M1 Max 32GB vs 64GB RAM? Use cases for each

[archi penko]

I’m about to

for these new MBPs…

For the new M1 MAX Chip, why would one use 64GB RAM over 32 GB of RAM?

What are you specifically using it for?
What applications if any specifically you found 64GB helps/is really needed?
Any thoughts on having that amount of RAM?

 

[mlykke]

Same reason as for any other computer - You choose 64 GB of you have the need for it. Either very demanding applications or multi-tasking with a lot of applications open at the same time. The M1 doesn't make a difference - It's basic computing.

 

[Basic75]

I was just wondering whether the M1 Max needs 64GB to offer the higher bandwidth.

 

[Macintosh IIcx]

The question is: does 32GB give you the full 400GB/s memory bandwidth for the M1 Max - or do you need 64GB?

I assume that 32GB will give you the full memory bandwidth, but I don't know so at this point.

 

[Goldfire]

I've got 64GB on my 2019 16", so I'm getting 64GB on the M1 MAX since I routinely max it out (I do game dev). So, just depends on your usage.

 

[adamjackson]

My Core i9 iMac has 64GB of RAM. I occasionally am glad to have it but it's so rare that I would probably do 32GB if I order a new Mac today and instead opt for a 4TB SSD. I need storage, I less-so need RAM.

Now, like as said above, if the 64GB has more memory bandwidth, I'd consider it.

 

[archi penko]

I've got 64GB on my 2019 16", so I'm getting 64GB on the M1 MAX since I routinely max it out (I do game dev). So, just depends on your usage.

that sounds awesome. what sort of games do you dev for / apps you use?

 

[archi penko]

My Core i9 iMac has 64GB of RAM. I occasionally am glad to have it but it's so rare that I would probably do 32GB if I order a new Mac today and instead opt for a 4TB SSD. I need storage, I less-so need RAM.

Now, like as said above, if the 64GB has more memory bandwidth, I'd consider it.

what do you use it for?

 

[Big Bad D]

I've got 64GB on my 2019 16", so I'm getting 64GB on the M1 MAX since I routinely max it out (I do game dev). So, just depends on your usage.

Processor access is not same for intel and new Silicon. Agree more memory ican be better but it’s not necessarily the same.

 

[Basic75]

Processor access is not same for intel and new Silicon. Agree more memory ican be better but it’s not necessarily the same.

It's unified, so you only have the 64GB while an Intel can be 64GB + 8GB for the GPU for a total of 72GB.

 

[mlykke]

Processor access is not same for intel and new Silicon. Agree more memory ican be better but it’s not necessarily the same.

Please stop with these claims. It's been incorrect since day one and it's still incorrect. It's not about access, its about how much space data takes up in memory. 1 GB is 1 GB, whether the architecture is Intel, Arm or something different. While there can be smaller differences between how efficient certain architectures are in loading, compressing and offloading memory - A certain amount of data takes up the same amount of space.

 

[frutiger75]

should i get a 64 w/ an M1 MAX or stick w/ 32? is 64 overkill if i don't game? i use logic mainly, among other things...

 

[cycling_pete]

I run massive statistical models for my work. I ended up going for 32gb. Anything that requires more than that is getting sent to my institutions's computing cluster, which has 1.5 terabytes of RAM and hundreds of processors.

 

[Cybertruck20]

I didn't even think twice and went 64 GB. I do heavy video, motion graphics and 3D work between different applications and always have way too many things open at once so the headroom is nice to have, especially with After Effects eating up 75% of it constantly.

 

[archi penko]

I didn't even think twice and went 64 GB. I do heavy video, motion graphics and 3D work between different applications and always have way too many things open at once so the headroom is nice to have, especially with After Effects eating up 75% of it constantly.

Do you think the adobe apps are just not optimised for Apple silicon, or is it just how apps like After Effects run? they generally a lot of RAM?

 

[Delarock]

Iam regular user with 1 VM (windows running medical software - not heavy usage), watching videos etc. Iam just thinking if 32 gb 64 gb. But i think that 32 gigs will be sufficient lot years with my kind of usage

 

[Goldfire]

that sounds awesome. what sort of games do you dev for / apps you use?

I mainly use Unity, Photoshop and Blender. I'm working on a game called Arctic Awakening (https://arcticawakening.com/).

 

[Marshall73]

Iam regular user with 1 VM (windows running medical software - not heavy usage), watching videos etc. Iam just thinking if 32 gb 64 gb. But i think that 32 gigs will be sufficient lot years with my kind of usage

Good luck running your windows VMware on Apple Silicon.

 

[Delarock]

Good luck running your windows VMware on Apple Silicon.

Iam using it for few months, absolutely no problem with M1 macbook pro 13 , our imaging and inform. system work flawlessly ( faster than our hospital PC)

 

[dead flag blues]

I was using 64gb for polygonal stuff in Rhino/Grasshopper in my late 2019 16" MBP. Huge datasets. I've since moved that work to an MSI laptop. I'll order a new M1 or M1X 16" MBP in the next few days. I will go with 32gb on this one, as the most I'll do on this machine is Photoshop and Illustrator.

 

[Marshall73]

Iam using it for few months, absolutely no problem with M1 macbook pro 13 , our imaging and inform. system work flawlessly ( faster than our hospital PC)

Windows XP? Because x86/64 windows 7 and 10 run like dogs, massive lag and no proper video emulation.

 

[Delarock]

Windows XP? Because x86/64 windows 7 and 10 run like dogs, massive lag and no proper video emulation.

Nope, windows 11, playing far cry 4, tomocon viewer( CT , MRI scans) etc absolutely no lag with latest parallels

 

[Kierkegaarden]

I've got 64GB on my 2019 16", so I'm getting 64GB on the M1 MAX since I routinely max it out (I do game dev). So, just depends on your usage.

You must be pretty jazzed about this machine — as a game dev, what excites you the most?

 

[Goldfire]

You must be pretty jazzed about this machine — as a game dev, what excites you the most?

This 2019 16" is pretty capable, but it struggles quite a bit with anything from level design to just re-compiling code. Just the speed boost alone is going to stop me from tearing my hair out most days. Having the ability to test the game at 120hz is going to be pretty great as well since that is becoming more and more expected by gamers these days.

Even more exciting is I'll actually be able to record gameplay footage that isn't super laggy, which doesn't exactly give a good look when sharing on social media, etc.

 

[aacemyan]

Don't forget that the 32 or 64gb is unified memory, so it's a single pool of RAM that gets used for both CPU and GPU. If an app/game uses 12gb of RAM, then the rest of the system would hypothetically have 20gb left for everything else. Even though it's total overkill, my last iMac from 2012 had 32gb or ram, so almost 10 years later I figured I should get something with more ram as a means of future proofing. It's not often that such a radical change in laptop comes around...