Doesn't feel like it'll provide much value spending $400 to get 32gb instead of 16Gb. There are relatively few use cases where you'd see much performance benefit going for 32gb.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
16GB or 32GB of ram (MacBook Pro 2020)
- Thread starter DrSarah
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Anyone who says you need 32Gb doesn't know what they are saying. You are fine with 16gb of Ram. By the time 32GB of RAM is needed there will be far superior MacBooks out that would be a great choice for upgrading (think 3-5 years for now). Save your money.
32GB is overkill unless your running multiple VM, making a damn PS5 game, 4K Movie, etc
32GB is overkill unless your running multiple VM, making a damn PS5 game, 4K Movie, etc
Haha thanks for your input, for some reason i am always a bit scared of not buying the higher speced ones.
I love my mac mini with 32gb and it is so fast and i think it is because it stores everything in the RAM (sits always between 21 and 25gb used)
i got this macbook almost for nothing, hence the reason i have 8gb of ram and id does everything i throw at it.
maybe i am stupid and have to keep this one, it is fine i guess but that new keyboard in those 2020 machines.. ugh dilema.
I really dislike the 15.4 and 16” laptops due the heat they produce, mainly due the GPU.
Also battery life takes a big hit when the GPU enables for random processes.
carrying it around is also a lot easier with a 13”.
Haha yes, that is true. I could also keep my macbook i have right now and not spend all my money..
just returned a iPad Pro 12.9 and magic keyboard + apple care so i have some cash to burn i guess XD
i just hate the idea of a new macbook with a normal keyboard being out there and having the butterfly myself ?
Go with 16GB of RAM. I just bought a 2020 MacBook pro 13 inch and went with 16GB of RAM 1TB SSD.
yeah there are also some good deals on that model cause it is a "stock" model and not BTO.
Well still have some days to think about it, hope apple with not raise the prices of the upgrades in the upcoming weeks on the 4-port models like they this last night on the 2-port ones.
Didn’t realise that - they’ve doubled the price for the RAM upgrade haven’t they ? £200 in the UK now.
yep, i am feeling the pressure now but I am still waiting for my refund for the iPad/magic keyboard/apple care (estimate 1800) I returned and a other shop could deliver 2 HomePods which is another 550 euro I am waiting for.
Please hurry up stores haha. Tomorrow is a Holliday in The Netherlands, so no-one is working then..
Please hurry up stores haha. Tomorrow is a Holliday in The Netherlands, so no-one is working then..
I’ve got an 8GB MBP 2017 ntb and never experience slowdown even with loads of tabs open.
So I suspect 16 GB should be more than fine for you.
Anything involving 3D modelling, VMs and 4-5k pro video editing or pro audio production - yes, you’ll need 32GB.
One caveat is that we are entering into the world of AVR. Even then, content consumption is likely to be on the glass, iPad and iPhone with AVR creation on crazy powerful Macs ie the Mac Pro.
So I suspect 16 GB should be more than fine for you.
Anything involving 3D modelling, VMs and 4-5k pro video editing or pro audio production - yes, you’ll need 32GB.
One caveat is that we are entering into the world of AVR. Even then, content consumption is likely to be on the glass, iPad and iPhone with AVR creation on crazy powerful Macs ie the Mac Pro.
I originally ordered the new 2020 MBP 13" with i7/16MB/1TB. (Currently, I have a 2013 MBA with 8MB) I started asking the same questions you are asking about 32MB. I was worried I'd be disappointed in the future with just the 16 MB and, of course you know, I wouldn't be able to upgrade that. I chatted with Apple and canceled that order and now I have the 13" i7/32mb/1tb one on order. The deliver date didn't even change! Expecting it between June 12-19. Ordered the first one on May 26 and the new one on May 28th. I do the same thing when I buy a car. I do not want any regrets after the purchase. If I decide to buy a new one next year when they have the new processors and mini leds on the screens, I'll have a machine that I might not be able to get all my money back on the memory, but it'll still be more valuable than a 16 mb machine. Also If I keep it for as long as I've had my current one, it may be worth it in the future to have the extra memory. I say if you can afford it, get it.
So I have a 2018 i7 2.7GHz 16MB/1TB and have purchased and not opened a 2020 i5 2.0GHz 16MB/1TB and am trying to decide of the upgrade is WO the the $1100 it will cost me after selling my old one, Apple Care etc. I am like Dr. Sarah, not sure my usage justifies it, but hate that there is a newer better model out there. LOL.
Does anybody know if there is a difference in the speaker system between a 2018 and 2020 - both are 4 USB C port, dual fam machines. Ok thanks so much!
Does anybody know if there is a difference in the speaker system between a 2018 and 2020 - both are 4 USB C port, dual fam machines. Ok thanks so much!
I went through the same. Ordered and actually received i7/16gb/1tb model. Don’t need 32gb now and may not for many years but when I bought my 2012 rmbp I maxed ram then to 16gb. That decision worked out well and the machine has lasted longer than expected. I just couldn’t put the same amount of ram in as 8 years ago so reordered the i7/32gb/2tb model which I now have and returned the first. My decision was more for peace of mind than logical as ram needs have probably plateaued a bit but now I will stop wondering.
The last few post are from people who feel the same like me; are we going to regret the 16GB one.
answer is, probably yes but that is more in our minds and 16GB would be amazing too.
i think i will go for the i5/32GB/1TB.
no luck selling my macbook yet though even though i think it is a very low price.. (1350 euro for 2018 i5/8GB/512GB with 51 cycles and no scratches/dents.
answer is, probably yes but that is more in our minds and 16GB would be amazing too.
i think i will go for the i5/32GB/1TB.
no luck selling my macbook yet though even though i think it is a very low price.. (1350 euro for 2018 i5/8GB/512GB with 51 cycles and no scratches/dents.
Honestly, 16GB is more than enough for you and will be for years to come unless you change what you use it for. Macs are more optimized to their hardware than Windows equivalents in most cases (which is why iPhones from years ago with basic hardware still run butter smooth with iOS).
32GB will be massive overkill unless you do 4K video editing and CAD work alongside running multiple apps/browser tabs. Even if you do, the priority would probably be a better GPU rather than upgrading RAM.
Bottom line: 16GB will be absolutely fine and 32GB is unnecessary.
32GB will be massive overkill unless you do 4K video editing and CAD work alongside running multiple apps/browser tabs. Even if you do, the priority would probably be a better GPU rather than upgrading RAM.
Bottom line: 16GB will be absolutely fine and 32GB is unnecessary.
You are totally right, 16GB should be plenty enough. I will run a parallels VM from time to time, but not constantly of course.
i listened to the ATP podcast today where they discuss buying a new MBP 13” and i share Casey Liss his vieuwing point.
he does not need 32GB, but he want’s it..
I am nog going to order anytime before Wednesday, i hope i can make up my mind.
thank you for your input!
It depends on what you are running in Parallels. I use Quicken for Windows, and occasionally Excel for Windows in Parallels. 16GB is fine since Windows 10 with 4GB allocated runs both of those just fine.
I ordered almost top dog with i7/32/2TB. I got the 32gb mostly as I'm dabbling with editing 4K videos from my Nikon Z6/Z7's with FCPX. But I'm a crazy user of multiple tabs in my browser and it's not unusual for me to have Safari using more than 16gb of ram at a time. I used to borrow my partner's 2017 MacBook Pro 15 with 16gb and I would notice a slowdown after having numerous tabs open. But, in reality, 16gb should be more than enough. 32gb would be a luxury
Also 2020 4 port MacBook 13s use LPDDR4 which is very very efficient so power usage difference between 16/32 should be minimal.
Also 2020 4 port MacBook 13s use LPDDR4 which is very very efficient so power usage difference between 16/32 should be minimal.
Still using an 8 year old i7 mid 2012 15" Retina Pro with Catalina installed. Still runs great! I ordered it with maxed out RAM to 16GB. Though RAM is usually maxed out when running these days. Currently reading 700mb of free RAM with Chrome and XCode running. My advice is always max out your RAM when ordering a new Mac. I'm afraid I will be forking out the 4 grand for a new Mac this year and 64GB is expensive so I will be getting 32GB.
it will not be used heavily though, just when I have to do something in Windows it should be able to handle it, I think 16GB will do the trick too. Still having 32GB would be nice.