RAM Usage?

[jkim3691]

I got a 13" MBA a few days ago and looking at the RAM usage under Activity Monitor, I see that 2 gigs are being used for activities I normally I did on my '08 Blackbook that had 2gigs of RAM total. Is this normal? I just stream sports games and browse the web with multiple tabs.

 

[monkeybagel]

With Safari and three tabs open Activity Monitor is showing 3.23GB in use (out of 4GB - 384MB for Video). From my experience with this machine (2011 13" i5 256GB SSD) it does not bog down with multiple apps running. Most OSs seem to view unused memory as wasted memory and cache items to speed up the system. If the RAM is needed for other important tasks, the OS will free it up accordingly.

Does your machine slow down any/much with several apps open?

I do believe what you are seeing is normal.

 

[jkim3691]

With Safari and three tabs open Activity Monitor is showing 3.23GB in use (out of 4GB - 384MB for Video). From my experience with this machine (2011 13" i5 256GB SSD) it does not bog down with multiple apps running. Most OSs seem to view unused memory as wasted memory and cache items to speed up the system. If the RAM is needed for other important tasks, the OS will free it up accordingly.

Does your machine slow down any/much with several apps open?

I do believe what you are seeing is normal.

Na it doesn't slow down, I was just curious because it seemed odd. My sister's 13" Macbook Pro (the one before the current one) has plenty of "free" RAM.

Mine right now says 3.80 gigs are being used.

203.1 MB Free
946.9 MB Wired
2.04 GB Active
858.2 MB Inactive

 

[monkeybagel]

I would try to really "tax" it with what apps you have available by opening them as the same time, and see if the apps become non responsive. Does the MacBook Pro you are comparing it to have Snow Leopard or Lion on it? As long as you are happy with the performance and responsiveness of the system, I would pay little attention to the numbers and the like - they can sometimes be confusing.

Windows 7 is the same way with caching things and using up free RAM, but will make it available if it needs to.

 

[jkim3691]

I would try to really "tax" it with what apps you have available by opening them as the same time, and see if the apps become non responsive. Does the MacBook Pro you are comparing it to have Snow Leopard or Lion on it? As long as you are happy with the performance and responsiveness of the system, I would pay little attention to the numbers and the like - they can sometimes be confusing.

Windows 7 is the same way with caching things and using up free RAM, but will make it available if it needs to.

Yeah, I opened a bunch of apps and the Wired section started to get smaller and add to the Free section. No apps became non-responsive. My sister's laptop has Snow Leopard.

I just want to make sure within the first few days of owning this laptop I can keep it for the long haul for my use as my only computer.

 

[jsolares]

Na it doesn't slow down, I was just curious because it seemed odd. My sister's 13" Macbook Pro (the one before the current one) has plenty of "free" RAM.

Mine right now says 3.80 gigs are being used.

203.1 MB Free
946.9 MB Wired
2.04 GB Active
858.2 MB Inactive

Lion uses more memory, does your sister have Lion or Snow Leopard?