The first 16GB upgrade from 16GB to 32GB costs $400. The next 32GB upgrade from 32GB to 64GB also costs $400. So the value is actually better to upgrade from 32 to 64 
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64GB RAM is not a wise buy, and here's why
- Thread starter CM_1986
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Best way is to try I guess. Order a 32GB model, try it for couple weeks and if your RAM throttles often return it for a 64GB model. Easy as that.
I'm not sure why everyone is obsessed with everyone else's use cases. I work in an academic engineering environment where we have regular access to clusters with 64-core cpus with 256gb of RAM. 64gb would be a welcome upgrade if i every wanted to work with my datasets locally. i opted for 32gb, however because 64gb price was a little high.
as previous people in the thread have mentioned, for clusters (especially GPU with this ML craze), i have to put in a request, etc, and do all this BS. sometimes i wanna edit code or run stuff locally to tinker and test with things and see the effects right away. then when i iron all that stuff out i send it to the monster rigs.
as previous people in the thread have mentioned, for clusters (especially GPU with this ML craze), i have to put in a request, etc, and do all this BS. sometimes i wanna edit code or run stuff locally to tinker and test with things and see the effects right away. then when i iron all that stuff out i send it to the monster rigs.
I agree that since we can’t upgrade maxing out makes sense, but at $7k after tax and AppleCare I doubt many will.
Oh dear that’s disappointing, was kind of hoping of a significant improvement on fan noise when the enhanced thermal design had been mentioned.
Maybe I should look at IMac Pro , as the thing is I’m prepared to spend big to get my high Spec MacBook Pro with 64GB ram but then it kind of sucks if I’m still having to stop VMs and apps to reduce the jet engine noise... either that or I buy a good pair of noise cancelling headphones with the laptop
It might not be that bad. I am not sure what you are doing with your VMs but it is unlikely they are all going at full whack simultaneously? Also you can use turbo boost switcher to turn off turbo boost in those situations which would massively reduce fan usage in return for some performance loss.
On the flip-side, 16-32 GB is "not a wise buy" if your workload requires (or will in the near future, require) > 32 GB to run properly. You're just wasting time, and if you use the machine to generate revenue, or fix problems... money.
I run an application that requires 16 GB of RAM by itself to run properly for example (Cisco VIRL).
Know your workload. Buy appropriately. /end
Exactly. while my university is too small to have a server farm onsite, we will soon be getting access to one through a large grant. Even with server farm access, I still want to test my predictive models locally without jumping through all the hoops to submit a batch job.
Joe
Joe
Yep, that way you can accurately gauge what is needed and not over (or under) buy. Its hard not to justify 16GB it seems, though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Just like the memory usage, that will depend very much on use case. I semi-regularly have 7 running to mimic a client's production environment for debugging/upgrade testing etc.
Agreed, just in my experience even when running simultaneously, each one doesn't necessarily require a lot of CPU. In my case I might have a bunch of Windows Servers, a domain controller, adfs box, WAP box, SQL, SharePoint....probably only SQL and SharePoint would need a lot of CPU and then not necessarily all the time. For al the VMs to be using a lot of CP simultaneously, then a laptop probably isn't the best bet. But yes usage pattern is what will decide it.
This is a good point for existing VMs you're just running definitely, or if the bootstrap for a multi-VM setup is tiered. Often what I'm testing in a multi-machine scenario is cluster bootstrapping/setup itself, so it's either doing a bunch of builds, installs, syncs etc between themselves concurrently and thus not necessarily so much of the "1 chugging away, 5 idling" scenario.
Here in Sweden we can only return non BTO machines, ie only standard configurations. So, 32GB can never be returned.
May not be the best option, but if you can stuff the resources into a laptop to take it on the go, then it saves having two machines.
A laptop isn't the best platform for high end video editing either, but it doesn't stop people wanting to do it.
Network admins (for example), like video producers often need to work on stuff "out in the field" away from the office (client sites, etc.). Having the resources available in a portable enables you to work on site rather than putting work off until you can get to a desktop workstation.
As an aside - I think apple really underestimate how many of their users are network admins/network engineers (or engineers in general to be honest). Amongst the properly switched on network/storage admins i know, many of them run macbooks.
I think it's taking time for Apple to acknowledge that their "pro" market isn't just "Video editors, Audio engineers, and macOS/iOS app developers".
Agreed 100%.
I want to buy Apple machines, i really do. But i'm not a media guy or a proper app developer.
Because macOS is i think the best all-round desktop/laptop platform out there. But linux is getting close enough that if Apple keep being stupid with hardware and pricing, then i'll jump ship. I already did for the desktop.
I hope so, a little bit of fan noise here and there is one thing but it would really be annoying to spend 3k plus on a high spec laptop and then find out you have to avoid putting it under high load or else it suffers from stress (loud fans, in other words)
i think they've already lost it on the AI/ML side with no support for nvidia GPUs. not even eGPUs
Not sure how it is in Sweden but in the USA I picked up a 32 GB version that was readily available in store. Might be good to check to see if that option exists for your location
In May 2015 I bought a 16gb MacbookPro (256gb storage :/) as that was the maximum RAM at the time. Cut to 2019 and the place I'm working gave me 2019 Macbook Pro I7 with 16gb of ram and the thing is using almost all of it and bogging down due to apps and RDP sessions I need to keep open.
I will be getting a new business laptop in 2020 for my own business and guess what? I am getting 64gb RAM just because I want the extra breathing room. I am using it for billable work and will write it off over time.
I will be getting a new business laptop in 2020 for my own business and guess what? I am getting 64gb RAM just because I want the extra breathing room. I am using it for billable work and will write it off over time.
I think it is telling that Apple are releasing things in this state. They are simply not testing their own hardware properly prior to release.
if they actually did proper testing, the keyboard issue would not have been public. If they did proper testing, the thermal issues would not be released...
This is basic, basic testing stuff.
