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Can you do that with a brand new car? I think not...
Then why do some think it's OK with an Apple computer?
Just drives up the prices for everyone else....

I have a problem with people abusing the return window to borrow machines that they don't intend to keep. I don't have a problem with people utilizing a 14-day return policy to try something they hope to keep.

I'm also pretty confident that most people are going to come to the realization that the base level machine is no slouch.

But yeah, consider me no friend of the people who abuse the return window. The rest of us are paying for their privileges.
 
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Can you just buy what you think you'll need and then run it as hard as you can to see if it'll work out? Return it if it doesn't perform and buy the next one up.

I stressed tested my late 2019 base 16” MBP and it didn’t seem to use more than 13 GB of RAM, so 16 GB may be enough after all, at least for the next couple of years.
 
Doom 3 does have good atmosphere. It's kind of like Dead Space. I prefer the more action oriented Doom and Doom Eternal. I got really into gaming back when the original Doom was shareware in the early 90's.
Naturally, Dead Space...
1670956710689-png.2127865

Then there's Alien Isolation, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Radiophobia 3 and recently E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy, which has to be said is absolutely mind bending.

Alien Isolation I play with a mod that alters the Alien's tether range and aggression. The games AI has less understanding of your precise location, yet the Alien's AI is far more aggressive & inquisitive, it will explore & actively hunt you across the entire level absolutely terrifying. Really, really like the original film :oops:

Radiophobia 3 is for the seasoned Stalker that want's to be punished LOL. You start with nothing, with no knowledge in the dark with no direction. Once you get a start man does this game pile on...

I've played & 100% completed Streum's Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced Edition at the hardest level, nor will I do again as is punishingly difficult. E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy is on an entirely different level again...
thumb-1920-616387.jpg

Cyberpunk merged with Warhammer 40K...:cool:

Join us here

Radiophobia 3, full free modpack game with the blessing of the original dev's such is S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Q-6
 
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After some discussions with my wife, she will be getting the base M2 Mac Mini for her office and personal things and I will be getting the 16/512 non-pro (for our very first Mac).

It's just sh*t here in the Philippines because still not available (just released today in Singapore where Ph stocks are coming from) :/
And the resellers are upselling like $183 (10kphp) dollars more from the original price from Apple!
I just wish there's an Apple store here :/
 
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I was thinking about this thread because it brings up a fundamental conundrum with all Mac computers (except Mac Pro) — how much RAM to buy in a new computer.

In the history of Apple Computers since the very first one built in a garage, the standard bottom tier RAM configuration of EVERY Mac ever made, has ALWAYS been marginally adequate. The computers ran with the minimal RAM configuration, but they were inevitably short once you started doing real stuff.

So if history is any guide — the 8GB RAM configuration of today is the 2GB config of 10 years ago and the 16MB of 25 years ago.

I think I’m on track with this since this trend has been consistent since the beginning.
That being so…… my buying advice is — never but a Mac that has the bottom tier RAM configuration, whatever it is, bump it up to the next level.
 
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I think I’m on track with this since this trend has been consistent since the beginning.
That being so…… my buying advice is — never but a Mac that has the bottom tier RAM configuration, whatever it is, bump it up to the next level.
This is bad advice for many people, and likely bad advice for the majority too. Do you own an 8gb AS Mac? Have you compared to a 16gb AS Mac? For most normal users, that extra spend is wasted.

For pro level users, they are not looking at a $499 mini to begin with.
 
Man, just when I was certain I knew what I was gonna get, I started having doubts again.

I’m thinking…. I already have a base 2019 16” MBP. If I’m getting a new Mac, shouldn’t it be one that is more powerful than what I already have? Customize the Mini with better specs.

My MBP can be my “weak” Mac and a Mac Mini can be my main, more powerful computer that can work for me for several years.

Yes, I overthink a lot, why do you ask? LOL
 
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I think I’m on track with this since this trend has been consistent since the beginning.
That being so…… my buying advice is — never but a Mac that has the bottom tier RAM configuration, whatever it is, bump it up to the next level.
That may apply to you but it most certainly doesn't apply to me. As i've mentioned previously, I have yet to see a swap file appear. I am usually in the 35-45% memory pressure range. My M2 mini is faster than my 2018 i5 mini. I paid tax included, $476 for the M2. In 5-6 years time, it will have served its purpose quite well. If someone is on the fence, my advice is to buy the base model Mini. You have 14 days to return it and buy one that has more RAM or SSD if the base model doesn't fit your needs.
 
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Man, just when I was certain I knew what I was gonna get, I started having doubts again.

I’m thinking…. I already have a base 2019 16” MBP, so I’m getting a new Mac, shouldn’t it be one that is more powerful than what I already have?

My MBP can be my “weak” Mac and a Mac Mini can be my main, more powerful computer that can work for me for several years.

Yes, I overthink a lot, why do you ask? LOL
You should. A $499 Max mini M2 walks all over the 2019 MBP i9 for day to day tasks, and unless you deliberately make RAM-challenging scenarios, for most other tasks too.

Except graphics. My MBP2019 16” i9 5500 setup does have faster gaming graphics.
 
This is bad advice for many people, and likely bad advice for the majority too. Do you own an 8gb AS Mac? Have you compared to a 16gb AS Mac? For most normal users, that extra spend is wasted.

For pro level users, they are not looking at a $499 mini to begin with.
I love how the word Pro gets thrown around these forums.
I have an bit older Dell i7 Workstation that I use for scanning and repairing old photographic media and relatively simple edits in analog video -> digital transfers. Am I "Pro"? I don't know does making a living count as a pro?
Am I looking at a Mini as a secondary machine? If the price to power is that good of course I am.
Am I peeved about spending $200 on ram when I can buy 16GB dimms for my Dell for $20? Of course I am.

Realistically you can do "Pro" level photographic work on pretty much any i5 from the past 6 gens.
 
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I love how the word Pro gets thrown around these forums.
I have an bit older Dell i7 Workstation that I use for scanning and repairing old photographic media and relatively simple edits in analog video -> digital transfers. Am I "Pro"? I don't know does making a living count as a pro?
Am I looking at a Mini as a secondary machine? If the price to power is that good of course I am.
Am I peeved about spending $200 on ram when I can buy 16GB dimms for my Dell for $20? Of course I am.

Realistically you can do "Pro" level photographic work on pretty much any i5 from the past 6 gens.
Then a basic M2 mini will work fine. What’s the question? The basic point I replied to was the 8GB config was not suitable for most M2 non-Pro (chip, here) mini buyers. I believe that’s wrong. Have you tried it? Why do you think you need to spend $200 on RAM?
 
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Then a basic M2 mini will work fine. What’s the question? The basic point I replied to was the 8GB config was not suitable for most M2 non-Pro (chip, here) mini buyers. I believe that’s wrong. Have you tried it? Why do you think you need to spend $200 on RAM?
Correct and the video that was posted on how the 8/256GB crawls to a snails pace showed that in order to make the 8/256GB do that was by running as many apps while doing photo editing. IIRC that was 4K editing with several layers. I am just going off memory. I am not into photography, so I will stand to be corrected if I got the 4K editing with several layers wrong.
 
I love how the word Pro gets thrown around these forums.
I have an bit older Dell i7 Workstation that I use for scanning and repairing old photographic media and relatively simple edits in analog video -> digital transfers. Am I "Pro"? I don't know does making a living count as a pro?
Am I looking at a Mini as a secondary machine? If the price to power is that good of course I am.
Am I peeved about spending $200 on ram when I can buy 16GB dimms for my Dell for $20? Of course I am.

Realistically you can do "Pro" level photographic work on pretty much any i5 from the past 6 gens.
You should be happy with the base model. I bought the base model and so far it is an overkill for my needs.
 
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Okay… Today is the big day. I’m gonna hit the Apple Pay button for a Mac Mini!

I plan on getting the Mac Mini 24GB / 512 SSD!

-

For the CURRENT work that I do, I use a 2019 base MacBook Pro 16”. I use up about 13 GB at most doing some design work (Pixelmator and Photoshop), I’ve been hired to do some very small video projects (Nothing more than an occasional 150 bucks for a small project), and other smaller tasks.

But, in the NEAR FUTURE, I plan on working on some more intense design work, creating apps, 2D game design, and some slightly more intense video work (4K footage).

So, I think the Mac Mini I will be getting should be enough for all of that (at least for the next 4 years).
 
If the $200 extra doesn't bother you then just get it. The truth of it is that for most 'normal' computing tasks and use cases, 8GB is plenty. Now, many folks will tell you that it isn't enough and will cripple the machine etc.. but that simply isn't true.

I have an 8GB M2 Air (with the 'slow' SSD) and an M1Pro with 16GB. There is literally nothing I can get to slow either machine down, unless I open up stupid numbers of documents and apps, just to try and see how far I can get. In normal computing scenarios, both machines remain fast and responsive.

Others will say that you can tell if you need more memory by looking at Activity Monitor, Memory Pressure and swap usage. All I can say is that Activity Monitor seems to have been designed by Apple marketing to create anxiety and push people to configure more RAM. Sure, I can push memory pressure into the yellow or even the red, along with gigabytes of Swap Usage but the machine doesn't feel unresponsive under such conditions, and when when the memory pressure is well into the red, I can still scroll like butter, multitask like a madman, as if nothing is wrong.

--

As much as I defend the 8GB machine, I do realize that future versions of the OS might have higher memory demands. That is several years away, at which point the M2 itself is going to feel long in the tooth. Still, I wish there was a way to upgrade RAM to breathe life into an older machine and I can't forgive or defend Apple for taking that option away. All they have done is created a situation where people buy more RAM than they need because of discussion forums like this.
I also have a m2 air with 8gb and I am thinking to go 16gb ram with m1 pro 14 for future proofing. However I had faced no to minimal slowdowns on 8gb ram running multiple tabs, IDEs, although memory pressure has been yellow. what do u suggest..
 
The $1599 M1 Pro 14 is a deal, and for such a minor $ jump up from the M2 Air (particularly if you even imagine you might want $200 in extra RAM on the Air) that yeah, if you're considering the upgrade, I would do it.

It's a different story with the more frequently discounted base M1 Air. At $800 that's compelling, one and done. At about $1050 for the base M2 Air, but then you have to go to Apple (or another nearby reseller, who tend not to be cheapest) at $1200 for the M2 Air, plus $200 for RAM to 16GB... silly not to get an M1 Pro at that point.
 
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I didn’t wanna get 16gb on the m2 cause I been using 16gb since the 2012 mini , but the prices are too high for 32gb so I went with 16gb again
 
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I have another scenario to throw out . M2 with 24GB RAM or M2 Pro with 16GB RAM. Which would be best performing for music production production (VST hungry) ?
Thanks
 
I have another scenario to throw out . M2 with 24GB RAM or M2 Pro with 16GB RAM. Which would be best performing for music production production (VST hungry) ?
Thanks
The one with 50% more performance cores will be more performant, as long as what you are doing doesn’t exceed demand that 16GB of RAM can satisfy, else in some cases the machine with more RAM may be faster. For most people that scenario is very much an edge case.

Only you can say if the music production you’re doing would take advantage of six performance cores vs four, but most should.
 
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The one with 50% more performance cores will be more performant, as long as what you are doing doesn’t exceed demand that 16GB of RAM can satisfy, else in some cases the machine with more RAM may be faster. For most people that scenario is very much an edge case.

Only you can say if the music production you’re doing would take advantage of six performance cores vs four, but most should.
Thank you
 
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