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Why do people want 8GB RAM in the MBA?
- Thread starter pgiguere1
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Thanks for the answers. Looks like people expect more than I thought from the MBA and can justify their need pretty well (at least people on MR). That's what I was wondering, I have my answer.
I gave my computer specs and RAM usage as an example so that people who don't monitor their RAM usage have an idea. I never said you were wrong to use more RAM than I do, so I'm not sure why some people say I'm narrow-minded to ask this question.
I suggested people who have no idea of how much they use to actually find it before determining how much they think they need. If you already do, then fine, this was not targeted at you.
Also, I didn't know the OS scaled RAM usage depending on how much you have. This makes having 8GB have more sense. Does somebody have more info on this?
Thanks for the answers. Looks like people expect more than I thought from the MBA and can justify their need pretty well (at least people on MR). That's what I was wondering, I have my answer.
I gave my computer specs and RAM usage as an example so that people who don't monitor their RAM usage have an idea. I never said you were wrong to use more RAM than I do, so I'm not sure why some people say I'm narrow-minded to ask this question.
I suggested people who have no idea of how much they use to actually find it before determining how much they think they need. If you already do, then fine, this was not targeted at you.
Also, I didn't know the OS scaled RAM usage depending on how much you have. This makes having 8GB have more sense. Does somebody have more info on this?
I just hope it comes standard 4 GB RAM. I would love to see higher SSD storage as standards also, though I doubt this will be the case. I wouldn't be surprised either if the 2 GB RAM standard stayed the same.
If you studied computer science or have a technical background, then this should answer your question
http://developer.apple.com/library/...tual/ManagingMemory/Articles/AboutMemory.html
That's actually your opinion. There may in fact be a technical reason for Apple not offering 8GB as BTO that we do not know about.
So, are people actually going to use more than 4GB of RAM, by, I don't know, editing large poster-sized 300dpi images in Photoshop, and make 1080p movies in Final Cut Pro on the MBA?
Why not? You think professional people don't want to use the most powerful but lightest and thinnest Macbook? As a professional I do, and I think there are thousands of people who think this way. For example I use PS with 72 dpi but many files are open, Illustrator with some complex drawings, open at least 25 tabs on Chrome and these are only my daily minimum open programs and items. So why shouldn't I want a 8GB Ram for MBA? I don't want a bigger SSD because I'll use external HD, but I extremely need 8Gigs for MBA, so I would carry every Gods day to my work and home without any pain. I love my MBP 13" but its heavy and sometimes thick for me!
Why not? You think professional people don't want to use the most powerful but lightest and thinnest Macbook? As a professional I do, and I think there are thousands of people who think this way. For example I use PS with 72 dpi but many files are open, Illustrator with some complex drawings, open at least 25 tabs on Chrome and these are only my daily minimum open programs and items. So why shouldn't I want a 8GB Ram for MBA? I don't want a bigger SSD because I'll use external HD, but I extremely need 8Gigs for MBA, so I would carry every Gods day to my work and home without any pain. I love my MBP 13" but its heavy and sometimes thick for me!
Given the chipsets are available in other machines and the ram takes the same amount of space there is no technical reason. Heat and power requirements can be matched. So I'd say you are incorrect.
I guess the question is, "why not", my mantra from the PC days, get all the RAM you can afford, with prices so cheap, I'd love a MBA,with 8GB of Ram and slip in a 480 OWC SSD, with a new Core i5 or i7 in a 13"-SWEET
Well, maybe, but it's more likely a financial reason - as in doubling the density of the RAM chips would be very expensive. Even though many people on this forum would happily pay any price to get their 8GB Air, total sales of that model wouldn't be enough to justify it's production. At least, I think that has been true to date - it's possible that the tipping point has been reached and 8GB will be viable in the next Air refresh. Going from 4GB to 8GB would need to be a $200 - $300 upgrade to be a popular seller - IMHO.
I'd like 8GB for the occasions when I run a VM, but I'm holding out for the Ivy Bridge refresh anyway.
It's important to note that the operating system will use more RAM if more RAM is available. The less RAM you have available the more the system has to virtualize. Having more real RAM allows your system to run faster.
8 or even 16 GB of RAM will be awesome with programs like the new Final Cut Pro X where the files it deals with are huge.
8 or even 16 GB of RAM will be awesome with programs like the new Final Cut Pro X where the files it deals with are huge.
Not true.
Anyway, most will want more ram for VM's or because they are doing photo editing or the like. 4GB is fine for Snow Leopard but I typically hover around 5 to 6 GB memory usage on my 2011 MBP just doing normal every day stuff. Not sure what Lions memory utilization will be like. Besides memory is cheap, why not be able to go to 8GB or more if you use it?
standard backlit keyboard and standard 4gb ram optional 8gb ram and i'm in wonder what kind of sandy bridge processors they are going to use though
wonder what kind of sandy bridge processors they are going to use thoughgaming is not what the Air is designed for.
to play those games, you'd need ideally a high-end iMac or even a Mac Pro - then you can stick as much memory into them as you like.
maybe a MacBook Pro with the 'AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU with 1GB GDDR5' as a minimum - but then isn't that what those PS3, Xbox, and all the other thingummies are for?
computers are for real work+play stuff, man - not games
Thank you!
I am sick of reading people's complaints about the MacBook Air not being up to snuff as a gaming laptop...or at least a badass gaming laptop.
I've always held the opinion that if you want a game machine, buy a console or one of the handhelds.
Such a curious attitude. I have zero interest in console gaming and am pretty happy playing sc2 on my Air. It would certainly be nice if it could run it better, and in time it will, but even the suggestion that people shouldn't be using that lack as an area for argument seems bizarre to me, once a PC gamer, always a PC gamer.
i got a mbp 13" / 8gb ram upgrade a month or two ago.
i don't consider myself a super intensive user. mainly i am using apps like acrobat pro, word, chrome, evernote, etc. no gaming. i considered the current mba model, because i didn't think i'd be pushing the machine too hard, but i am glad i decided not to get it. as much as i like the mba, 4gb ram is way too little these days, in my opinion. considering the cost of memory, it seems like a no-brainer upgrade if you can get it, and i hope the mba is upgradable
attached is a screenshot. i am already out of memory and i haven't even started the heavy work today with adobe. gotta close some stuff!
i don't consider myself a super intensive user. mainly i am using apps like acrobat pro, word, chrome, evernote, etc. no gaming. i considered the current mba model, because i didn't think i'd be pushing the machine too hard, but i am glad i decided not to get it. as much as i like the mba, 4gb ram is way too little these days, in my opinion. considering the cost of memory, it seems like a no-brainer upgrade if you can get it, and i hope the mba is upgradable
attached is a screenshot. i am already out of memory and i haven't even started the heavy work today with adobe. gotta close some stuff!
Attachments
Today you would probably want a 4GB Air. However, the question is how much ram would you be assigning to Windows 7?
One of the options for Parallels and similar programs is how much "Main Memory" to set up the virtual machine with. And what is the minimum memory that Windows 7 will even run with. That will determine the lower bound for the virtual machine's main memory setting. And of course how much depends on what you're doing with Windows. And then total Air memory is that plus what else you want to have running under SO X at the same time.
When Apple offers Airs with the ability to go more than 4GB or RAM then you need to really look at these questions. 8GB starts to make a lot of sense at that point if you're running parallels (or similar).
Um, you can buy 8GB of ram for ~$80. NOT EXPENSIVE AT ALL!!!!. 4GB costs about $40. It will be the apple tax that makes it expensive.
Except the MBA uses a single stick of RAM, soldered to the board. It's smaller, and more expensive, than the $80 8GB kits you can buy for an MBP.