I want to ask... how much RAM do I need?

[MacOSXuser]

I am constantly running out of RAM, right now I have a 2012 Mini with 4GB stock ram. I am looking at potentially 2x4GB ram but is that enough for me?

I am average user, but many times I have over 10 tabs open in safari and other apps running at the background. I don't do photoshop, ripping dvds or any intensive stuff. That's why I bought the base model, I don't need high cpu power.

But it seems that my activity monitor is showing i need more RAM.

Any idea if 8GB is sufficient or do I need 16gb?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You need one more GB of RAM, thus getting 8 GB of RAM is okay.

Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor​

 

[Edde1]

When do a user need 16gb? I have order 16gb and hope it will improve my multitasking. I feel that my mini i7 2012 need that when i use lightroom 4, firefox with 5 pages, itunes.

 

[limesmoothie]

8Gb will do it for your usage. I went up to 16Gb, purely because the cost difference was only £10. Even when I open apps just for the hell of it and hammer iTunes and Safari tabs, I could only use up 10Gb.

 

[Mojo1]

4GB is barely OK for just the basics if you are running Mountain Lion. I tried it before I upgraded my RAM to 16GB. Since I do a lot more than just e-mail, Web surfing and basic word processing the 16GB makes a huge difference...

8GB will probably suffice but a continuing trend is for the OS and software requiring more and more RAM as features are added. Since the difference in cost between 8 and 16GB is nominal, I recommend installing 16GB. That will probably extend the useful life of your Mac. I might still be using my 2006 24" iMac if it wasn't limited to a maximum of 3GB RAM...

 

[jimbo1mcm]

It's cheap buy it

Ordered 16 gb ram for my new MacMini. It was $71 at Crucial.

 

[peeaanuut]

its possible to still get page outs on 20GB of RAM and at the low prices of ram these days just get as much as you can afford and you shouldnt have to worry about it again.

 

[MacOSXuser]

thanks! bought 2x4gb ram from g.skill in canada!

 

[jimmy83]

I take it 16GB is the max you can put in the mini's?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I take it 16GB is the max you can put in the mini's?

Since the Mac mini only has two slot's, you are limited to two RAM module's, and since 8 GB is the maximum capacity for SO-DIMM module's, you are currently limited to 16 GB of RAM's.

 

[fhall1]

RAM is so cheap now there's no reason not to just max it out instead of going from 4GB to 8GB, then spending more money a year down the road to go from 8GB to 16GB

 

[Dr Charter]

4GB has been sluggish on my 2012 base mini. I probably only need 8GB. I went with 16GB because at these prices, why not?