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gkos

macrumors member
Oct 10, 2021
40
58
What kind of workflow would one need to justify 32GB of ram? I'm just starting out my career in marketing and design and sometimes i notice some laggy behavior when working in photoshop and After Effects on my M1 Air (8gb). Would 16GB cover me or should I go to 32GB?

In Data Science where you often use IDEs, want to run machine learning workflows locally, have your usual apps open (Spotify, Slack, Teams, etc), and don't want to think about memory when spamming new tabs/google searches on Chrome, you usually go for the max RAM you can pay. At least that's my perspective.
 

TimothyJohn

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2013
179
108
Md.
Based on current prices:
16gb to 32gb RAM- $400
SSD upgrade prices: $400 per terrabyte. ($200 gets you from 512 to 1tb; $600 from 512 to 2tb).

Too pricey? That danged Apple Tax?

But don't forget; disc speed on these SSD's is well past 2800mb/sec, that's actual speed. Yes there are external drives that advertise 2800mb/sec, but what is the actual speed over the thunderbolt bus? And they ain't cheap! The LaCie is $400. OWC, Samsung X5 $300, and the G-tech $350. And I'd predict the actual speed of these drives, (assuming they are not overheating), is around 1900mb/s. That's 33.3% slower!! I'm beginning to think the 2tb SSD option is a no brainer. Why have an external SSD at all? Purely for backup. I'm rethinking everything at this point, in terms of workflow. $400 buys me the fastest performing SSD (at ANY price), and it's onboard!! AND IT DOESN'T OVERHEAT!! Get a 2tb Samsung T5 for pennies as a backup. All productive work done on the MacBook. This is insane!!
 
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SRTM

macrumors 6502
Dec 11, 2011
288
148
I assume waiting for the 2nd generation just brings the usual minor year over year updates and isn’t worth the wait? Opinions?
All i've heard about the 2nd gen, is that they will use ARM v9 which could bring significant GPU improvements
 

_alxmac

macrumors newbie
Sep 24, 2021
15
12
Based on current prices:
16gb to 32gb RAM- $400
SSD upgrade prices: $400 per terrabyte. ($200 gets you from 512 to 1tb; $600 from 512 to 2tb).

Too pricey? That danged Apple Tax?

But don't forget; disc speed on these SSD's is well past 2800mb/sec, that's actual speed. Yes there are external drives that advertise 2800mb/sec, but what is the actual speed over the thunderbolt bus? And they ain't cheap! The LaCie is $400. OWC, Samsung X5 $300, and the G-tech $350. And I'd predict the actual speed of these drives, (assuming they are not overheating), is around 1900mb/s. That's 33.3% slower!! I'm beginning to think the 2tb SSD option is a no brainer. Why have an external SSD at all? Purely for backup. I'm rethinking everything at this point, in terms of workflow. $400 buys me the fastest performing SSD (at ANY price), and it's onboard!! AND IT DOESN'T OVERHEAT!! Get a 2tb Samsung T5 for pennies as a backup. All productive work done on the MacBook. This is insane!!
I made up my mind a year ago that whenever the redesigned MBP would be released I'd BTO a 32GB RAM and 1TB 16" M1X for music production. But reading your post made me think of how nice it would be to actually have a 2TB SSD internally. Not having to worry about having a fast enough external ssd to carry my sample libraries and not having it plugged in at all times would be insane. I'd only have to carry a normal HDD for backing up stuff. It's an expensive upgrade to an already expensive laptop but I'd probably end up spending the same amount on LaCies as you mentioned.

So many decisions before Monday holy **** haha... 😄
 

UltimateSyn

macrumors 601
Mar 3, 2008
4,970
9,207
Massachusetts
I assume waiting for the 2nd generation just brings the usual minor year over year updates and isn’t worth the wait? Opinions?
There will always be something better on the horizon. If this really has mini-LED, ProMotion, 32-core GPU, etc. there's not a whole lot else they could entice me with for this generation. That's a whole lot to add in one upgrade and the rest of this generation will be iterative, incremental returns like faster CPU and GPU speeds.
 

terminator-jq

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
720
1,517
Yeah...thats the thing, macs are not iphones
Even ipads i think are for around 18 months cycle
I'm thinking the same thing! People expecting an M2X MacBook Pro next year might be in for a surprise. Keep in mind, Apple is still in the very middle of this "transition" so that could also throw off release schedules. I'm thinking:

- November 2020: M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, M1 Mac mini
- April 2021: M1 iMac
- October 2021: M1X MacBook Pro (maybe M1X Mac mini)
- March 2022: M1X iMac Pro (Jade C Die M1X) and M1X Mac mini if it doesn't come Monday
- October/ November 2022: BIG event with redesigned M2 MacBook Air and M2X Mac Pro

That would complete the transition with all Macs having been redesigned and moved to Apple silicon. Which means it could certainly be possible (though I could be wrong) that the MacBook Pro doesn't see another update until at least early 2023.

On a side note, after looking through that list, it would make a lot more sense if Apple called the Pro chips something different. Maybe "P1". I guess we will see on Monday!
 

Serban55

Suspended
Oct 18, 2020
2,153
4,344
I'm thinking the same thing! People expecting an M2X MacBook Pro next year might be in for a surprise. Keep in mind, Apple is still in the very middle of this "transition" so that could also throw off release schedules. I'm thinking:

- November 2020: M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, M1 Mac mini
- April 2021: M1 iMac
- October 2021: M1X MacBook Pro (maybe M1X Mac mini)
- March 2022: M1X iMac Pro (Jade C Die M1X) and M1X Mac mini if it doesn't come Monday
- October/ November 2022: BIG event with redesigned M2 MacBook Air and M2X Mac Pro

That would complete the transition with all Macs having been redesigned and moved to Apple silicon. Which means it could certainly be possible (though I could be wrong) that the MacBook Pro doesn't see another update until at least early 2023.

On a side note, after looking through that list, it would make a lot more sense if Apple called the Pro chips something different. Maybe "P1". I guess we will see on Monday!
Totally agree...there were some users back in January-February this year, that told me that they are SURE that the whole transition will be done by March 2022 :))))
 
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Less than 4 days left. Ready to be unleashed.

12523F16-2605-4FD4-AF2E-C3D24C039792.jpeg
 
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baummer

macrumors 65816
Jan 18, 2005
1,296
396
Southern California
Totally agree...there were some users back in January-February this year, that told me that they are SURE that the whole transition will be done by March 2022 :))))
Yeah at the time it was a lofty goal. Mix in a continuing global pandemic + materiel shortages = looking at 2023 and beyond before full transition is complete.
 

Serban55

Suspended
Oct 18, 2020
2,153
4,344
Yeah at the time it was a lofty goal. Mix in a continuing global pandemic + materiel shortages = looking at 2023 and beyond before full transition is complete.
again, nobody expected that the entire mac segment to be apple silicon by early 2022 t...only just 1-2 users around here :)
Can;t wait to see next year the Mac Pro...i wonder if in that at least the SSD will still be swappable
Cant wait for the 4xSoC with 128 gpu cores
 
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terminator-jq

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
720
1,517
again, nobody expected that the entire mac segment to be apple silicon by early 2022 t...only just 1-2 users around here :)
Can;t wait to see next year the Mac Pro...i wonder if in that at least the SSD will still be swappable
Cant wait for the 4xSoC with 128 gpu cores
Yeah the Mac Pro will be very interesting even as a laptop person.

On one hand, the Mac Pro Apple silicon chip will no doubt demolish any available option on the current Mac Pro but at the same time Apple made a pretty big deal out of the modularity of the 2019 Mac Pro… It would be odd of them to just go back to a closed off non customizable system.

I’m thinking maybe the main SOC is locked in but you can still expand the RAM and SSD. On the graphics side, maybe Apple offers GPU modules (similar to the afterburner). If that’s the case, maybe we could also see those GPU modules sold as a small desktop device (probably no bigger than an Apple TV) that can be connected to a MacBook Pro as a sort of Apple silicon version of an e-GPU. Very interesting times ahead…
 

rbfinch2

macrumors regular
Jul 3, 2013
104
61
I wonder if we will get lucky and buy them right away or Apple will make us wait to purchase them on a specific time?
 
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terminator-jq

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2012
720
1,517
I wonder if we will get lucky and buy them right away or Apple will make us wait to purchase them on a specific time?
I wonder the same thing! In the past the new MacBooks have been available to order pretty much right away with shipping beginning the Friday after the announcement but with the current chip shortages and mini LED manufacturing delays, we could see something similar to the 24” iMac launch. There’s a few possibilities:

1. Available to purchase right after the event with shipping starting on the 22nd.

2. Available to purchase on the 22nd with shipping starting on the 29th

3. Available to purchase on the 22nd with shipping starting in early November.

My bets are on option 2 especially since the investors call is on the 28th. It also lines up with the typical launch patterns for Apple devices.
 

Lobwedgephil

macrumors 603
Apr 7, 2012
5,792
4,757
I wonder the same thing! In the past the new MacBooks have been available to order pretty much right away with shipping beginning the Friday after the announcement but with the current chip shortages and mini LED manufacturing delays, we could see something similar to the 24” iMac launch. There’s a few possibilities:

1. Available to purchase right after the event with shipping starting on the 22nd.

2. Available to purchase on the 22nd with shipping starting on the 29th

3. Available to purchase on the 22nd with shipping starting in early November.

My bets are on option 2 especially since the investors call is on the 28th. It also lines up with the typical launch patterns for Apple devices.
My guess, hope, is order right away, in stores Late October.
 

DesertDrummer

macrumors regular
Oct 19, 2011
163
693
Phoenix, AZ
I thought I'd take a minute to do a breakdown of the "make or break" features for the the M1X MBP for me.

FeatureWill I still buy on day 1 without it?
120Hz Displayyes
SD Card slotyes
HDMI portyes
MagSafe chargeryes
2x Retina screenyes
1080p webcamyes
Physical function keysyes
Matte black coloryes
Sierra blue coloryes but 😢

Tough choice!
 

stuffx

macrumors member
Feb 3, 2020
57
38
Looking at the current shipping status it seems like the 16” will definitely be available for preorder immediately after the announcement. I just hope the 14” won’t be pushed to a later date to prioritize 16”.
 
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