iPad 8GB vs 16GB RAM M4 iPad Pro

[TheBigApple2006]

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I was wondering whether anybody can help me with my expected use case: I work on and annotate very large PDFs (1-2GB big) with the PDF Viewer app. I have been using an iPad Pro 2020 with 6GB of RAM so far, it has been occasionally sluggish (when for example searching text), and I have installed a monitoring app which shows that RAM goes as low as around 150MB free when doing so, and rebounds a bit later. But still remains under 1GB free throughout intensive tasks, such a scrolling through the PDF's pages, where rendering also occasionally hiccups.
My question is whether I should go for the 512GB Pro with 8GB or spring for a 16GB 1TB model. Would such figures mean that I would end up with roughly 1.8-2GB free on an 8GB model, or would I run into trouble again? I have watched the MaxTech video linked further up this thread, but it is probing a quite different use case.

Many thanks for any advice here.

 

[Falhófnir]

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I was wondering whether anybody can help me with my expected use case: I work on and annotate very large PDFs (1-2GB big) with the PDF Viewer app. I have been using an iPad Pro 2020 with 6GB of RAM so far, it has been occasionally sluggish (when for example searching text), and I have installed a monitoring app which shows that RAM goes as low as around 150MB free when doing so, and rebounds a bit later. But still remains under 1GB free throughout intensive tasks, such a scrolling through the PDF's pages, where rendering also occasionally hiccups.
My question is whether I should go for the 512GB Pro with 8GB or spring for a 16GB 1TB model. Would such figures mean that I would end up with roughly 1.8-2GB free on an 8GB model, or would I run into trouble again? I have watched the MaxTech video linked further up this thread, but it is probing a quite different use case.

Many thanks for any advice here.

As far as I understand the system will try to use as much memory to pre-load things it thinks you might need as it can. It's not necessarily that it takes most of the memory to have the PDF open, it's iOS trying to be helpful by loading up other things it thinks you might want based on having that PDF open.

Having said that, as you're already looking at the 512GB model, if the 1TB storage may also be useful to you, it might be worthwhile as the RAM comes bundled with the extra storage anyway.

 

[TheBigApple2006]

As far as I understand the system will try to use as much memory to pre-load things it thinks you might need as it can. It's not necessarily that it takes most of the memory to have the PDF open, it's iOS trying to be helpful by loading up other things it thinks you might want based on having that PDF open.

Having said that, as you're already looking at the 512GB model, if the 1TB storage may also be useful to you, it might be worthwhile as the RAM comes bundled with the extra storage anyway.

Thanks for this explanation. I would rather get the 512GB given the considerable price difference, but my question was more whether the 1TB (or better, 16GB model), would mark a significant change or would even be necessary for slowdown-free operation in my situation, or whether the extra 2GB I would get anyways over my existing 6GB model ensures enough headroom to avoid the RAM dipping so low.

 

[klasma]

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I was wondering whether anybody can help me with my expected use case: I work on and annotate very large PDFs (1-2GB big) with the PDF Viewer app. I have been using an iPad Pro 2020 with 6GB of RAM so far, it has been occasionally sluggish (when for example searching text), and I have installed a monitoring app which shows that RAM goes as low as around 150MB free when doing so, and rebounds a bit later. But still remains under 1GB free throughout intensive tasks, such a scrolling through the PDF's pages, where rendering also occasionally hiccups.
My question is whether I should go for the 512GB Pro with 8GB or spring for a 16GB 1TB model. Would such figures mean that I would end up with roughly 1.8-2GB free on an 8GB model, or would I run into trouble again? I have watched the MaxTech video linked further up this thread, but it is probing a quite different use case.

Many thanks for any advice here.

It will depend on the PDF app. In principle the PDF format is designed to not require the whole PDF to be loaded into memory at once, but not all PDF apps will take advantage of that. In addition, apps need to activate a particular entitlement in order to be allowed to make use of more memory (more than 5 GB, I believe). So you should investigate the situation for the apps you use, for example enquire with the developers, if they don’t advertise it as a feature. Or just order both models and try out if the 16 GB makes a difference for your workflow, and then return one of them.

 

[rui no onna]

Thanks for this explanation. I would rather get the 512GB given the considerable price difference, but my question was more whether the 1TB (or better, 16GB model), would mark a significant change or would even be necessary for slowdown-free operation in my situation, or whether the extra 2GB I would get anyways over my existing 6GB model ensures enough headroom to avoid the RAM dipping so low.

I think you’re just gonna have to try it yourself. We all have our own workflows and you’ll need to see for yourself how the 8GB vs 16GB iPads compare.

 

[TheBigApple2006]

Thanks to both - will contact the developer to see what the situation is with regards to this particular app. Am I correct in stating that there is little benefit in going for the 16GB if there is no entitlement to higher amounts of RAM, and conversely a benefit in doing so it is confirmed that the entitlement has been granted?

 

[klasma]

Thanks to both - will contact the developer to see what the situation is with regards to this particular app. Am I correct in stating that there is little benefit in going for the 16GB if there is no entitlement to higher amounts of RAM, and conversely a benefit in doing so it is confirmed that the entitlement has been granted?

Lower RAM may still cause apps to reload more often on 8 GB when you multitask regardless of entitlement, compared to the 16 GB. But unless you’re multitasking heavily and have experienced issues with apps reloading, the 16 GB probably isn’t worth it for just that.

 

[profdraper]

And very nasty, disenguous representation of that on the Apple store: if it were any other computer product, one would be able to freely choose the base model, then options for CPU & RAM. Not here though, just this bizzare money-grabbing attempt & having to escalate all the way to a 1TB model to access a few options. All of this incl. matt screen should be available at the get-go.

 

[NauticalDan]

I would have loved the option for 256 GB and 16 GB RAM.

i could have gone years longer with my 2018 IPP if it had more than the 3 GB RAM it had.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Is it worth getting the 16GB RAM M4 iPad Pro?


I assume 8Gb can do almost anything? I wonder what is the 16Gb for?

Given the current state of the OS, I don't think it is worth paying extra just to get more RAM, unless you are getting the new iPad specifically for specific app use like FCP, Logic, or CAD apps that can make use of the extra RAM. For the average iPad user, 8 GB is more than enough, especially with the way Apple is bad about the trickle effect of new features.

 

[gmanist1000]

I’m not sure if anybody has posted this yet, but when I play Resident Evil Village and I max out all the settings, it shows the memory usage and it looks like I can bump everything up to the maximum amount and still be under the 16 GB of RAM at (12.364 GB)

Also a random tidbit is that I was playing the game this morning and I was doing a lot of other stuff on my iPad and when I went into the game again to take the screenshot to post here, the game was still running in the background and resumed exactly where I had left it. Not sure if the 8GB model would have that same experience.

 

[geoelectric]

I have no idea how technically substantiated this take is by actual behavior but here’s mine:

iPad apps have historically been limited to 5GB RAM allocation.

If that’s still at least mostly true (maybe they can exceed it, like RE:V, but do most titles request that?) then with 8GB you cannot run two 5GB apps in a row without memory-killing and swapping the first one out of RAM.

However, with 16GB you could run three 5GB apps in a row before the fourth one mem-kills and swaps the first out.

Again, I don’t know how borne out by real life behavior that theory is, but it’s what lets me sleep at night for spending nano money.

 

[JimmyG]

Apple FCP for iPad

Hrmm, pay top dollar for a premium iPad with extra RAM, and then pay subscription pricing for incomplete software...

Editing on iPad is Hell - YouTube

...when my full version of FCP cost a flat $299, and which runs circles around the iPadOS version (yes, one actually needs to take the 12:38 of time watching that video to "get it") on my 2TB 32GB M1 Max MBP which cost $1K more than the IPP, I'm not seeing the cost-benefit here for IPP for FCP.

 

[Rafterman]

I don't care how much RAM you have, iPadOS still closes apps for no discernible reason. Power related and not RAM?

 

[bradman83]

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I was wondering whether anybody can help me with my expected use case: I work on and annotate very large PDFs (1-2GB big) with the PDF Viewer app. I have been using an iPad Pro 2020 with 6GB of RAM so far, it has been occasionally sluggish (when for example searching text), and I have installed a monitoring app which shows that RAM goes as low as around 150MB free when doing so, and rebounds a bit later. But still remains under 1GB free throughout intensive tasks, such a scrolling through the PDF's pages, where rendering also occasionally hiccups.
My question is whether I should go for the 512GB Pro with 8GB or spring for a 16GB 1TB model. Would such figures mean that I would end up with roughly 1.8-2GB free on an 8GB model, or would I run into trouble again? I have watched the MaxTech video linked further up this thread, but it is probing a quite different use case.

Many thanks for any advice here.

One thing I’d like to point out is that any M-series based iPad has the ability to access virtual memory swap of up to 16GB (I believe 64GB models of the M1 Air are excluded because of the limited storage). So even going with an 8GB model your iPad will still have more memory available (eve if it’s by shunting unused processes into SSD swap).

 

[Greenmeenie]

As an artist, I usually go for the more specced out iPad Pro… but the 16 gigs of ram in the top iPad Pros gives you the same amount of layers in Procreate(116) that the ones with 8 gigs of ram do. Also, btwn icloud & the ability to save files onto an sd card or external flash drive, the need for large storage space on the iPad isn’t really necessary anymore either.

 

[EugW]

As an artist, I usually go for the more specced out iPad Pro… but the 16 gigs of ram in the top iPad Pros gives you the same amount of layers in Procreate(116) that the ones with 8 gigs of ram do.

This is not true.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1637679823429545985

 

[Kahnforever]

I’m not sure if anybody has posted this yet, but when I play Resident Evil Village and I max out all the settings, it shows the memory usage and it looks like I can bump everything up to the maximum amount and still be under the 16 GB of RAM at (12.364 GB)

Also a random tidbit is that I was playing the game this morning and I was doing a lot of other stuff on my iPad and when I went into the game again to take the screenshot to post here, the game was still running in the background and resumed exactly where I had left it. Not sure if the 8GB model would have that same experience.

View attachment 2384214

Hilarious. Just another day, doing a bunch of stuff, and playing Resident Evil… like a Boss.

 

[Kahnforever]

M4 512 GB SSD M4 iPad Pro 13”. 20 tabs open in Safari. Stage Manager running with a few Apps. No heavy Apps opened. 5.76 GB of RAM being utilized in various ways, only 699.7 MB free.

 

[TheBigApple2006]

View attachment 2384452

M4 512 GB SSD M4 iPad Pro 13”. 20 tabs open in Safari. Stage Manager running with a few Apps. No heavy Apps opened. 5.76 GB of RAM being utilized in various ways, only 699.7 MB free.

Thanks, this is very useful - would you have any heavy apps to test, or load a heavy PDF (say 500MB or more) in a PDF viewer of your preference, to see what happens to RAM utilization then? When I do so in my iPad 2020, the ram goes down to 100 MB free or even less, and stuttering occurs in the rendering of pages when scrolling through the document.

 

[Kahnforever]

Thanks, this is very useful - would you have any heavy apps to test, or load a heavy PDF (say 500MB or more) in a PDF viewer of your preference, to see what happens to RAM utilization then? When I do so in my iPad 2020, the ram goes down to 100 MB free or even less, and stuttering occurs in the rendering of pages when scrolling through the document.

I will try and post results. I was just starting to play around with a basic project in Final Cut Pro and tested going in and out of Final Cut from stage manager and noticed Final Cut stutter everytime I entered back into the App. I also noticed at least another 400 MB RAM utilized.

 

[TheBigApple2006]

I will try and post results. I was just starting to play around with a basic project in Final Cut Pro and tested going in and out of Final Cut from stage manager and noticed Final Cut stutter everytime I entered back into the App. I also noticed at least another 400 MB RAM utilized.

I don't use Final Cut, but on my very large PDF (1.5GB or so), every time I scroll and force the viewer to render new pages the free RAM shrinks considerably, and stutter occurs as the free RAM effectively dries up and the system seeks to release some. Granted, I have the pre-M1 iPad which does not swap, but it would be good to know how the 8GB new models fare in this scenario.

 

[Kahnforever]

I don't use Final Cut, but on my very large PDF (1.5GB or so), every time I scroll and force the viewer to render new pages the free RAM shrinks considerably, and stutter occurs as the free RAM effectively dries up and the system seeks to release some. Granted, I have the pre-M1 iPad which does not swap, but it would be good to know how the 8GB new models fare in this scenario.

I will test.

 

[Kahnforever]

I will test.

I don't use Final Cut, but on my very large PDF (1.5GB or so), every time I scroll and force the viewer to render new pages the free RAM shrinks considerably, and stutter occurs as the free RAM effectively dries up and the system seeks to release some. Granted, I have the pre-M1 iPad which does not swap, but it would be good to know how the 8GB new models fare in this scenario.

See images. PDF is 256 MB. Would only render the visible part in focus. When scrolling down, it takes several seconds to render the text in focus. Scrolling only slightly. Scrolling back up the text was blurry and had to be rendered again. You can see the free RAM available has dumped by over 300 MB down to just 300 MB and change.

 

[TheBigApple2006]

See images. PDF is 256 MB. Would only render the visible part in focus. When scrolling down, it takes several seconds to render the text in focus. Scrolling only slightly. Scrolling back up the text was blurry and had to be rendered again. You can see the free RAM available has dumped by over 300 MB down to just 300 MB and change.

View attachment 2384528

View attachment 2384529

Thanks. Would you kindly be able to do the same PDF exercise with my PDF client of choice, which you can get free from the App Store: https://pdfviewer.io/store-ios
This would imply that there is little change between 6GB and 8GB when it comes to rendering heavy PDF files. It would be ideal if someone with a 1TB+ model on 16GB could run a similar test to see what happens then, but it does appear to me that one good justification for a 16GB model is such a use case. It is clear that large PDF files task the RAM far more than video rendering programmes or similar.
Incidentally, my A12Z CPU is little more than idle during the rendering of heavy PDFs, and does not appear to be the bottleneck at all.