memory with just a few applications.

If you start more applications it may reallocate some of the memory the original applications were not actively using to the new application. All of this normal, and does not show an indication of lack of memory in the system

What does show a lack of physical memory is when memory is constantly being taken from one application and given to others and vice versa. This is when the Memory Pressure graph starts turning yellow or red.

 

[vs40]

Actually on the current series XPS the storage is soldered to the motherboard

Nope.
I believe it was only one unsuccessful 2in1 model XPS 13 7390 with soldered SSD few years ago.
But current XPS 13 9300/9310 have replaceable M.2 SSD.
It is under copper heatsink.

Bigger XPS 15/17 obviously have M.2 as well.

 

[bgsd_4332]

When you are on the activity tab look at a Memory tab and at the bottom, the Memory Pressure graph. If it is not yellow (or red) then you have enough memory. See https://support.apple.com/guide/act...ac-needs-more-ram-actmntr34865/10.14/mac/11.0

A little background.

MacOS and most modern operating systems use a demand-based memory allocation scheme. When there is only demand from a few applications it gives them all the memory they need and never asks them to give any back. So that is why you are using a lot of memory with just a few applications.

If you start more applications it may reallocate some of the memory the original applications were not actively using to the new application. All of this normal, and does not show an indication of lack of memory in the system

What does show a lack of physical memory is when memory is constantly being taken from one application and given to others and vice versa. This is when the Memory Pressure graph starts turning yellow or red.

Awesome, Thanks 4 the background ;-) BTW: I attached activity monitor for my machine, if you're curious.