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Retina MacBook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2012
117
0
Do you feel worried that Apple only offered 8 GB RAM as Max knowing that in 2-4 years, 16 GB will be standard?
 

RightMACatU

macrumors 65816
Jul 12, 2012
1,423
1,132
192.168.1.1
2-4 years: when we'll cross that bridge...
8GB is more than enought on a MBA... any requirements above that points you to a higher power (rMBP)
 

MacDawg

Moderator emeritus
Mar 20, 2004
19,823
4,503
"Between the Hedges"
I get by very well with 4 GB, even running VMware, but would prefer 8 GB on my MBA
It will be a while before I would feel the need for 16 GB
 

Retina MacBook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2012
117
0
I guess you aren't worried because you're just using the air for some light applications. I'm worried because I'll be using it for adobe master collection, final cut and aperture.
 

oxfordguy

macrumors 6502a
Feb 27, 2008
503
4
Oxford, England
I'm fine with 8Gb for a computer like the Mac Book Air (on a Macbook Pro I can see more need for it), though 4Gb would definitely not be enough for me. In fact the 4Gb RAM limit on pre-mid-2012 MBAs was one of the reasons I held off buying one (that, and I wanted USB 3.0 support in my next laptop purchase)
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
I guess you aren't worried because you're just using the air for some light applications. I'm worried because I'll be using it for adobe master collection, final cut and aperture.

For the apps you're using I don't find the MB Air to be a suitable machine for you. I used my Air for light apps as well (photoshop being the heaviest) and while I tried Aperture, I use(d) my MacPro for the heavy lifting.

The MBP is absolutely the machine for you.
 

SoIsays

macrumors regular
Nov 1, 2011
235
10
I find it outrageous we can't have 16gb. It's racist to mba's to be held down just because they're labeled as small laptops. Equality for all laptops!
 

Retina MacBook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 19, 2012
117
0
I find it outrageous we can't have 16gb. It's racist to mba's to be held down just because they're labeled as small laptops. Equality for all laptops!

I feel it too. But I am not blaming anyone just yet. It's probably a technical limitation. I don't see a reason why Apple wouldn't want to add 16 GB. It could totally give them huge profits.
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
I find it outrageous we can't have 16gb. It's racist to mba's to be held down just because they're labeled as small laptops. Equality for all laptops!

I find your use of the word racist to be outrageous.
 

Barna Biro

macrumors 6502a
Sep 25, 2011
653
33
Zug, Switzerland
I think 8 GB is fine... of course, in theory 16 GB would be better, but by the time you end up utilizing so much ram, the poor i5 and i7 CPUs would most likely already be spitting their lungs out trying to run all the stuff you have open.

Currently it's quite well balanced...
 

ohbrilliance

macrumors 65816
May 15, 2007
1,010
355
Melbourne, Australia
Nope. The MBP isn't thin enough. The top priority of my computer will always be the looks. That's what made me switch to Mac in the first place.

Well there you have it. MBAs are for thinness and portability, MBPs for power. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

As far as 8GB goes, that's pretty solid in my opinion. I'm a developer and get by fine with 4GB on my 5 year old MBP.
 

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
People were complaining that 4 GB was not enough and they wanted 8. Now that 8 is available, we are concerned that it should be 16? 8 GB is enough for such a tiny and portable package
 
Last edited:

OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,814
1,795
Would be nice if it could hold 16, but i'm fine with 8. Not sure if there is a tech limitation, but if it were possible to configure the rmbp to 16 and the air I'm sure it would effect sales some.
 

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
Would be nice if it could hold 16, but i'm fine with 8. Not sure if there is a tech limitation, but if it were possible to configure the rmbp to 16 and the air I'm sure it would effect sales some.

I don't see a technical limitation since you can get 16 GBs and 8 GBs in the same space on normal memory modules (2x4 or 2x8). Even though RAM is soldered, the principles are the same - at least in my mind.
 

asting

macrumors 6502
Jun 10, 2012
378
3
People just like to whine. Doesn't os x preload Commonly used apps? I bought 8gb, but for my next laptop i couldn't see myself buying more. For Photoshop and bridge 8gb is overkill.
Hell, my gaming desktop which i edit tons of raw photos on and do heavy matlab work on only has 4gb. I've yet to run out on that.

I think perhaps it's a usage problem. My tech illiterate mother complains her i7 desktop is slow. I'll occasionally see what she means when i visit, and she'll have 250 raw photos open and about 80 Web browser pages. of course that's slow.
Use the computer intelligently and you'll have no problem with it.

In the future of course requirements will go up as we use higher res video or cameras, but for now 8gb is more than plenty.
 

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
People just like to whine. Doesn't os x preload Commonly used apps? I bought 8gb, but for my next laptop i couldn't see myself buying more. For Photoshop and bridge 8gb is overkill.
Hell, my gaming desktop which i edit tons of raw photos on and do heavy matlab work on only has 4gb. I've yet to run out on that.

I think perhaps it's a usage problem. My tech illiterate mother complains her i7 desktop is slow. I'll occasionally see what she means when i visit, and she'll have 250 raw photos open and about 80 Web browser pages. of course that's slow.
Use the computer intelligently and you'll have no problem with it.

In the future of course requirements will go up as we use higher res video or cameras, but for now 8gb is more than plenty.

No, it does not pre-load commonly used apps, but it keeps stuff in memory that you've recently used (inactive pie in Activity Monitor). It does load commonly used operating system files into the cache though.
 
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