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iPad Pro Should I buy a 16gb or 8gb version?
- Thread starter KensaiMage
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It's not worth spending the price of two iPad Pros just to get 16gb to me
I'm gonna go for the base model. 128gb is perfect and 8gb of ram is already a great upgrade (from the 2gb in my iPad Air 2).
I'm gonna go for the base model. 128gb is perfect and 8gb of ram is already a great upgrade (from the 2gb in my iPad Air 2).
It's your money. Only you can decide if it is worth it to get the higher end model.
You didn't even disclose your current usage.
You didn't even disclose your current usage.
The choice is made easier for me since I'd already been planning on 1TB to begin with.
I've been getting messages like these quite frequently when viewing media and script heavy pages on 4GB RAM iPads (ever since iPadOS 13). On the M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, it seems like these pages use 600MB-1GB RAM each and I've always got 2-4GB swap used so that's around 10-12GB physical+virtual memory usage. With 16GB RAM on the iPad, perhaps there's finally enough that I wouldn't have to deal with constant app and Safari tab reloads.
I've been getting messages like these quite frequently when viewing media and script heavy pages on 4GB RAM iPads (ever since iPadOS 13). On the M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, it seems like these pages use 600MB-1GB RAM each and I've always got 2-4GB swap used so that's around 10-12GB physical+virtual memory usage. With 16GB RAM on the iPad, perhaps there's finally enough that I wouldn't have to deal with constant app and Safari tab reloads.
Wow, you're still on Air 2?? I just upgraded to 8th Gen iPad from that model. You are in for a seriously snappy surprise. The new models are so fast!!!!
Really dunno, maybe Photoshop or new upcoming multiplatform mmorpg might need that amount od ram when multitasking w/o a need to refresh anything?
I don't think we can really answer that until we see what iPadOS 15 has in store.
Currently, there is no use case that would warrant 16gb of RAM.
Hopefully, we see a bunch of new apps at WWDC that start allowing this high end computer to work like a high end computer.
Currently, there is no use case that would warrant 16gb of RAM.
Hopefully, we see a bunch of new apps at WWDC that start allowing this high end computer to work like a high end computer.
Probably none. If you are planning on buying it expecting applications to be able to use the RAM, then I expect you're going to be disappointed.
What I expect is that this RAM is going to be like the RAM on the 2018 models. It's going to be for storage optimisation when dealing with large files, hence the link to storage size. Essentially, Apple believe that users buying the larger model are doing things with huge amounts of data (4k/8k video, etc). The ram enables iPadOS to hold that data in memory whilst the user manipulates it in the video editing application of their choice. Whilst the smaller iPad would have to rely more on the SSD for cacheing part of the data.
But that's not to say you won't benefit if you are not doing those tasks. Whilst a single application may be limited to 8gb (like how Procreate was limited on the 2018 models), it should improve multitasking.
The way the Apple store advertises the device, is making me think this is going to be the case. There is no mention of 16GB on the device's page, nor when selecting which storage size you want. It's on a single technical specifications page -- hardly somewhere you would put information that can be used to upsell customers! Now if it were mentioned when selecting your preferred storage amount? Then I'd expect it to be useable.
If you want the device on launch, I would go for the smaller device (unless you already know that you need the storage). How this RAM is used will be revealed shortly afterwards -- once people poke the ProCreate devs -- and if it turns out it can be accessed, then return the device.
If it can help you save time and money, then yes it's worth the money.
Technology is about saving time and money. Don't have to overthink it.
Technology is about saving time and money. Don't have to overthink it.
It would be worth it if it was running an iPad version of full MacOS. Just using ipadOS though I find it to be overpriced overkill.
Guess we’ll have to see. Apart from a few apps so far the 2018 iPads were not really making use of much of the ram either but one can hope things change further down the line.
If I recall correctly even on macOS the 8GB RAM of the M1 machines provided about as much power as the 16 GB one.
Apple never advertise RAM on iOS devices btw so that’s nothing new. Maybe we’ll get more robust background task one day or multitasking with a ton of windows. For now, like in the last five years, 4 GB in my daily workflow gets the job done for my use case.
this, I would add, if you were buying 128 or 256 if it weren’t for the RAM, don’t vet 1TB, if you were getting 512 or more, that you are using the storage and 16GB is a bonus that might come useful one day....
The question should be whether you need 1-2 TB or not. I bought the 1 TB version in 2018 that came with 6GB RAM while the rest had 4GB. Did I have any advantage over the others? I don't believe I did. And I couldn't fill up even half the storage in 3 years. People who do editing on the iPP and need the higher capacity should go for it IMO.
I can already edit 45 MP RAWS and PSD's with hundreds of layers on my 2017 iPad Pro 12 inch with its meagre 4GB RAM, so I am sure the new base in Pro will be much better with 8GB RAM, but more importantly it has that wonderful screen and TB3 so it'll be much easier to dump files into it from my CF Express reader. The only reason I may go for the 16GB model myself is so I can have a 1/2 TB iPad and the possibility of maybe using the iPad as a poor mans ATAMOS.
It’s not just the RAM, it’s also the storage. Package deal. I expect some kind of new pro-level iOS and for developers to jump all over the enhanced capabilities of the M1 and 16 gigs of RAM. From all I’ve read, it seems like Final Cut implementation is a given.
If you need the storage space go for it. But giving Apple an extra $1000 just to get the additional RAM is for people with more money than sense IMHO. Apple is only offering this SKU because they’re using the same SoC for the Macbook Air/Pro, iMac, and mac Mini also - and if it encourages a few people to give them an extra grand then, hey, what’s the downside?
Apple won’t let iPad OS make existing iPads obsolete anytime soon, and the majority of the current iPad Pro’s in the wild have 4GB or less, to say nothing of the 2020 models with 6GB. This is all to say, don’t expect iPad OS to *need* 16GB (or 8 even) anytime soon.
This upgrade pathway makes sense to me if you want the new display, but other than that I don’t see any compelling reason to upgrade. Does it matter that the M1 is half again faster than the A12Z when nothing on iPad OS can even take full advantage of the A12Z?
I hope this is indicative of future plans to bring more desktop/laptop like experience to the iPad Pro - but, I’m not one to give Apple my money on the hopes of future OS update features. I‘ll take a back seat and see what’s announced at WWDC for iPad OS 15.
Apple won’t let iPad OS make existing iPads obsolete anytime soon, and the majority of the current iPad Pro’s in the wild have 4GB or less, to say nothing of the 2020 models with 6GB. This is all to say, don’t expect iPad OS to *need* 16GB (or 8 even) anytime soon.
This upgrade pathway makes sense to me if you want the new display, but other than that I don’t see any compelling reason to upgrade. Does it matter that the M1 is half again faster than the A12Z when nothing on iPad OS can even take full advantage of the A12Z?
I hope this is indicative of future plans to bring more desktop/laptop like experience to the iPad Pro - but, I’m not one to give Apple my money on the hopes of future OS update features. I‘ll take a back seat and see what’s announced at WWDC for iPad OS 15.
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One has to assume that Apple added the M1 and its existing ram config for a reason. There must be something in the pipeline for apps or iPadOS in general that will be able to take advantage of the higher ram capacity - Apple has been so sparing of ram in iPhones and iPads, that their shift to numbers more similar to what many Android phones and tablets use is telling me they’ve got a reason to be not only including 8/16, but marketing it as well.
I’ll be happy with the 8gb as it doubles what is in my 2018 iPP 12.9” now - although as many people mention, the older iPP’s are still fantastic devices even with limited ram.
I’ll be happy with the 8gb as it doubles what is in my 2018 iPP 12.9” now - although as many people mention, the older iPP’s are still fantastic devices even with limited ram.
I honestly wouldn’t count on it. They are manufacturing one SoC for 5 product lines at this point - and remember, the RAM on M1 is built into the SoC. So I don’t think you can read this much into the decision to put 16GB on the top end iPad Pro. In my opinion it could easily come down to supply chain quirks and “why not?” decision making.
In other words, if they weren’t *already* mass manufacturing 16GB M1 SoCs, would Apple have engineered 16GB option into iPad Pro? Probably not. Even the decision to increase the base configuration to 8GB is more likely a byproduct of a standardized SoC for manufacturability purposes than it is a conscious decision to increase the horsepower of the iPad.
I love my iPad Pro so I hope for more computer-like features - but I’m not holding my breath. This could easily just come down to “why should we spend R&D to develop a new A14x architecture when we could just use M1?”. It saves development money and manufacturing money.
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