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Did you buy an Apple computer with 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of RAM?
- Thread starter supernet33
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32bit limits you to 4GB of total addressable System RAM. That includes video. While 64bit allows greater access to memory addresses.
There are ways around the architectural limitations but 4GB is the hard limit in 32bit processors.
There are ways around the architectural limitations but 4GB is the hard limit in 32bit processors.
I've been digging around trying to find the specs of my old machines.
Machine - bought with/upgraded to
12" PB (Early 2003) - 256MB (128+128)/640 MB (512 + 128)
17" MBP (Late 2006) - 2GB (1+1)/3GB (2+1)
15" MBP (Early 2011) - 4GB (2+2)/8GB (4+4)/16GB (8+8)
15" rMBP (Mid 2014) - 16GB (8+8)
Machine - bought with/upgraded to
12" PB (Early 2003) - 256MB (128+128)/640 MB (512 + 128)
17" MBP (Late 2006) - 2GB (1+1)/3GB (2+1)
15" MBP (Early 2011) - 4GB (2+2)/8GB (4+4)/16GB (8+8)
15" rMBP (Mid 2014) - 16GB (8+8)
Sure but your comment was why put only 4GB in a 64-bit machine. Address space and physical RAM requirement are different as you must be aware.
Mavericks compression probably makes the 4GB in the smaller machines the equivalent of 6-7GB (certainly my 8GB can become 14GB without swapping using Mavericks compression). No doubt that technology will improve further.
Besides what's the point of a 64bit operating system if you're just going to put 4gb of RAM in it?
Every A7 iDevice says hello.
No that's just you not understanding what I said.
If you do not use more than 4GB of RAM then you have no use for a 64bit operating system. That's all the 32bit vs 64bit does is allow greater access to addressable memory.
Because 32bit OS's is limited to 4GB of RAM going to 64bit for you would make no sense because you're not utilizing more than 4GB of addressable memory.
It's really not that complex.
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Going 64bit for mobile doesn't make sense either as devices don't have more than 4GB of RAM.
I'm sorry if you thought otherwise but all 32bit vs 64bit does is allow access to more than 4GB of RAM.
If you do not use more than 4GB of RAM then you have no use for a 64bit operating system. That's all the 32bit vs 64bit does is allow greater access to addressable memory.
Because 32bit OS's is limited to 4GB of RAM going to 64bit for you would make no sense because you're not utilizing more than 4GB of addressable memory.
It's really not that complex.
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Going 64bit for mobile doesn't make sense either as devices don't have more than 4GB of RAM.
I'm sorry if you thought otherwise but all 32bit vs 64bit does is allow access to more than 4GB of RAM.
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I got my 13" rMBP with double the base RAM and SSD, so 8GB. I think that in 2014, if you plan on buying a computer that will last you 3+ years, 4GB of RAM simply isn't enough.
I don't understand why anyone would buy a "pro" computer with only 4GB of RAM. If you're really not going to be multitasking that much, get an Air.
Heck, there are going to be Android phones with 4GB of RAM out by the end of the year - if your "pro" computer only has as much RAM as a high-end cell phone, it's probably not enough.
I don't understand why anyone would buy a "pro" computer with only 4GB of RAM. If you're really not going to be multitasking that much, get an Air.
Heck, there are going to be Android phones with 4GB of RAM out by the end of the year - if your "pro" computer only has as much RAM as a high-end cell phone, it's probably not enough.
Nonsense. It's all dependent on your use. If all you do is web browsing, email, and word processing (which is what most people do), 4 GB will be fine for the next decade.
only a matter of time until this turned into a discussion about ram
I think a decade is a bit too long. Once the generation iPhone grows up tablets will take over.
They already learned from the start to just use a touch keyboard.
But any macbook now should still work perfectly fine for word processing and emails.
Computers from the ninetys can do that.
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No, it doesn't.
If all you do is web browsing, email, and word processing, and you bought a MacBook Pro, then you bought the wrong computer and should have bought the Air. Cheaper, lighter, and better battery life.
Since this thread is in the MacBook Pro section, most of my initial reply was based on the assumption that we were discussing how much RAM is adequate on a MacBook Pro.
for ram look here:https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1756865/
The rmbp can multitask Ps, Lr and other visual arts apps effortless with 4gb.
The retina screen might be a choice for the pro over the mba.
Unless the resolution of videos/images you are working with gets higher, 4gb ram will still suffice for years to come.
This topic is discussed at naseum here for I dont know how long and for at least over a year people have claimed that you need more than 4gb otherwise your machine will stop working soon. Well they still work fine. Lets see how it looks next year and the year after that. I bet they'll still run fine. You can quote me then.
May not be enough to last you 3+ years but I guarantee it's enough for me and many others.
Because the display on the Air is average at best. The retina display makes text so much sharper with less stress on your eyes. It is essential for people who spend a lot of their time writing or reading text on their MacBook.
The pro also has a better keyboard and a smaller footprint than the 13 Air, both of which I found advantageous.
Any smart phone that needs 4GB of ram needs to be thrown into a river, never to be remembered again. Android manufacturers and their never ending quest to stuff completely unnecessary specs into their devices just to cover up their terribly inefficient software gets really old. It's a bad comparison. 99 percent of people don't need more than 4GB in their Macbook. Nobody needs more than 2 GB of ram in a phone.
So I'm getting the impression there's a small but dedicated band of you who pop up in every RAM thread to spread the word that 4GB is the way to go for most people.
It seems like a little too much pride in making do with the bare minimum. IMO, I think that's short-term thinking, and really just plain bad advice. And history backs it up. 4GB is not a good way to go when you can't upgrade the RAM.
Also more RAM in phones is a given... it's one of the main issues with iOS devices is that they don't have enough. And as our phones/tablets slowly transition to becoming our primary computers, the RAM and storage needs will only increase.
So I'm getting the impression there's a small but dedicated band of you who pop up in every RAM thread to spread the word that 4GB is the way to go for most people.
you are a keen observer. Same goes for the small and dedicated band that promotes that every average joe schould always max out their ram because otherwise their computer will stop working soon. It's the never ending story of ram threads. Welcome to the show!
Again, you are a keen observer. that's why android phones are considerd the best on the market and
the worst ... The end of the story is that you just buy a computer with the specs you need.
If you buy anything more it wont last you longer. You will just have spent more on a machine that doesnt work anymore.
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My 8GB of RAM in my iMac has went up to 20.5GB before and 2GB was swap. So it is really around the 18.5GB mark where you have fully filled 8GB of RAM.
I agree with @pragmatous... it just really does not make sense having just 4GB RAM on a 64-bit OS. Basically you are under utilizing the machine to its potential ... it also does not make sense if you have a 64bit OS but your apps are just 32bit...
So I'm getting the impression there's a small but dedicated band of you who pop up in every RAM thread to spread the word that 4GB is the way to go for most people.
It seems like a little too much pride in making do with the bare minimum. IMO, I think that's short-term thinking, and really just plain bad advice. And history backs it up. 4GB is not a good way to go when you can't upgrade the RAM.
Also more RAM in phones is a given... it's one of the main issues with iOS devices is that they don't have enough. And as our phones/tablets slowly transition to becoming our primary computers, the RAM and storage needs will only increase.
People often make fun of new iPhones because they seem to have the same specs as a 2 year old android device. However, the fact that new iPhones are just as snappy if not snappier in the same apps as a comparable android device with 3GB of RAM and Snapdragon 801 with 4 cores at 2.xGhz I'd question how well the OS and apps are written. It also seems to be a pointless race between android manufacturers to stuff as many pointless specs as possible into their phones. I wouldn't be surprised if in a couple years we see phones trying to stuff a 4k(3840x2160) into a 5" display.
With Mavericks, 4GB actually goes along way. I think now we are seeing a focus on better memory management than an increase minimum specs. As such, I think memory requirements will be stagnant for a least another 5 years.
Yeah, that's not good advice either... what's the old saying about "two wrongs don't make a right"?
The RAM doesn't have anything to do with with which is "better." Apple has been slowly raising RAM in its phones and tablets as well. Apples iOS device CPU chips and iOS are going 64bit, and the most important reason for doing so is to address more than 4GB of RAM.Again, you are a keen observer. that's why android phones are considerd the best on the market and
Frankly, it's not that I don't think there isn't wisdom in those words, it's just you guys are being so dogmatic about it. It doesn't have to be an extreme.