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PSA: you probably don’t need 32 or 64Gb RAM unless you know you need it.
- Thread starter aevan
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This will as per usual depend on the use case. The M1 MBA reviews praise even the 8GB machine after months of use, so a 16 GB setup with even faster components is unlikely to disappoint many.
Here’s a quick sample from the three month use review over on zdnet: “I interpret this casual test to mean that for other than all-day, heads-down Pro users, 8GB of RAM is plenty. If you're using the MacBook Air to make money, then splurge on 16GB.”
The slowdowns experienced on their 8GB Mac were resolved by shutting down apps they didn’t need at the time, from my understanding.
Here’s a quick sample from the three month use review over on zdnet: “I interpret this casual test to mean that for other than all-day, heads-down Pro users, 8GB of RAM is plenty. If you're using the MacBook Air to make money, then splurge on 16GB.”
The slowdowns experienced on their 8GB Mac were resolved by shutting down apps they didn’t need at the time, from my understanding.
You'll be fine. I ran an 8GB M1 in the red for two weeks straight in an attempt to test drive it into the ground and barely noticed a stutter. It was more the case that an M1 and/or Big Sur had difficulty on certain programs more so than a resource block.
Ok. We're good.
I'll bow out. My only closing remarks:
You have solid intuition. You write well. You are an influencer.
You present your solid intuition mixed together with assertions of fact that are not well defined or are unsubstantiated. Perhaps you are just presenting hyperbole in the guise of fact. These types of assertions really push my buttons.
As an influencer you've probably given birth to statements like "I read this great post on MacRumors where the OP provided solid reasons why 99% of all Photoshop users only need 16 GB of RAM." That's a shame. With great eloquence comes great responsibility.
Microsoft Surface Studio Laptop is $2099 for a 16Gb RAM, 512Gb SSD configuration. That’s 100 usd more than the comparable MacBook Pro (which is a lot faster, btw).
The new Dell XPS with 16Gb RAM and 512Gb SSD is $2199 which is 200 usd more than the comparable MacBook Pro (which is also faster).
I guess it’s not Apple nonsense. In fact, I think the 14” base MacBook Pro is very competitively priced. All the new MacBook Pros are.
You’re determined to justify your choices and that’s fine, but it doesn’t change the fact that 16Gb is great for a lot of people and that the new MacBook Pros are awesome for a lot of people, too. You don’t have to like them, but that doesn’t change facts.
Also, just for you:
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Everything I said is just my personal opinion. When it comes to “value” - it’s subjective. I have no “facts” to offer, but neither do those who claim you need 32 or 64Gb RAM for surfing and lots of tabs. I shared my experience as someone who has been working on various Macs and PCs for almost two decades (working in Photoshop, Zbrush, 3D Coat, 3ds max, CSP and, recently, Blender). My experience is limited to certain workflows, and my views are my own.
And I’m no influencer. I just like writing here. If it helps someone among all this memory fearmongering, great. If not - it’s your money, after all, and I’m a random guy on the Internet.
Windows 11 is consuming much less ram for browser tabs. I tested it. It was around 7.5 gbytes macbook pro 16/32 gb ram is using for less tabs 12-13 gbytes + 1.3 gbytes reserved.
The Surface is using only a Intel Core i5-1135G7, 4C/8T, 0.90-4.20GHz. It's low end stuff. My latop is using:
ark.intel.com
I has more points in cb r23 than the macbook pro 2021 m1 max. The gpu is much faster with 16 tflops instead of only 10 tflops. The whole package is much better. And all is running flawlessly and no cheap materials like this flexing bottom cover or the cheap keyboard, with printed key caps and rubber dome scissor switches.
The Surface is using only a Intel Core i5-1135G7, 4C/8T, 0.90-4.20GHz. It's low end stuff. My latop is using:
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H Prozessor (24 MB Cache, bis zu 4,60 GHz) Produktspezifikationen
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H Prozessor (24 MB Cache, bis zu 4,60 GHz) Kurzübersicht mit Spezifikationen, Funktionen, Preise, Kompatibilität, Design-Infos, Bestellcodes, SPEC-Codes und mehr.
I has more points in cb r23 than the macbook pro 2021 m1 max. The gpu is much faster with 16 tflops instead of only 10 tflops. The whole package is much better. And all is running flawlessly and no cheap materials like this flexing bottom cover or the cheap keyboard, with printed key caps and rubber dome scissor switches.
Yep the mac slows down, the windows system is fast as usual. And it's opening all 30 tabs in a bunch without any delay or stuttering. I don't know why you defend this macbook, it's fully flawed. If i hadn't the comparison between a very fast windows laptop with pcie gen 4 4.0 x4 ssd (same speeds like the macbook pro 2021) and a windows system equipped with the best hardware you can find (for AMD), i would maybe think this is normal behaviour. Because i know nothing better. Same for the very slow (up to 60 ms), flickering, glare display. I have seen the best pc monitors on the market (up to PG32UQX or G9 Neo the lastest fald mini led hdr displays), i have the comparison 
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Yep the mac slows down, the windows system is fast as usual. And it's opening all 30 tabs in a bunch without any delay or stuttering. I don't know why you defend this macbook, it's fully flawed. If i hadn't the comparison between a very fast windows laptop with pcie gen 4 4.0 x4 ssd (same speeds like the macbook pro 2021) and a windows system equipped with the best hardware you can find (for AMD), i would maybe think this is normal behaviour. Because i know nothing better. Same for the flickering, glare display. I have seen the best pc monitors on the market (up to PG32UQX, the lastest fald mini led hdr display), i have the comparison
M1 Macs open 30 tabs in a bunch without delay with just 8Gb RAM, so I don‘t know what to tell you. But, we’ll end here, you go and enjoy your super fast pcie gen 4 Windows laptop - I’m sure it’s a very capable machine.
You are spending over 2 grand for a computer and you think $400 more is excessive? It is a part you can never upgrade once purchased.
I purchased the 16" with 16 gig and it is incredibly slow with just Lightroom. The memory is maxed out and using 5 gig of swat. That's just Lightroom. I am retuning mine and getting the 32 gig. So yea it will save this person from having to return it.
Upgrading it provides zero benefit for most users. So that $400 means you now only need $1600 for next year’s MBP.
You can never upgrade your screen, speakers, camera, keyboard either. Except by buying a new laptop. So instead of wasting $400 on RAM that will provide zero benefit for most users, just upgrade more often and either trade in your old laptop or give it to someone else.
Also, if you do trade in, then you will never get any benefit from your upgrades so again it’s wasted money.
How big are your files? More than 16 GB? Sounds like you’re suffering the memory leak bug currently in macOS.
If you’re able to wait, I’d say wait. The way things are now the memory leak will ALSO affect the 32 and the 64 gig, just not as quickly. If they get around to releasing an update that fixes the issue, you can try again to see if the performance is good enough.
If you don’t trust Max, here’s Dave 2D
Basically, he says for M1 Macs, 8Gb is fine for most users, and 16 is great. He says that he never used computers with less than 32Gb before, but for M1 Pro Macs things are different and “most people will not notice any gains beyond 16Gb RAM”. “For 4, 6 and even 8K footage, 16 is enough” and “for the most part, it’s identical”.
Dave2D knows his stuff about laptops.
Basically, he says for M1 Macs, 8Gb is fine for most users, and 16 is great. He says that he never used computers with less than 32Gb before, but for M1 Pro Macs things are different and “most people will not notice any gains beyond 16Gb RAM”. “For 4, 6 and even 8K footage, 16 is enough” and “for the most part, it’s identical”.
Dave2D knows his stuff about laptops.
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Great video. Checked out half an hour ago. Gives some nice ideas: "switching to MBP 14 is a $grand over MB Air and makes no sense if you are interested in the display".
TLDR: $400 is huge amount because it comprises 20% of the laptop's price. If you are a wedding photographer or alike, and get paid 3K-5K for 1 project (5-7 day project) - then you don't care about that $400 overspent towards ultimate performance. For casuals 8gb Air, 16gb Air or base MBP 14, 16 would suffice.
I guess it's a little hard to take rendering benchmarks and understand what that translates to in the real world. Is a render test really the best benchmark for showcasing memory benefit? I want to see someone navigate a Lightroom library with 50k images. I'd like to see someone scrubbing and playing back video in FCP or Resolve. What is the experience of actually using the apps like, you know, while playing music, and with messenger and Chrome open? This means way more to me than shaving a couple minutes off of the render time.
Hi D,
I agree with you. So many of these "benchmarks" being run by MaxTech et. al. may have very little meaning in the real world. For example, how will the M1 Max perform when scrubbing though a DR timeline with a couple of ram hungry Fusion projects open. Not really sure. No one has performed such a test and I have nothing to compare against--I know my 16 GB 2016 MBP15 can't do it without badly stuttering. Hence, I ended up ordering 64 GB. I know that I would be upset if I ordered 32 GB and had difficulty doing what I just described. No way to fix it accept buy a new machine.
Don
Of course, there is no way to know if 64 GB on the M1 Max is fast enough to do what described. I'll just have to wait and see. My machine is to deliver between 12/9 - 12/16.
I agree with you. So many of these "benchmarks" being run by MaxTech et. al. may have very little meaning in the real world. For example, how will the M1 Max perform when scrubbing though a DR timeline with a couple of ram hungry Fusion projects open. Not really sure. No one has performed such a test and I have nothing to compare against--I know my 16 GB 2016 MBP15 can't do it without badly stuttering. Hence, I ended up ordering 64 GB. I know that I would be upset if I ordered 32 GB and had difficulty doing what I just described. No way to fix it accept buy a new machine.
Don
Of course, there is no way to know if 64 GB on the M1 Max is fast enough to do what described. I'll just have to wait and see. My machine is to deliver between 12/9 - 12/16.
You have a bunch of videos on YT of people scrubbing and playing back in FCP or Resolve, all are really smooth with 16Gb, and with a lot of tabs open.
AFAIK. None have Fusion projects embedded in the time line. Do you know of one?
Still love you man for your often insightful contributions to this forum.
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Yeah ahahah
These youtube test are not only meaningless but are also misleading.
Opening a lot of apps without interacting and working with these doesn’t mean that once you start to interact and switch between them you retain the same smoothness with less ram.
Their claims can make sense for general people, which are people who buy these machine by whim and hence they don’t need power or memory.
Professionals should spend extra to work pleasingly.
Casual people will be happy with the base config, and will be more happy praising the extraordinary “Unified Memory” watching someone else who at lest try to use these machine.
Everyone spends their money as want. And is fine.
But these tests are really meaningless.
I have been digging to find out what was going on with my RAM because I saw consumption above 50% since I bought it and it turns out that I was right it's the native apps of What's App, Facebook Messenger, Discord and Teams. I have replaced all of these besides Teams for PWAs and this is how it was
So, Teams I cannot replace the native app because it has exclusive features like the backgrounds and and reply to messages as in quotes.
A couple of them were using between 1-3GB each... Anyhow with PWAs I'm no longer having these issues and more more than 500mb of swap everyday.
So, Teams I cannot replace the native app because it has exclusive features like the backgrounds and and reply to messages as in quotes.
A couple of them were using between 1-3GB each... Anyhow with PWAs I'm no longer having these issues and more more than 500mb of swap everyday.
