Maxing out browser windows

[succinctideas]

Hi
I currently use a Windows 11 desktop for work, although I also use iPadPro & iPhone

Im sick of Windows bogging down when Im using multiple browser windows - lets be honest; I do most of my work activity in a browser and while working I end up collecting multiple browser windows over the course of the day; until Windows slowly slows down & runs out of memory.

Task Manager says I have 29 browser windows open. I dont think Im being too demanding am I ?

Im considering getting a MacMini as I was hoping that it would be able to handle this without bogging down

I’d appreciate any advice on:

- Do MacMini’s handle multiple browser sessions ie 30+ without bogging down OK
- Which MacMini should I get ?
- How much memory do I need to invest in ?


Cheers
Pete

 

[Mr.Ben]

I have a base M2 2023 Mac Mini (16GB/256GB) - I just checked and I have 41 browser tabs... I haven't noticed any problem with speed - with that many tabs I can still open a new one and stream 4k video with no issue.

I'm using the Brave browser which puts inactive tabs to sleep to save memory use, though I believe that's fairly universal in browsers. Looks like Edge, Chrome, Vivaldi, Opera etc all have similar memory saver settings. 👍

 

[smirking]

- Do MacMini’s handle multiple browser sessions ie 30+ without bogging down OK
- Which MacMini should I get ?
- How much memory do I need to invest in ?

The number of windows in itself isn't a very useful way of measuring demand for system resources. I regularly have 3-4 different browser programs running at the same time and anywhere between 5 and 15 tabs open for each. That was my everyday scenario for 3 years on a 16GB M1 Pro that I've since upgraded.

However the kind of pages I had open was mostly text based documentation and sites that I was working on. It wasn't loaded with resource hogs.

How you use it will matter. If you're just doing "everyday computing" a 16GB machine will do you fine. I'm a developer and photographer. That 16GB M1 Pro never let me down. I'm sure there were some things that would have been a hair faster with more RAM, but not enough to be obvious.

You can always buy the lowest model that you think will suit your needs and try it out. Apple has a 14 day return policy. If you find it lacking, just return it and get the next level up.

 

[maflynn]

- Do MacMini’s handle multiple browser sessions ie 30+ without bogging down OK
- Which MacMini should I get ?
- How much memory do I need to invest in ?

• I think you may be pushing the envelope of the stock mini with 16GB, one of the common points that were mentioned in reviews, was that the 16GB was fine for most things, unless you like to have a high number of chrome tabs open
• I'd opt for the base model
• I would upgrade the ram to 24GB, partly due to the high tab volume you mention, and also due to increasing demand such as Apple Intelligence which will be ram based. More ram will equal more performance in that scenario

I just picked up a Mac Mini and so I'm not a seasoned vet with the mini, but I've been a mac owner since Bondi Blue Macintosh and it seems ram is always one of those components you don't want to skimp on. Storage in the base model is a bit meager but can be resolved with an external drive.

I opted for the M4 Pro, because I knew I wanted more ram, storage, and wanted the extra performance cores and GPU that the M4 Pro brings

As for PC vs. Mac Mini, here's how my M4 Pro Mini stacks up against my PC (AMD 3700X/RX 7800XT) at least in one benchmark. The CPU performance blows the doors off of my AMD 3700x processor. GPU not so much, but you have to take the good with the bad

 

[m1maverick]

Hi
I currently use a Windows 11 desktop for work, although I also use iPadPro & iPhone

Im sick of Windows bogging down when Im using multiple browser windows - lets be honest; I do most of my work activity in a browser and while working I end up collecting multiple browser windows over the course of the day; until Windows slowly slows down & runs out of memory.

Task Manager says I have 29 browser windows open. I dont think Im being too demanding am I ?

Im considering getting a MacMini as I was hoping that it would be able to handle this without bogging down

I’d appreciate any advice on:

- Do MacMini’s handle multiple browser sessions ie 30+ without bogging down OK
- Which MacMini should I get ?
- How much memory do I need to invest in ?

I would recommend examining your memory usage in Task Manager to see how memory is being used. The key metric is the "In Use" metric (I don't have a Windows 11 system handy so I am going from a Windows 10 system, Windows 11 may not be labeled the same or even have the same features). You may also want to hover your cursor over the "Memory composition" graph. Doing so will bring up tool tip types of windows which provide an overview of how memory is being consumed.

Doing this should give you an idea of your memory needs and guide you in choosing how much to buy in a Mini.

Curious, what is the configuration of your PC?