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I am really torn between 8GB vs. 16GB RAM
- Thread starter Booji
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FWIW, consider putting the $$$ towards extra memory. I had the 8GB and I have the 16GB now. It's noticably better. If you have an external display, load up long running help extensions (dropbox, creative cloud), or keep lots of tabs (35+, 80+, 100+), (not even mentioning Apps like Adobe Lightroom) they all lock down a lot of memory. They never do this when doing reviews and yet it's not uncommon for the slight power user.
MacOS also uses spare memory to agressively cache all the files it can.
Put together it's all noticeably smoother day to day. Compared to older macs, the 8GB model seems quite satisfying, but it can be even better still with 16GB.
MacOS also uses spare memory to agressively cache all the files it can.
Put together it's all noticeably smoother day to day. Compared to older macs, the 8GB model seems quite satisfying, but it can be even better still with 16GB.
really tough pick - I have a 16gb and 8gb M1 MacBook, no perceived difference whatsoever on my daily use, ZERO. However; the 8gb usually is around 6gb+ of used memory and swap around 1-2gb. The 16gb is around 9-10gb of used memory and has never gone to swap....
Perceived difference ZERO, but no doubt the system does benefit for more memory and perhaps 16gb is the sweet spot for this new chip
Perceived difference ZERO, but no doubt the system does benefit for more memory and perhaps 16gb is the sweet spot for this new chip
I have both right now too, at least for another week or so when I return my 8GB. My 16GB boots up noticeably quicker than the 8GB, to the point where if I boot them up at the exact same time I can enter my password and load the desktop before the 8GB M1 gets to the user screen. Both have the same apps/content on them.
Also when both asleep with the lid closed, the 16GB screen turns on faster than the 8GB. Minor difference, but now I always notice the delay on the 8GB.
Okay if 16gb removes the dumb safari messages that this page is using significant memory I would get it in a heartbeat. I get that on Apple's own Airpod Max product page. Come on Apple
Getting more memory to have better
Never seen that message on 16GB model. And I'm on that AirPods Max page all day trying to check local inventory.
I was checking Activity Monitor and that tab creeped up to 1GB. I know Chrome and Firefox get a ton of flak but the websites themselves that are also bloated even with ad blocking.
I would often get that message on my iMac Pro with 32GB of RAM.Man I so thought 8gb would be fine
I see it on my iMac with 128 GB of RAM sometimes
We can now end the discussion and conclude this thread by declaring that 16GB is vastly superior and there's no reason to get 8GB unless you're really constrained by your budget and in that case base model air is a sound choice (for "basic" people). And your 1st upgrade should be RAM and then you can consider additional storage space or getting a pro instead of air depending on your other requirements and preferences.
I think 16GB/7core/256GB MBA is the most reasonable choice and value for money option in the whole M1 lineup (including the mac minis) for the vast majority of people who are considering these entry level devices.
I think 16GB/7core/256GB MBA is the most reasonable choice and value for money option in the whole M1 lineup (including the mac minis) for the vast majority of people who are considering these entry level devices.
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I don't have that experience at all...boot time, login, loading apps....exactly the same... only difference I see is looking on memory consumption as I mentioned above. I do believe when stressing the system the 16gb will give the advantage (maybe a few extra milliseconds...) BUT til that stress hits the experience between the 8gb and 16gb is EXACTLY the same to me... BTW, I have the 16gb now and had both at the same time as well.
I think the actual answer is "no, for most people, you don't need 16GB", but if having it will make you feel better about your purchase, well then it probably makes sense to get it.
I don't agree. Personally, I do want 16GB/1TB but if I can only choose one $200 upgrade, I'd much rather get 512GB storage over 16GB RAM.
However, I think anyone who just buys one of the available stock configs (8GB/256GB and 8GB/512GB) at major retailers like Best Buy, Costco, etc. will be very well served by these devices. I'd definitely have no problem recommending the base M1 MBA to my non-techie aunt.
Don’t agree at all. Maybe vastly superior for those who live in the Macrumors hemisphere. Many who simple have to have the most to say they have they most. Too many reviews show the differences are slight in many,many applications including activities that many people would be considered ”pro”. Yes 16 gig is faster but it is not essential. You can get a ton of work completed with only 8 gigs.
At the end of the day, the M1 mini is the base model replacing the i3, so not intended for ‘power’ use.
I've got a 20TB NAS (cold storage and Plex media server), a couple of 12TB (2x6TB) RAID-0 3.5" external desktop drives (scratch files), countless 4-5TB 2.5" portable HDDs and DIY 1-4TB portable SSDs (2.5" SATA SSD + $10 adapter/enclosure). They're not the same as internal storage.
Add me to the list of people who are torn between 8GB and 16GB.
I've probably read most of the threads on here about 8GB or 16GB with the M1 macbooks. For context, I have a 2018 13" MBP with 16GB of RAM, and a 2017 12" MB with 8GB of RAM. With my normal usage, the 13" MBP runs at a memory pressure of around 25-50%, and the 12" MB at around 50%.
Got an 8/8/512 M1 MBA yesterday, on the basis that if it turns out the 8GB isn't enough I can always return it and get a 16GB.
For the last day or so I've been using the 8/8/512 MBA with my regular usage. This means multiple Safari tabs (currently 15 open tabs - I usually have more), multiple Preview windows, Goodnotes with some rather large notes, Notability, Whatsapp, Mail, Calendar, Onedrive in the background. And then as needed I will also add Word/Excel/Powerpoint, Spotify, Zoom, TV.
And this is my experience currently:
- The machine has never gotten to the point where it has slowed down based on my regular usage.
- Memory pressure around 30-50% based on istat menus. On Activity Monitor memory pressure is almost always green, though I noticed 3 points in time when it briefly went yellow (there might have been more points in time that I just didn't notice).
- Swap goes as high as 7GB (looking through photos)
It's perfectly adequate for my current needs. However I do worry about future needs and the fact that right now I'm already briefly going into yellow memory pressure and using a huge amount of swap.
Currently stalking the Apple store app for the MBA 16GB/1TB variant that occasionally becomes available for in store pickup...
I've probably read most of the threads on here about 8GB or 16GB with the M1 macbooks. For context, I have a 2018 13" MBP with 16GB of RAM, and a 2017 12" MB with 8GB of RAM. With my normal usage, the 13" MBP runs at a memory pressure of around 25-50%, and the 12" MB at around 50%.
Got an 8/8/512 M1 MBA yesterday, on the basis that if it turns out the 8GB isn't enough I can always return it and get a 16GB.
For the last day or so I've been using the 8/8/512 MBA with my regular usage. This means multiple Safari tabs (currently 15 open tabs - I usually have more), multiple Preview windows, Goodnotes with some rather large notes, Notability, Whatsapp, Mail, Calendar, Onedrive in the background. And then as needed I will also add Word/Excel/Powerpoint, Spotify, Zoom, TV.
And this is my experience currently:
- The machine has never gotten to the point where it has slowed down based on my regular usage.
- Memory pressure around 30-50% based on istat menus. On Activity Monitor memory pressure is almost always green, though I noticed 3 points in time when it briefly went yellow (there might have been more points in time that I just didn't notice).
- Swap goes as high as 7GB (looking through photos)
It's perfectly adequate for my current needs. However I do worry about future needs and the fact that right now I'm already briefly going into yellow memory pressure and using a huge amount of swap.
Currently stalking the Apple store app for the MBA 16GB/1TB variant that occasionally becomes available for in store pickup...
Been thinking. I think if you are constantly using swap memory it means you 'ideally' should have more RAM - regardless of whether performance is affected or not. Occasionally using swap in highly demanding situations is what its intended for - not constantly - right?
Apple M1's obviously manage the 8gb ram very well as performance is not affected. But it seems a like a trick to offer cheaper models - maybe?
It seems that even the average user has multiple tabs open and half a YouTube vid on pause in background, other apps on - maybe 16gb should be the default (at least for the Pro) and people should select 8gb if they want it.
Why sell a MB PRO with 8gb? Seems like an odd configuration now that I think about it - its what im using right now.
Im not a techie but it seems logical. I have an 8gb MacBook M1 and its always using swap memory. There is no performance issue as far as I can tell but seeing the constant 3 to 6gb swap memory makes me if I should have kept 16gb. I do the see the "this web page is using too much memory" message daily and other have said this doesn't come up with 16gb on an M1.
I hastily returned the 16gb versions, a mistake in hindsight - should have tested it to see for myself. The battery might have been even better (slightly) as its not writing to SSD constantly. Now I have to wait 3 weeks to get another one if I want one ?
I was thinking to save money with the 14" in mind but with further thought there is no guarantee id switch to a 14" immediately or longer term - and it'll likely be 200 more than 13.3. So id rather have the right spec'd machine for the long term now.
I was hoping to have decided by now. If I still had the 16gb I'd probably have switched and moved on to other things... ?
Apple M1's obviously manage the 8gb ram very well as performance is not affected. But it seems a like a trick to offer cheaper models - maybe?
It seems that even the average user has multiple tabs open and half a YouTube vid on pause in background, other apps on - maybe 16gb should be the default (at least for the Pro) and people should select 8gb if they want it.
Why sell a MB PRO with 8gb? Seems like an odd configuration now that I think about it - its what im using right now.
Im not a techie but it seems logical. I have an 8gb MacBook M1 and its always using swap memory. There is no performance issue as far as I can tell but seeing the constant 3 to 6gb swap memory makes me if I should have kept 16gb. I do the see the "this web page is using too much memory" message daily and other have said this doesn't come up with 16gb on an M1.
I hastily returned the 16gb versions, a mistake in hindsight - should have tested it to see for myself. The battery might have been even better (slightly) as its not writing to SSD constantly. Now I have to wait 3 weeks to get another one if I want one ?
I was thinking to save money with the 14" in mind but with further thought there is no guarantee id switch to a 14" immediately or longer term - and it'll likely be 200 more than 13.3. So id rather have the right spec'd machine for the long term now.
I was hoping to have decided by now. If I still had the 16gb I'd probably have switched and moved on to other things... ?
Been thinking. I think if you are constantly using swap memory it means you 'ideally' should have more RAM - regardless of whether performance is affected or not. Occasionally using swap in highly demanding situations is what its intended for - not constantly - right?
Apple M1's obviously manage the 8gb ram very well as performance is not affected. But it seems a like a trick to offer cheaper models - maybe?
It seems that even the average user has multiple tabs open and half a YouTube vid on pause in background, other apps on - maybe 16gb should be the default (at least for the Pro) and people should select 8gb if they want it.
Why sell a MB PRO with 8gb? Seems like an odd configuration now that I think about it - its what im using right now.
Im not a techie but it seems logical. I have an 8gb MacBook M1 and its always using swap memory. There is no performance issue as far as I can tell but seeing the constant 3 to 6gb swap memory makes me if I should have kept 16gb. I do the see the "this web page is using too much memory" message daily and other have said this doesn't come up with 16gb on an M1.
I hastily returned the 16gb versions, a mistake in hindsight - should have tested it to see for myself. The battery might have been even better (slightly) as its not writing to SSD constantly. Now I have to wait 3 weeks to get another one if I want one
I was thinking to save money with the 14" in mind but with further thought there is no guarantee id switch to a 14" immediately or longer term - and it'll likely be 200 more than 13.3. So id rather have the right spec'd machine for the long term now.
I was hoping to have decided by now. If I still had the 16gb I'd probably have switched and moved on to other things...
There is swap also with 16gb, fwiw...
Do NOT go to youtube for buying advice.
They are doing the maximum of sensation and try to stand as much as possible in the attention themselves, they care about advertising kickback, impressions, and followers. They do not care about you, your machine or your wallet.
Youtube: just say no.